February 19, 2018

Why You Should Consider a Home Humidifier

We all know Colorado in winter can become unbearably dry. Most of us can just look at our itchy skin and cracked lips as evidence of that. Applewood Plumbing Heating & Electric wants you to be comfortable and healthy in every season, so we have a simple yet effective solution for our state’s lack of moisture…humidifiers.

Humidifiers have countless health benefits including improved sleep, less sinus pain, replenished skin moisture and possibly most important – less susceptibility to sickness. Studies have shown that using a humidifier can reduce your risk of catching the flu, which is a comforting thought considering we’re smack dab in the middle of flu season! Humidifiers create an environment in which the flu virus struggles to survive. A study published in Environmental Health has shown households that were kept at 40-60 percent relative humidity were less likely to have the flu virus lingering on common household objects.

So, what should you look for when purchasing a humidifier?

First, decide whether you want a humidifier in one specific room or throughout your house. Seeing as we live in a dry climate, you may consider investing in a whole-house system. Whole-home humidifiers operate like central heat or air or may connect to your water supply.

It’s also important to consider whether the humidifier has cool or warm mist. Warm mist humidifiers boil the water before it enters the air, meaning it is less likely to contain any traces of bacteria. However, cool mist humidifiers are more energy efficient. Some systems have both warm and cool mist options. An extra perk to consider is that adding moisture to the air, which makes the house feel warmer, can reduce your home heating costs.