Across Canada, the frigid winter temperatures bring dry household air, and Windsor is no exception. Dry air can negatively impact your home as well as your health, but a whole humidifier can help. We’ve put together a few humidifier tips to educate you about the benefits of balancing the humidity levels in your home.

Why Is Dry Air Bad?
Dry air can negatively impact your health in several ways. The most common side effects are dry, irritable skin, and respiratory issues. Your home can also be negatively impacted by dry air because it pulls the moisture from the wood framing and flooring, causing it to shift. This can result in creaky floors and make your doors hard to open. Here are a few tips to help you pick the right humidifier for your home.

Bypass/Drum Humidifiers
This style of humidifier installs directly onto your HVAC system and utilizes the blower in your furnace to push air over a wet belt or pad depending on the model. They connect directly to your home water supply, so you’ll never have to worry about filling the reservoir. Drum units are controlled by a humidistat that senses when the humidity levels within your home are below the set level and signals the unit to turn on. The humid air it generates is then dispersed throughout your home through the pre-existing ductwork.

Flow-Through Units
These units operate in a similar fashion to the drum style, but they don’t have a reservoir. They still connect directly to your home’s water supply, but they only draw in water when the controller senses the humidity levels in your home are too low. The water then soaks the foam or aluminum pad, and the warm air passes through it creating humid air that is then dispersed through the ductwork. This style requires less maintenance because there is no reservoir where water can collect and create sediment build up.

Steam Whole-Home Humidifiers
Steam units use a humidistat to monitor the humidity levels in your home and cycle on accordingly. They connect to your home’s water supply as well and use a reservoir, but they don’t use pads. Instead, when the humidity levels in your home drop, the water in the reservoir is heated to generate steam, which is then dispersed throughout your home. The main difference with this style of humidifier is that your furnace doesn’t need to be on for it to operate, which makes them a great year-round solution for dry air. They are also the best option for larger homes because they can generate more humidity than the other styles.

If you’re interested in a whole-home humidifier,
contact Fahrhall for more information or to book an installation appointment.

Fahrhall has been proudly serving the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions since 1967. Our team of HVAC experts is dedicated to providing our customers with quality service and equipment.

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