If you don’t have a whole-home humidifier installed in your El Paso, Texas home, you’re missing out on benefits like improved indoor air quality, more efficient heating or cooling, and even better sleep. At E.P. Omega Air Conditioning LLC, we strive to keep you informed about the benefits of maintaining balanced relative humidity levels in your home. In this post, we discuss how humidity affects your home, specifically during the heating season, the different types of systems available, and the benefits whole-home humidifiers offer. But first, let’s go over the basics of humidity.
What Is Humidity?
Spend any time outdoors in Texas during the summer, and you know exactly what humidity feels like. It’s that sticky feeling in the air that makes your hair cling to your neck and feel like you’re walking through water. Scientifically speaking, humidity is the measure of moisture in the air. Although outdoor humidity levels increase in the summer, during the cooler months, humidity levels tend to drop.
When HVAC professionals talk about humidity concerning your home comfort, they’re referring to the relative humidity in your residence. Relative humidity is a measure of the temperature and moisture levels in your house, and it directly affects how comfortable you feel at home. When your home’s relative humidity is too low during the heating season, it might feel chillier despite the temperature reading on the thermostat.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the ideal relative humidity range for indoor spaces should fall between 30% and 60%. If humidity levels fall below 30%, the home might feel chillier. You might notice your skin and hair become drier, and your heating system might run more to keep the house warm.
How Do Whole-Home Humidifiers Work?
If you want the fastest, most effective humidification solution, install a whole-home humidifier. This balances the moisture levels throughout your entire home, not just individual rooms like table-top humidifiers or other standalone models.
As air moves through heating ducts, it moves through a built-in water panel and gains moisture. Any moisture that doesn’t evaporate has nowhere to go but into your home’s air. Whole-house humidification bypasses this process, therefore eliminating moisture from getting into the air at this point.
Fan-powered whole-home humidifiers force air through the water panel. When this happens, the evaporation process intensifies and less moisture circulates through the home’s indoor air. If you have a steam whole-home humidifier, this technology works nonstop to balance humidity levels and works whether the heating system runs or not.
Benefits of Whole-Home Humidification
Homeowners throughout the El Paso area enjoy many benefits when they install a whole-home humidification system.
Fewer Health Issues
Dry air can make you more susceptible to congestion caused by common colds and allergies. You might notice you have a sore throat that lingers or itchy eyes that won’t stay moistened. You might also find you need to take more sick days. People often blame outdoor winter weather for these problems, but they start within the home. A home with appropriate relative humidity levels won’t produce dry air or the physical symptoms that accompany it. You might even find that you sleep better!
Improves Energy Efficiency
Many people complain they feel cold and uncomfortable in their homes during the cooler months even though their heating system runs well and meets temperature benchmarks. When the chill sets in, instead of reaching for a blanket or throwing on another layer of clothes, people turn the thermostat up. However, if the air remains dry, no amount of raising the thermostat will warm you up sufficiently. All it does is cause your energy bills to skyrocket.
Installing a whole-home humidifier helps your heating system run more efficiently and use less energy. Many people find when their humidity levels get balanced, they can set the thermostat as much as four degrees higher and feel comfortable.
Home Protection
Your home is most likely the biggest investment you have, and you want to protect it. Dry air can cause wood floors, doors, and furniture to crack. Managing humidity levels and keeping the air moist during the winter can protect the structural integrity of your house and your wood belongings.
El Paso HVAC Professionals Can Help
Get your indoor temperatures and humidity levels under control this winter. Our professionals at E.P. Omega Air Conditioning LLC have solutions for all your residential HVAC needs, including indoor air quality assessments, duct cleaning, and heating repair services. To learn more about installing a whole-home humidification system, contact E.P. Omega Air Conditioning LLC today! Also, ask us about our maintenance plan, too!
