If you suffer from allergies or similar aliments don’t let your guard down when the season change especially during Fall and Winter.
The combination of Winter’s dry air, a turned-up thermostat, and inside closed spaces can wreak chaos on your system.
As most people know who suffer with this problem the best way to combat it is with a humidifier. And the best way to keep an entire home comfortable is with a whole house humidifier.
But which humidifier is the best to get?
As we look at humidifiers and which is the best fit for you first lets look at some basic information about humidifiers.
Why Does The Air Become So Dry?
In fall and winter, homes often are dry because cold air from the outside infiltrates the condition space.
The infiltration air in a home is artificially dried out when it is heated because it expands, spreading out the moisture.
The amount of moisture in the air is measured or stated by the term called Relative Humidity.
It is the percentage of moisture in the air compared to the capacity of the air to hold moisture. In other words, if the relative humidity is 50%, each cubic foot of air is holding one half the moisture it is capable of holding.
The relative humidity of the air decreases as the temperature increases, because air with high temperatures can hold more moisture.
When a cubic foot of 20°F outside air at 50° relative humidity is heated to room temperature 75°F, the relative humidity of that airdrops.
For comfort the dried out air should have its moisture replenished.
The recommended relative humidity for a home is between 40% and 60%. When the relative humidity varies above these limits, studies have shown that bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other organisms become more active.
In the condition spaces with lower relative humidity the dry warm air draws moisture from everything in the condition space, including carpets, furniture, woodwork, plants, and people.
Furniture joints loosen, nasal and throat passages dry out, and skin becomes dry.
Dry air causes more energy consumption than necessary because the air gets moisture from the human body through evaporation from the skin.
The person then feels cold and says the thermostat a few degrees higher to become comfortable. With more humidity in the air a person is more comfortable at lower temperature.
Static electricity is also much greater in dry air.
A person also may receive a small electric shock when touching something after having walked across the room.
Years ago people placed hands of water on radiators or on stoves. Even boil water on the stove to make moisture available to the air.
The water evaporated into the air and raised the relative humidity.
Although this may still be done in some homes, efficient and effective equipment called humidifiers produce this moisture and make it available to the air by evaporation.
What Is the Best Humidifier?
An answer to this question will vary from one person to another as each will have a different situation, from cost to home size.
As always be sure to read reviews on Amazon, here, or elsewhere to be sure a unit is the right pick for you.
Our Picks for Best Whole House Humidifiers
- Aprilaire 700
- AIRCARE MA1201
- Aprilaire 600M
The Aprilaire 700 has an evaporation capacity of 0.75 gallons per hour and can control humidity levels in homes up to 4,200 square feet.
Setting up this unit does require some construction skills and may not be for everyone.
Paying someone to hook it up is always an option but will likely add $200-$300 dollars to the price.
If you are a DIY type of person or have skill this this is a good unit to get.
The AIRCARE MA1201 whole house humidifier can control humidity in a home up to 2500 square feet.
It can pump 12 gallons of water into the air in a 24 hour period.
This is a good humidifier if you have limited skill to install one of the other units.
It would be best to place it near the return air in a home or near the biggest vent supply.
Aprilaire 600M can humidify an entire home up to 4,000 square feet in size.
This is a good unit to have in a home but does require more work to setup and get working.
A hole will need to be cut into the plenum and a water line tapped into.
While this is a good unit unless you have some construction skills the cost of paying someone to install it will have to be added to the initial cost.
Summary
Getting a good humidifier to control humidity levels in a home will definitely help those who suffer from low humidity levels.
The right unit for you depends on your skill level to install a professional unit or a mobile unit.
Paying someone to install a home humidifier can always be done but be sure to get quotes for install prices which will vary between $200-$300 dollars.