If you have a forced-air heating system, such as a furnace, you’re probably familiar with the dry air it can produce in the winter. It can cause a lot of negative side effects, such as:
- Dry skin
- Static electricity
- Chapped lips
- Aggravated allergies
- Discomfort breathing
- Bloody noses
- And more
However, you don’t have to suffer through the dry air any more—you can install a whole-house humidifier! Rather than adding a portable humidifier in specific rooms of your house, a whole-house humidifier fixes the problem of dry air at its source by adding moisture into the air flowing through your ductwork. If you’re interested in a whole-house humidifier installation in Cincinnati or the surrounding Ohio areas, you have a couple different types of humidifiers to choose from.
Types of Humidifiers
Drum humidifiers – Drum humidifiers contain foam or fabric belts that rotate through a reservoir. As the belts get wet, the heating and cooling system blows air over the belts to absorb the moisture. Drum humidifiers are the least expensive of the different types of humidifiers, but they require the most maintenance. That’s because they need to be cleaned frequently to prevent mold growth in the reservoir. Additionally, the reservoir must be refilled with water to keep the belts moist.
Flow-through humidifiers – Flow-through humidifiers produce their own water supply that is passed through to the aluminum or foam pads. Like drum humidifiers, air is blown from the HVAC system and over the pads to absorb the moisture and send it through the air ducts and throughout the house. The flow-through humidifier may produce more water than it needs, so excess water needs to be removed with a floor drain.
Spray mist humidifiers – Spray mist humidifiers spray water vapor directly into the air ducts and into the home. There are three types of humidifiers within this group—warm mist humidifiers, cool mist humidifiers, and steam vaporizers.
- Warm mist humidifiers require a heating system to create warm water vapor for the house.
- Cool mist humidifiers are exactly like warm mist, but they have the option of using or not using the air conditioning system to create cooler water vapor.
- Steam vaporizer humidifiers need a heating source to heat the reservoir and make it warm enough to create steam. However, these types of humidifiers have a small risk of causing burns, so they are not recommended for homes with children.
Learn More About the Types of Humidifiers
Whole-house humidifiers help maintain a consistent (and healthy) level of humidity in your home to keep everyone comfortable. If you’re interested in installing a whole-house humidifier in your home or you want to learn more about the types of humidifiers and their benefits, contact Rick’s Heating & Cooling today to schedule a professional estimate!