Humidifiers are used in homes to increase the humidity level. It is important to not have your home's humidity levels fall out of 40 to 60% range. Too little humidity (such as in the winter with furnace heating) can cause a number of problems such as:

• Physical discomforts such as sore throats, dry, chapped, itchy skin, nose bleeds or sinus irritation
• Shrinking and cracking wood floors, cracking paint, furniture, artwork, antiques, and musical instruments.
• Static shocks
• Feeling cold even though the thermostat is cranked up
• Instruments falling out of tune
• Infections from bacteria and viruses that thrive in dry air

An added benefit is humidifiers can actually lower your heating bill since by putting moisture in the air will make you feel more comfortable at a lower thermostat setting. Homes today being tightly constructed never get enough air from outdoors (called infiltration) are literally as dry as the desert during the winter. This is because the same air is heated over and over again without adding any fresh outdoor air.

Differences in Humidifiers

There are different types of humidifiers:

• Central humidifiers: These are built into the home heating and air conditioning systems. They are the most effective since they humidify the entire house and are less likely to be the source of humidifier-associated problems if they are properly maintained.
• Portable humidifiers: There are two kinds of these. One kind is a console humidifier that is encased in a cabinet. The second is a smaller unit that holds about one to two gallons. Both of these are designed to be used in a single room.

Four Basic Types of Whole-House Humidifier Types

Every whole-house humidifier is designed to be installed directly into your present central heating and air conditioning system. They automatically add moisture to the system when your furnace or air conditioner kicks on. They differ only in how they introduce that moisture to the system. The three most common types are drum, flow-through, and spray mist humidifiers.

By-pass type: Aprilaire Automatic Humidifier Model 600

• Delivers up to 50% more moisture in comparison to competitive units
• Has an evaporation capacity of 0.70 gallons per hour
• Plus, the damper is conveniently labeled for summer and winter settings, allowing you to set it for the entire season
• It also can be installed in manual mode if needed
• Humidifies tightly-constructed homes up to 4,000 square feet in size

Honeywell's Steam Type Humidifier

TrueSTEAM Humidification System offers the most reliable, efficient, and eco-friendly way to add mositure to dry air.

Key Features

• Moisture on Demand - TrueSTEAM works by producing its own steam independent of equipment operation, so your home gets moisture when you need it most.
• Eco-Friendly - TrueSTEAM is the most eco-friendly way to humidify your home, because it uses up to 70 percent less water while delivering more moisture than traditional whole-house humidifiers.
• "True Steam" - While other humidifiers rely on moisture-filled pads that can be susceptible to bacteria growth in the water and the airstream, TrueSTEAM delivers "true steam" - the cleanest form of humidification.
• Reduced Heating Bills - In addition to keeping your home and family comfortable, TrueSTEAM can help reduce heating bills. Because humidified air feels warmer, you'll be able to turn your thermostat down for energy savings.
• Out of Sight, Out of Mind - TrueSTEAM is installed out-of-sight by your heating and cooling professional into your home's central heating and cooling system. You can forget about having to fill clunky, portable units, because TrueSTEAM automatically fills itself.
• Minimal Maintenance - Simply clean once a year with soap and water and the rest of the time it cleans itself automatically.

The Aprilaire Flow-Through Humidifiers

Key Features

• Meets American Lung Association' Health House' guidelines.
• Optimum humidity. Perfect humidity even when your furnace is operating on low.
• Patented PerfectFlo' tray. Distributes water quickly and evenly.
• 5-year warranty.
• Model Numbers: HE225A1006, HE225B1004, HE265A1007, HE265B1005, HE365A1006, HE365B1004, HE365A1234, HE365B1234