Types of Whole House Humidifiers

As we looked at  House Humidifier FAQ’s last week, we learned there are a host of issues during an Indiana winter caused from dry air in your home. Health problems associated with cold and allergies can be frustrating and painful. Dry skin can be annoying and have many costs associated with trying to counteract it. And let’s not forget, the moisture that comes from floors and furniture can potentially damage expensive investments. Thankfully a whole house humidifier can be a solution for the issues above. Read on for more information on three types of Whole House Humidifiers.

Depending on the construction of your home and your specific needs, the type and size of the humidification solution will look different. However, the three main types of whole house humidifiers are:

1. Steam Whole House Humidifiers

Run and operate independent of your HVAC system. Steam humidifiers are a great solution for non-conditioned spaces or homes without forced air systems. The Aprilaire and Honeywell systems, which are both offered by Homesense, can work in homes up to 6,200 ft. sq.

2. Fan Powered Humidifiers

Also run independent of your HVAC system, but are installed into the ductwork and push evaporated water into your home’s air.

3. Bypass Humidifiers

Function similar to the fan powered systems in that the humid air is created through an evaporative process. The bypass humidifier is installed into the ductwork of the return air vent and ducted into the supply air.

How you determine what’s right for your home is based upon a number of factors. Construction accessibility is a major player. The more space you have, the more options you have. As always, cost is also a major factor. Each of the above options will certainly have positive impact on your home’s dry air, but there are benefits with option one that you wont find in options two and three.

More than anything, we recommend a trained technical professional guide you in this recommendation. More than any HVAC “add-on”, the humidifier, if done improperly, can have adverse impact on your system. Some of the above systems can put over 20 gallons of moisture in your air every day. Just imagine if that moisture isn’t being distributed properly. That can mean moisture into the mechanical and electrical parts of your system, rush to metal ductwork, etc.

If you’re already struggling with the dry air of winter, don’t hesitate to give us a call! We’d be happy to further discuss these issues and your options.