An indoor air quality device that introduces moisture to heated air as it passes from the furnace into the ductwork for distribution throughout the home.
Archive for the ‘Humidifier’ Category
Humidifier
Friday, December 4th, 2009How to Choose a Humidifier
Friday, November 27th, 2009When you consider buying a humidifier, be sure to check on these key points:
Capacity – The unit should be able to maintain the correct humidity for you home and construction.
Control – Newer controls are completely automatic and do not require frequent adjustments.
Sturdy Construction – The unit should be constructed out of rust and corrosion proof materials to ensure it will serve a long life.
Maintenance – An installed central humidifier requires no manual filling. They normally only require draining once or twice a year.
Safety – Be sure to select a humidifier with a wet pad design that introduces humidity as a vapor to eliminate dust or bacteria that would be emitted into the air stream.
The Proper Indoor Humidity
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009During the heating season the average American home (unhumidified) may have a relative humidity (RH) as low as 13%. Amazingly, that is about one-half of the average RH in the Sahara Desert. The amount of humidity required in a home is dependent to a certain extent on the way it is constructed. A well insulated house with vapor barriers in walls, ceilings and slabs and properly fitting storm doors and windows may need only three gallons of additional moisture per day to maintain the proper relative humidity. A house of similar size but loosely constructed might require five times as much moisture in the same period.
Benefits of Proper Humidity
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009Dry, thirsty air evaporates moisture from your skin, a cooling process that makey you feel chilly. But, with the humidity raised to recommended levels, you can dial your thermostat down to 68F and still feel comfortable. Heated air dries out wood framing around doors and windows, too. Shrinkage of the wood occurs, leaving spaces that permit cold, outside air to infiltrate the home, lowering the inside temperature and requiring more heating. Proper humidity reduces annoying wintertime static electricity shocks, too.
Effects of Too-Dry Air
Monday, November 23rd, 2009The evidence of air that is too-dry is easy to identify. In addition to making one feel uncomfortable, the dry air “steals” moisture from plaster, wood, glue and fabrics. Over a period of time this can result in cracks in ceilings and walls, loose furniture joints and flooring, shrinking mouldings and loosened wallpaper. Excessive static electricity is still another problem.
Humidity, Temperature, Comfort
Friday, November 20th, 2009Hot summer air usually has high humidity, and a person’s ability to throw off heat by evaporation decreases or stops altogether. Cooling is needed then to provide comfort by extracting excessive moisture from the air. During the winter, the condition is reversed. Cold outside air, heated to room temperature, has great ability to hold extra moisture. For example, air at 70F can hold about 20 times as much as air at 0F. Heated wintertime air takes moisture from whatever sources are available, including the human body. If the air in your home does not contain enough moisture, you may feel cold and uncomfortable – even at 75F.
Relative Humidity
Thursday, November 19th, 2009Relative Humidity is the percentage of water vapor the air is holding, in relation to the amount it is capable of holding at a given temperature. The relative humidity (RH) figure you hear on radio and TV is the outdoor RH. During the heating season the indoor RH is very low in comparison to the outdoor percentage.
Introduction to Humidification
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009Humidification is the process of adding moisture to the air is one of the most important aspects of total indoor comfort, yet it is one of the least understood. One reason is that humidity is an intangible. It can’t be seen, touched, or smelled. It has no color or sound. But its presence, when properly controlled, offers many proven benefits. Humidification during the heating season not only adds to human comfort, but it helps to protect your home and its furnishings from the harmful effects of air that is too dry. In addition, it reduces undesirable wintertime static electricity.
Minimal Maintenance Humidifier
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009To maintain the performance of a portable unit, you must continually monitor the tank levels and clean and fill them regularly. A whole-home system is installed out of your living space as part of your heating system, providing quiet operation without the messy tank. And, Aprilaire’s Automatic Digital Control provides all of the information necessary for easy maintenance.
Whole-Home Humidifier Capacity
Monday, November 16th, 2009An installed whole-home humidifier adds the right amount of soothing moisture to your entire home. To achieve the same effect with a portable unit, you would need to place one in every room of your house.
