7 Benefits of Using a Whole Home Humidifier

Why Humidify?

During the cold winter months in New Jersey, the air in your home can become extremely dry. When your heating system is running, the moisture level in your home drops dramatically. This can make your home feel uncomfortable and can also affect your health and damage your home.
Using a humidifier to add moisture to the air in your home is an effective way to make your house more comfortable and can also help alleviate symptoms from health conditions exasperated by dry air.

Here are 7 Benefits of using a whole home humidifer.

1. Can Help in Preventing the Spread of Airborne Viruses: A recent study shows that raising indoor humidity levels dramatically affects airborne viruses, rendering them virtually ineffective. As a result, researchers are now contemplating increasing the humidity levels in hospitals across the nation as an extra method of protecting doctors, nurses, and visitors from also getting sick. Moisture in the air can prevent germs’ movement, allowing them to combine with this moisture which helps them drop. This happens because the airborne particles are now too heavy to float around in the air. This helps prevent the spread of many illnesses, including influenza. The main benefit of a humidifier is increasing the overall humidity levels in a room or a home.
2. Helps Prevent Snoring: It is almost impossible for those who breathe through their mouth to prevent dryness from settling in. This is especially true when you’re sleeping. Using a humidifier to add moisture to the air creates a more favorable scenario that may help soothe the tissues at the back of your throat. Not only will this help you sleep more comfortably, but it can also help reduce your snoring. Additionally, running the humidifier throughout the day is beneficial, as it may help your throat stay moist and prevent the irritation commonly associated with snoring.
3. Prevent Dry Skin: Because 50–60% of the human body is made of water, dry conditions may pull moisture out, leaving behind dry skin, chapped lips, and possibly even bloodshot eyes. Our bodies rely on the correct amount of water to feel good, not to mention function at an optimal level. Because our skin has so much surface area, it is often the place that we notice first when we are in extremely dry conditions. Lips and eyes also show irritation when not adequately hydrated. Running a humidifier can help prevent skin from dying out. The added moisture in the air may help improve your dry or itchy skin, peeling or chapped lips, and dry eye irritation.
4. Helps Your Home Feel Warmer: Studies have shown that humidified air may feel warmer than dry air. This can be attributed to the fact that sweat evaporates more slowly with more water in the air, leaving people feeling warmer. As a result, homeowners may be able to save on their heating bills. With the warmer feel of the air, thermostats can be lowered, conserving energy and saving money.
5. May Relieve Allergy Symptoms: Modern humidifiers are a great way to help ease the symptoms of allergies. While humidifiers of the past may have put too much humidity into the air, which could encourage the spread of house dust mites, newer models can be set to lower levels that will not create an environment favorable to these unwelcome house guests. Also, allergy sufferers tend to feel more comfortable with heightened humidity, as it may help soothe the tissues in the throat and nasal passages.

6. Prevents Static: Static electricity can increase in dry winter months. This electricity can be annoying when associated with your laundry or frizzy hair. Even worse, built-up static can damage sensitive electronics; even create sparks that could damage flammable gas or dust. Appropriately humidified air can limit and even prevent most problems that come from static.
7. Prevents Damage to Wood: Dry air can also cause damage to wood furniture, drying it out and making it crack. It can also loosen joints on a wood floor. Doors made of wood can change in size, making them difficult to open and close, and the legs and arms on chairs may begin to wobble as the joints loosen. This is all because wood needs constant moisture to be at its best. A humidifier, when used properly, can ensure that the wood features in your home and furniture will look their best.

From preventing illnesses to preventing static, from helping your hair look better to helping your wood look better, a humidifier is a handy tool, especially during the dry winter.
In addition to personal wellbeing, when the humidity levels are within the EPA’s recommended range, a home can heat much more efficiently. These levels allow for a lower thermostat setting, which will keep your HVAC system running less and lower your utility bill. This season, be mindful of the humidity levels in your home and enjoy a happier, healthier winter.

Investing in a humidifier is an investment in protecting those you love and those things you own.