Winters can be fun with all the festivities around Christmas and the cold weather in general, more so if there is snow. But the winter months are also the driest months in St. Louis. The dry air that comes with the winter can be as uncomfortable as the high humidity of the summers. Dryness of the air can cause some health and comfort issues.
With all of this cold, dry air, you may find yourself asking every winter – “Do I need a whole house humidifier?” It can be a substantial investment, we understand. But there is good reason to invest in a whole house humidifier this winter. Read on below to learn more as we dive deeper into this.
Meanwhile, if you have any questions regarding HVAC installation or maintenance or would like to schedule an appointment with our heating and air conditioning experts to find out if a whole house humidifier is right for your home, call us at 314-993-1110.
Why Do I Need A Whole House Humidifier?
Whole house humidifiers are required to keep the air inside your home moist. Though you may think that humidity is uncomfortable, a certain amount of moisture in the air is necessary. Not just for comfort but also for your health.
Our respiratory tract is lined with moisture and this moisture is essential for us. It prevents bacteria or pollutants from directly coming in contact with our respiratory organs, which can cause irritation. When the air inside your home itself is dry, it will also dry out your respiratory tract giving these irritants a better chance at attacking.
Dry air can cause several health issues like:
- Dry nose and throat
- Dry, flaky skin
- Coughing
- Mild dehydration
- Aggravated symptoms of asthma
- Vulnerability to flu or bacterial infections
The most common problems you may have faced are a dry nose that is extremely uncomfortable, chapped lips, and dry, itchy skin. A whole house humidifier can help you avoid these issues.
Do I Need A Whole House Humidifier Or A Portable Unit?
When planning to buy a humidifier, you will come across several options. The ones that are most relevant to you would be whole house humidifiers and portable humidifiers. Both of these types have their own uses and capacities.
If you are looking for a humidifier that will provide comfort throughout your house, uniformly, then a whole house humidifier would work best. Whole humidifiers have a much higher capacity and can cover larger areas. So they can maintain your desired level of humidity in all your rooms. These are usually installed alongside your HVAC unit, away from plain sight so you do not have to deal with the noise of the equipment either.
If you need to humidify smaller spaces, though, a portable humidifier should be good enough. It can be carried around to whichever room you want to place it in. It also consumes much lesser energy than a whole house humidifier. But this would be more like a temporary arrangement rather than a permanent solution.
Whichever type you use, it is important to ensure that you maintain the humidity at an optimum level. Some users tend to over-humidify their homes and that could be harmful to you in other ways.
Hire the Best HVAC Contractors in St. Louis to Get Your Humidifier Installed
So are you ready to get your whole home humidifier installed? Or do you still find yourself asking do I need a whole house humidifier? Galmiche & Sons can help! Get in touch with our heating and air conditioning experts today by contacting us online or by phone at 314-993-1110.
