We know what you might be thinking—“A humidifier? In Tacoma? But it rains here all the time!” This is true—for the majority of the year Tacoma residents can experience a bit too much moisture. However, as spring begins, the air dries out to the point that you could very well find yourself experiencing the effects of dry air. This is particularly true indoors—where the air quality is even worse than that of outdoors, thanks to the tight, energy-efficient construction of homes today.
If you’ve never considered this indoor air quality installation, now is a great time, while humidity levels are fairly balanced. Why do we recommend a whole-home humidifier instead of a portable system? Well, simply put, a portable system cannot truly tackle the problem of dry air. At best, it’s great for a child’s bedroom to alleviate cold or allergy symptoms they may be experiencing.
Why Low Humidity in Your Home Is a Problem
The relative humidity in your home’s indoor air is measured by the percentage detailing the amount of ambient moisture that is in the air. The lower this percentage is, the drier your indoor air. Humans are most comfortable when the relative humidity level rests between 30–50%.
Anything below the 30% range means any moisture that exists will be leeched from your surroundings by the dry air. This includes your body as well—you may notice exceptionally dry skin that’s become red or itchy. Low humidity also creates static electricity, and dries out your sinuses to make you and your family more susceptible to germs. This is particularly harmful for people with allergies and asthma.
Unfortunately, running your HVAC system only adds to the problem. Take your AC for instance—cooling your home’s indoor air causes the moisture in it to coalesce into liquid droplets, and this condensation leaves your home through a drain line. So any moisture that was in your home is not gone, leaving your home particularly dry.
The Power of a Whole-Home Humidifier
A humidifier is actually a simple system when you think about it. It consists of a wick or pad, which is fed water by a reservoir. A fan blows over the top of the pad, sending moisture through the air and the ductwork, into your heating and cooling system air.
With a whole-house system rather than a portable humidifier, the level of moisture can be adjusted to suit your specific needs, allowing you to retain comfort levels in your home no matter what the weather may be outside. A whole-house humidifier offers a number of benefits, such as:
- Fighting off static cling: Sure, this doesn’t seem like a big problem in the grand scheme of things, and can actually be pretty amusing in some cases. However, the painful feeling of being shocked gets old real quick, and a humidifier is the answer.
- Lowering the risk of illness: Dryness affects more than just the air. When you have dry air, it also sucks up moisture from your mucus membranes, making it harder for you to find off illnesses like the cold or flu.
- Healthier skin: As we mentioned above, dry air can leave your hands chapped, as well as painful. Humidifiers help cut down on irritating skin problems, and for even the healthiest person can be beneficial.
For professional Tacoma, WA indoor air quality services and more, contact Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. today! We take your comfort as serious as you do.