As the weather gets colder, the humidity levels in our homes become drier this time of year without some sort of humidification system.
Humidifiers are very convenient, especially here in Ohio. However, the smaller (standard size) humidifiers you find in retail stores are not nearly as helpful for maintaining healthy levels throughout a home, unless you are only needing them for smaller spaces like a single room. For healthy levels throughout the home, whole-home humidifiers are far more beneficial as they greatly improve the overall Indoor Air Quality of the entire residence all winter long. They are great for not only you and your family’s health, but also the condition of your house and its contents as well.
To explain this in more depth, we at Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling put together the following list of Six Major Benefits of Whole-Home Humidifiers:
Safeguarding Furniture & Wood
A home’s wood furniture, molding, trim and other woodwork will last a lot longer and look better when the proper humidity levels are maintained during the winter. This proper range is between 30 and 50 percent. During the winter, it is known to drop well below 30 percent, and when it does the dry air extracts moisture from our bodies and the wood in our home. This damages wooden furniture, trim, tables, hardwood flooring and cabinetry, making them crack, split and warp. Window frames and doors can shrink and warp making it harder to open and close them. Because this moisture is needed, installing a whole-home humidifier is good for not only you, but also for many of your belongings and the actual house itself.
Better Sleeping Conditions
When humidity levels dry up during the wintertime, it makes our homes extremely dry. This can create a breathing environment that is unhealthy, one that often results in discomfort and illness. Snoring becomes an issue, either developing or becoming louder, as other sleeping problems arise. Snoring is synonymous with interrupting sleep cycles. It causes sleeping problems for the person snoring as well as others in the home. To compound matters, coughing and breathing problems caused by dry air can disrupt sleep as well, and dry throats can aggravate this problem. Fortunately, whole-home humidifiers improve sleep quality.
Protection From Flu Season
Because our respiratory systems are lined with membrane tissue that needs moisture to function properly, lower levels of humidity, or dry air caused by the cold weather, can cause health problems. Dry air removes moisture from this tissue and causes irritation, often making a person’s throat sore and scratchy while causing painful sinus problems and other respiratory tract issues. Often, the arrival of cold and flu season compounds these issues, making what would normally be a painless cold far more troublesome. To make matters worse, many types of common viruses are known to proliferate faster in warm and dry conditions and people with inflamed respiratory systems from dry air are more susceptible to getting them. This creates a sort of double-edge sword, or a recipe for complete misery. Fortunately, whole-home humidifiers are very helpful solutions for these issues, as having one guards you from flu season.
Combats Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms are usually a result of a person’s immune system overreacting to stuff in the air and dry air. Because their immune system is fighting against airborne pollutants and struggling against dry air, their mucous membranes swell and produce too much mucus. Normal symptoms include sneezing, runny noses, watery eyes and dry skin. When skin dries, hives and other irritations cause or result from excess itching. If you or your loved ones are experiencing allergy problems and your indoor humidity levels are low, getting a whole-home humidifier is something you should definitely consider, if you haven’t done so already.
Skin Health
For those who have had issues with eczema or dermatitis, dry and itchy skin can be painful. These problems are at their worst when the air is cold and dry, as low levels of humidity cause skin problems. For people with dry skin problems, whole-home humidifiers are great for keeping indoor moisture levels inside a healthy range. Humidifiers enable skin to keep its natural moisture, which gives it elasticity. Without the moisture it needs, skin develops wrinkles much sooner than normal. Furthermore, dry air makes oil-producing glands in the body hyperactive, which often leads to a condition that triggers acne problems. Because the outdoor air is dryer during the wintertime, sustaining optimal indoor humidity levels helps keep skin healthy.
Convenience
Although the humidifiers you find at local retail stores can be useful for small spaces, whole-home humidifiers are needed to improve the overall air quality of an entire dwelling in a convenient lasting way. Whole-home humidifiers are by far more superior options for a variety of reasons, least of all being their convenience. If someone tried to use a smaller unit for their entire home, they would need numerous devices placed safely all throughout the house. They would have to bring them all water constantly and this would become time-consuming, tedious, wasteful and potentially hazardous. Because using a bunch of smaller humidifiers would not be practical, if you’re looking to maintain humidity levels in your home, a whole-home humidifier is hands down the best option. Having this single device installed in your air duct system is hassle free. You won’t ever need to refill it because they are directly linked to your water line. And the humidity would be added to your air supply as it’s distributed into your home from your HVAC system, so you would never need to see it, adjust it or plug it in. Once we put this device in your system, it is fully integrated and ready to go!
Give Us A Call Today!
Sustaining proper levels of humidity in a dwelling keeps everyone happier, healthier and far more comfortable. Because we care about the quality of the air in your home, we want you and your loved ones to live comfortably and enjoy the holiday season! If you’re interested in having a whole-home humidifier installed, please call Fairfield-Hamilton Heating & Cooling today at 513-540-1716, or click here to schedule an appointment now!
