Homeowners should find the best humidifier setting in winter to maintain comfort in their homes. Winters are cold, and unlike in summer, the moisture levels during this season are low. You need to regulate the amount of humidity by adjusting humidifier settings.
Low humidity can cause dry skin, sinus problems, and a drop in temperature, which leads to increased energy consumption. Set your humidistat to 30-50 percent humidity to keep your home comfortable. These settings, however, are also affected by the outside temperature.
If you just bought your humidifier, knowing when to change the settings and how to set the device can be challenging. However, working with professionals like Clover Services makes work easier.
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Contents
What Is A Humidifier?
A humidifier is a device that increases the moisture in the air. Most homeowners get humidifiers during the winter. When the temperatures are too low, the HVAC runs all day to keep the rooms warm.
The heat from the HVAC makes the air dry, leading to dry skin, lips, sinuses, and sore throat. However, maintaining humidity levels ranging between 30 to 50 percent reduces the dryness. Luckily, you can achieve this by using a humidifier.
However, homeowners should keep watch on the humidity levels of their homes, even when they have a humidifier. Too high humidity levels can lead to bacteria and fungi growth. Also, higher humidity levels of over 60 percent can cause condensation on the window panes.
Too much moisture in the home can also lead to respiratory diseases. Besides, when wood furniture absorbs water, they swell and rot. To keep your furniture safe, regulate the humidity levels on your humidifier.
Technology is fast advancing, and there is a variety of humidifiers today. Luckily, you can get a modern humidifier with a humidistat. It helps you to sense the humidity levels and adjust the settings accordingly.
In the winter, how should I set my humidifier?
Humidity levels keep changing with the changing seasons—the lower the outside temperatures, the lower the humidity levels. Thus, moisture concentration in the atmosphere is lower during winter.
Experts recommend humidity levels of between 30 and 50 percent to keep the comfort of the home. However, keeping your humidity levels below 30 percent during winter is appropriate.
If the temperatures outside go below the negative degrees, the ideal setting for your humidifier is 20 percent. When the temperatures rise to a level near 0 degrees, you can change your humidifier settings to 25 percent.
Setting your device at 30 percent is suitable only if the temperatures outside are around 10 degrees. As the temperatures increase, your settings should also be increasing. However, keep checking for condensation on the windows to lower the humidity levels.
Reasons to Have a Humidifier during Winter
Humidifiers play an essential role in the home during summer and winter, but it is crucial to understand their settings in the different seasons. Some of the benefits you will get from setting the humidifier correctly in winter are;
1. Health
Low humidity levels affect the human body negatively. Since the air is dry, people are likely to suffer dry coughs, dry nasal passages, airways, and dry skin. The skin starts to crack, and the tiny wounds can contract different infections.
When the home has the correct humidity levels, the skin maintains most moisture, staying healthy. The nasal passages and airways become wetter, meaning there will be fewer breathing discomforts.
However, it is essential to regulate the moisture levels because too much humidity can cause bacteria growth and respiratory problems. The balanced humidity also reduces irritants in the air that are significant causes of allergies.
2. Longer Lifespan for Your Furniture
Wood windows, floors, and furniture require low moisture to stay in shape. When the air is too dry, the furniture and wooden floors crack, warp and dent. This leads to significant damage that forces the homeowner to repair these expensive items.
Your wood tables and floors will stay in shape when you keep the right humidity in your home. You won’t have dents and cracks to repair, so your tables will last longer. However, too much moisture can cause swelling and rotting of the wooden materials, so ensure you regulate the settings.
3. Lower Energy Bills
During winter, the temperatures are low, forcing the homeowner to keep the HVAC system running all day, leading to high energy usage. Besides, too much cold in the house increases discomfort.
Increasing the water vapor from a humidifier makes the rooms warmer. The moist air feels warmer, and when the skin is moisturized, it feels warmer. Therefore, balancing the home’s humidity ensures less usage of the HVAC, hence lower energy bills.
How to Maintain the Humidifier
Humidifiers are expensive, and if they are not properly maintained, they will break down quickly. Furthermore, the humidifier can promote the growth of mold and bacteria, and the dispersion of moisture with these particles might result in respiratory disorders. Fortunately, there are techniques to maintain your humidifier.
1. Avoid Using Tap Water
Tap water is readily available, but it is not ideal for humidifiers. The water contains different minerals which can clog your humidifier and cause bacteria to grow in the device.
To avoid these problems with your humidifier, use distilled water. It has fewer minerals, so you will less likely suffer clogging and bacteria growth. Ensure you change the water regularly, and also clean your device.
2. Avoid Adding Salt to the Humidifier
Some homeowners want to create the smell of salty sea air. However, adding salt to your device is terrible because the salted water reacts with metal components and causes rust.
Rusting of your humidifier’s parts reduces the device’s lifespan and can also cause a complete breakdown. The rust also causes clogging and can lead to poor operation of the device.
Fill the required type of water in your humidifier and set it in the correct humidifier setting for winter. You will have fewer bacterial infections and sinuses to treat when you have enough moisture concentration in your house.
Final Words
Once you get the right humidifier setting in winter, your machine will function properly to ensure you have the correct humidity levels. Ensure you also care for your device to lengthen its lifespan and proper functioning. Most importantly, hire an expert to help you repair and maintain the humidifier for the correct settings.