As longtime residents of any part of Utah well know, dry climate just comes with the territory when you live in this state. Utah is a desert, meaning moisture is in short supply all over – not just in terms of water for various daily needs, but also in terms of moisture in the air, otherwise known as humidity.
The pros with At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air are well aware of the issues this dryness in the air can cause for many homeowners. For many people, low humidity levels will lead to physical symptoms like a sore throat, dry skin or chapped lips, and these levels also may impact your home itself by cracking floors and furniture or expanding and contracting various wood items.
One excellent solution we’ll offer if this is becoming a concern for you: A whole-home humidifier, which we can both install and maintain as necessary to bring your home back to reasonable humidity ranges and improve everything from comfort to home value. How does this sort of item differ from a standard portable humidifier, and what are the benefits of a whole-home option?
Difference Between Single and Whole-Home Humidifiers
A single, or portable, humidifier is one that, as the name suggests, is compact and only meant to provide humidity changes to a single room or area. Most of these options plug directly into a wall outlet, with a removable container you can fill with water that will be converted into steam form and dispersed throughout the room in question, raising the humidity over time.
A whole-home humidifier, on the other hand, does not involve a cord or any removable pieces. Rather, it’s an item that’s installed directly into your HVAC system, connecting to your water supply and allowing you to control the relative humidity of the air in your entire home, top to bottom. When air cycles through your HVAC system, as it does regularly while the system works to heat or cool the home, it’s humidified automatically to the levels you desire.
Benefits of Whole-Home Humidifiers
So what are some of the reasons you might consider a whole-home humidifier? Here are several of their benefits:
- Breathing quality: For anyone with a respiratory condition like asthma or allergies, or even for those who have occasional breathing concerns, a whole-home humidifier can be a godsend. Many people struggle to breathe properly in low humidity environments, and may see sore throats or related issues more often.
- Skin and dryness: In addition, better humidity levels will limit the risks of dry skin, chapped lips, and other results of very dry air.
- Wood floors and furniture: Wood items in the home are also susceptible to cracking, contracting or other damage due to dry climate. A whole-home humidifier helps you attain proper levels and remove these risks.
- Temperature: Finally, a whole-home humidifier often makes the home feel warmer at a cooler temperature, a big win during cooler parts of the year when you’re looking to warm the space without raising your energy bill.
For more on the benefits of whole-home humidifiers, or to learn about any of our furnace replacement, water heater repair or other HVAC services, speak to the staff with At Your Service Plumbing, Heating & Air today.
