About Whole-House Humidifiers

A whole-house humidifier is an appliance developed to increase humidity in the atmosphere of a home. These are merely larger, more complex versions of single-room humidifiers, which are too small and focused to spread humidity throughout any rooms but the one in which it is located. To work on a larger scale, whole-house humidifiers are typically hooked up to a home's HVAC system, which in turn spreads the humidifying air throughout the home by way of the air conditioning vents.

Wick Humidifiers

Most whole-house humidifiers use evaporative technology. These systems are sometimes called wick humidifiers, and they are the simplest form of humidifier in common use. In fact, the basic technology used to run these humidifiers consists of only a few parts: the reservoir, which contains water the owner has poured into it in preparation; the wick, which is a small filter that soaks the water up from the reservoir; and the fan, which works to spread the moisturized air throughout the home.

Types

After the common wick humidifier, there are several other types of whole-house humidifiers in use today. One of these is the vaporizer, otherwise known as the steam humidifier. Rather than using a fan and wick to evaporate moisture from a reservoir, these humidifiers actually boil the water within them, which in turn releases a warm steam into the air. These humidifiers use more electricity than other types, but are recommended highly for use with coughs and other respiratory illnesses. There are also impeller humidifiers, which use a rotating disc to shoot water through a diffuser. The water is then broken down into a fine, cool mist that floats into the air. Finally, there are ultrasonic humidifiers, which utilize an ultrasonic diaphragm to vibrate water into the air by means of a fog.

Furnaces

Buildings or homes equipped with a furnace may use a humidifier which is built into it. These humidifiers are often used to protect furniture and other dryness- and heat-sensitive aspects of the building which can be damaged by a great deal of dry heat, like that produced by a forced air furnace. The humidifier may also represent a substantial cost saving to the owner as inhabitants tend to feel warmer at cooler temperatures when the air is slightly humid.

Benefits

Advocates of humidifiers cite many benefits to the use of one. These include benefits to health and respiration. This has been somewhat corroborated by the health community as those with difficulty breathing (coughing, emphysema) can experience some degree of chest loosening as the air becomes more humid. Champions of the humidifier also extol the virtues of decreasing static electricity, which can be an irritating problem in drier areas of the country, especially during the winter months.

Warning

While a whole-house humidifier may have its benefits, experts warn that there are some disadvantages as well. Humidifiers have been shown to increase the reproduction of harmful mold in a home, which can lead to the destruction of walls, and take a serious health toll on the occupants. Humidifiers also have been shown to cause what's known as hypersensitivity pneumonia in a small portion of the population.