3 Things a Whole Home Humidifier Can Do For You

Picture yourself coming home from work after a long workday.  It's wintertime, about 15 degrees outside, and you're happy to arrive in your warm, cozy home for the evening.  You take off your shoes at the door, walk across the room to kiss your spouse and....ZAP!!!  The bolt of static electricity between the two of you almost knocks you off your feet!  

As we approach winter here in the midwest, the humidity drops with the temperature.  A whole home humidifier is a great upgrade you can make to your home to increase your comfort over the winter months.  Here are 3 specific benefits you'll see when you install and use your humidifier.

1. You'll eliminate the static electricity from your home!   Without delving into a full electro-chemical explanation, know that humidity in the air discourages the buildup of electricity on your clothing that may cause a static discharge.
2. Your home will be more comfortable at a lower temperature, saving energy.  The added humidity increases the apparent temperature or the "feel" of the air around you.  A dry home will feel colder than one with adequate humidity.
3. You'll minimize wear and tear on the wood in your home.   When you allow your home's humidity to fluctuate with the seasons, the wood parts of your home will expand and contract.  Wood is porous and absorbs water from the air.  As the air dries out in winter, the wood in your home will shrink slightly.  You may see cracks open between trim corners, or even some wood flooring.  Over time, expansion and contraction can cause cracking.  A humidifier will help you keep the humidity constant, therefore preventing this.

If you're considering installing a humidifier, you'll have a lot of options.  If you're fairly handy, it's a pretty simple DIY job.  Just make sure you're comfortable working with basic plumbing and sheet metal tools.  If you aren't confident in these skills, a reputable handyman or plumber can complete the job in a few hours.  

If you have questions or need advice on who can help you install your humidifer system, give me a call!  I'd love to help!