Many of us have experienced enough humidity to ask, “Why would I ever want to create that in my home?”
The truth is that humidity is a balancing act. For maximum comfort, relative humidity levels should be between 30% – 50%. Anything above 50% is getting into that hot and muggy territory. Likewise, anything below 30% is going to hamper your body’s healing abilities and make you uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, low humidity is just as big of a problem as high humidity. The air outside this past winter may have been dry and cold, but whole-house humidifiers in Cedar Grove, NJ can make the inside of your home feel pleasant during that time of the year.
More Convenient than Portable Options
If your goal is simply to humidify one or two rooms for a particular dry week of the season, then you probably don’t need a whole-house humidifier. For those whose whole families suffer from the dry air throughout the season, however, portable humidifiers just won’t cut it.
Portable units use a water tank, so you’ll need to change the water at least once a day to avoid fostering bacteria and mold. Not only that, but the tank will need to be replaced every time the water runs out.
As for whole-house humidifiers, they require very little power to operate, even less than some portable models. It works by evaporating water through a water pad, and then by sending that evaporated water through the same ducts that your heating or cooling system uses. The best part is that this pad only needs to be changed once a year, and it uses water from your hot water line, meaning you never have to refill it manually.
Eliminate Illness
As it turns out, regular congestion and sinus infections can be caused by air that’s too dry. In fact, keeping your nasal passages moist is part of what helps your body overcome asthma, cold, and allergies. Your sinuses need the correct amount of humidity and moisture if you want them to drain properly.
However, you need to keep humidity levels in mind. Higher humidity levels are good for the above reasons, but going above 50% relative humidity is going to bring more problems like the growth of bacteria and mold. It’s all about balance. Luckily, whole-house humidifiers have sophisticated functions to let them automatically detect and balance the humidity levels for you.
Increased Comfort, Day and Night
Sleeping in a dry environment will have you waking up with a scratchy throat, dry nose, or a headache. And that’s not even considering the number of times you may have woken up in the night without remembering. A healthy level of humidity is required to ensure a good, full night of sleep.
Strangely, moisture in the air can actually help you feel warmer in the winter. We often feel uncomfortable due to the high humidity in the summer; it makes us feel much hotter than the actual temperature. During drier and colder seasons, however, this effect can work toward your benefit by helping you feel warmer.
Is the dry air making you feel miserable? Contact MarGo Plumbing Heating Cooling Inc. today!