Texas can have spells of dry weather, especially in the winter. A humidifier can help with dry air in your home. Many overlook this option because they think of humidifiers as an item used only by people during the winter to combat colds and the flu, but a humidifier can benefit your residence and your health in many ways. Here are some of the advantages.
Reduce Risk of Respiratory Infections
Many people will experience a sore throat or cold at some point during the winter months. You can’t prevent what you may pick up when you are outside your home, but a humidifier can help you maintain a healthy household. Flu germs and other viruses persist and circulate more easily in dry air conditions rather than moist ones.
It is recommended that the humidity level be between 45% and 50% to reduce the spread of germs. A humidifier helps you achieve optimal humidity by adding moisture to the air in your house.
Moisturize Skin and Lips
Humidifiers can help moisturize your skin and lips by adding moisture back into the air. This helps keep your skin supple and soft, reducing dryness caused by environmental factors like dry weather or central heating systems that pull moisture out of the air. It also keeps your lips from drying out during winter months when humidity levels are low indoors.
Minimize Static Electricity
Static electricity is a nuisance that can affect both you and your electronics. It occurs when electrons build up on surfaces and become charged by friction. When these electrons are released, they can cause sparks and static shocks. Static electricity can also build up on carpets, curtains, and furniture, which causes them to attract dust. According to the ESD Association (an organization devoted to studying static electricity), the static shock we get from walking across a carpet can even damage smartphones. Fortunately, a humidifier can be used to keep the moisture level ideal for keeping static electricity at bay.
Preserve Your Treasured Possessions
In addition to your skin, low humidity levels can dry out wood furniture and other wooden items in your home. You may have noticed that one of your pieces of antique furniture gets shakier than usual in the wintertime. Contracting wood, caused by dry conditions, can produce cracks and faulty furniture joints.
If you have wood flooring, dry air may also be causing bent boards and gaps between planks. Additionally, musical instruments can be negatively affected by dry air. Pianos, guitars, and violins all have precise joints that may twist when stored in a dry environment. Finally, dry air may be responsible for separating drywall and peeling wallpaper because dry conditions can cause cracks and separation between layers in porous materials.
The longer your furnishings, instruments, flooring, and walls are exposed to dry air, the more damage will be done. Using a humidifier in your home sooner rather than later can help preserve your favorite wood items for years to come.
Enhance Plant Growth
Plants need moisture to thrive, so a humidifier will help them grow even when the air outside is dry and cold. Humidifiers improve plant growth by increasing the humidity levels in your home’s indoor air. Moister air will also help you water your plants properly. You may have noticed how quickly the soil in your potted plants dries out in the winter. It isn’t easy to gauge how much water to give your houseplants in dry conditions, and it can result in plants that have been watered too much or too little.
More Comfortable Sound Levels
You might not think of your home as being loud, but if there isn’t enough moisture in the air, it can be very noisy. This is because sound travels better through dry air than moist air, so when there’s less humidity in the air, it’s easier for sounds to bounce around and echo in your home. This can make it harder for people who live there to have conversations or watch TV without raising their voices and making things even louder. A humidifier helps keep sound levels more comfortable by adding moisture to the indoor atmosphere.
Helps You Sleep Better
If you live in an area where the winters are dry and cold, you may notice that during the night your nose and throat feel parched from breathing in dry air. Dry air can lead to painful sinuses that make it difficult for you to sleep comfortably through the night. A humidifier can help by adding moisture back into your room so that you can breathe easier while sleeping or resting in bed.
Things to Consider When Buying a Portable Humidifier
When buying a humidifier, you should consider several things before you make a purchase. Reading the information below may help you to make a better decision about the type of humidifier that best suits your needs.
Size and Capacity
If you are considering a stand-alone unit, the size of the room where you plan to use the humidifier will determine how large a model you need. If you have a small space, a smaller model will be fine. If you have a large room or are planning to use your humidifier in multiple rooms, then consider getting one with a larger capacity so it is powerful enough to get the job done and you don’t have to refill it as often.
Consider Buying a Humidistat
Using a humidistat can help you prevent putting too much moisture in the air, which can lead to mold growth and other health problems. Humidistats measure the air’s humidity level. The measurement can help you adjust where and how often you run your portable humidifier so you can regulate the moisture level in each room of your house.
Sound Level
Some portable humidifiers are quieter than others. If you plan on using yours in your bedroom at night while sleeping, then consider getting one with a low sound level so it won’t disturb your sleep cycle or wake up other family members who live with you.
Whole-Home Humidifiers
A whole-home humidifier can be added to your existing HVAC system, and it’s probably a wiser solution. These are preferred by many people because they are more convenient and functional than the portable types on the market. A whole-house humidifier connects to your water line, has a built-in humidistat that you can set to your preferred humidity level, and distributes moisture evenly to all the living spaces in your house. In addition, whole-home humidifiers require minimal maintenance and electricity.
Seek Professional Advice
At Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating, we are advocates of whole-home humidifiers because of their superior functionality and convenience. Maintaining proper humidity in a home is just too important to a family’s health and treasured heirlooms to rely on portable versions. We’re located in Selma, TX, and we serve customers throughout the San Antonio area. As a family-owned business, we view our clients as an extension of our family. Our highly trained technicians install, maintain, and repair all types of heating and cooling systems. In addition, we provide ductwork, VRF equipment, and indoor air quality solutions
Contact us today if you are thinking about adding a whole-home humidifier to your HVAC system. We have the expertise to do it right, and you can expect to be treated like a member of our family.
