Room Humidifiers Save Energy and Protect Your Home

Save on Winter Home Heating Bills with a Whole House or Room Humidifier

By Mark J. Donovan




Looking at the outdoor thermometer on this summer day and observing that the temperature is only 77 degrees, and yet I still feel very uncomfortably warm, I am reminded of the effects of humidity on the human body. This phenomenon also reminds me on how low humidity levels can also make one feel cool even at the same temperature. Though we may notice the effects of higher humidity levels during the hot, sultry says of summer, humidity levels also affect us just as much during cold winter months.

During the cold winter months, the air is typically very dry. Consequently even if the house temperature is set for 70 degrees, we many still feel uncomfortably cool.

For many of us, we address this problem by just setting the thermostat even higher. Unfortunately this only exacerbates the problem as the air is dried even further. It also raises our winter home heating bills.
An alternative to setting the thermostat even higher is to use a whole house or room humidifier. A room humidifier can add moisture to a room so that the room feels warmer when the thermostat is actually lowered.

For maximum benefit and comfort the relative humidity level should be managed to between 30 and 50%. By maintaining the relative humidity level in your home, not only will you feel warmer, you will also save on winter home heating bills and reduce your home’s energy needs.

In addition, by maintaining the relative humidity within this range, you will prevent the formation of condensation on windows and prevent your wood floors and furniture from drying out. Condensation dripping on interior wood window frames can lead to rot and staining.

Dried out wood floors can lead to unsightly gaps that can become permanent when dirt gets wedge in between the boards. And wood furniture can crack and split if the humidity levels become too dry.

Humidifiers also protect a home’s occupants from the effects of cold and allergies. Not only do objects within your home dry out, but so does your body during winter months. Dry air is one of the major reasons people become more susceptible to colds and the flu during winter months. The dry air causes your nose and throat to dry out and become cracked. Colds and flu can then work their way more easily into your body as a result.

A room humidifier is relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain. Water is simply poured into a holding tank and the humidifier outputs a very fine mist of water vapor into the air.

Depending upon how dry the air is you may need to fill the holding tank a couple of times a day. Whole house humidifiers are built into your home’s HVAC system and require no regular maintenance.

So save on your home heating bills this winter with a whole house humidifier or room humidifier. You will feel more comfortable, save money and extend the life of your wood floors and furniture.


For information on Restoring Baseboard Heating Element Covers, see the Restoring Baseboard Heating Element Covers eBook from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Restoring Baseboard Heating Element Covers Ebook provides easy to understand, step-by-step instructions, on how to restore Baseboard Heating Element Covers so that they look new again. Pictures are included for every key step in the process.

For information on how to maximize a wood stove’s heating efficiency, see HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Installation of Hood over Wood Stove eBook

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