During the heating months, humidifiers can make the indoor environment healthier and much more comfortable. Households with family members who suffer from allergies, asthma or severely dry skin find humidifiers to be a great help when stuck indoors during the cold months before things warm up in April.
How Do Humidifiers Work?
Humidifiers moisten the air by dispersing moisture in the form of a fine, invisible mist. Different types of humidifiers do this in different ways. Evaporative humidifiers pull air into the unit, where it passes over a saturated filter, and a fan propels it back into the indoor environment. Ultrasonic humidifiers force microscopic particles of water into the air via an ultrasonic vibrating diaphragm. Warm mist humidifiers heat water to boiling, causing it to vaporize and release into the air. Central humidifiers work by sending your furnace or heat pump's forced air stream through a moistened water panel, which humidifies the air before it's delivered throughout your home.
Do Humidifiers Require Maintenance?
When humidifiers collect dust, mineral buildup or allergens, these elements have the potential to damage the unit and release harmful allergens and pollutants into the air. Regular maintenance is essential to keep your humidifier working in peak condition between inspections.
How Can Homeowners Keep Their Humidifiers in Top Condition?
To ensure your humidifier functions properly and promotes a healthy indoor air environment, follow these humidifier tips below:
- Change the filter regularly (in systems that use a filter), according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Replace the water in a portable or room humidifier every day. This prevents film and deposit buildup inside the unit.
- Use distilled or demineralized water rather than water from the tap to reduce mineral buildup.
- Clean the humidifier at least twice a week using a manufacturer-approved disinfectant, bleach or a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution.
- Rinse the unit thoroughly after cleaning to avoid dispersing chemicals into the air.
- Drain and clean humidifiers before storing them after the cold weather has passed.
- For whole-house humidifiers, which are hooked directly to your plumbing and drainage system, maintenance is relatively easy, and in most cases just involves cleaning the water panel annually.
For more humidifier tips and expert advice about keeping your home comfortable through the winter and early spring, please contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. We’ve been serving Fort Wayne and the surrounding area since 1963. .
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock