Sometimes when we’re doing a service call, we get asked the question: what about humidifiers – are central humidification systems worth installing?
And as you would expect from the name more trusted by Central Valley residents than any other company, our answer is obviously: it depends!
We never mislead our customers into thinking things make sense when they don’t. That’s why we created the triple trust parts labor and workmanship guarantee, and why we’re the only HVAC contractor in the central valley to do so.
Here’s the reality about living in the Central Valley; our air is incredibly hot, and very dry. Cities like Modesto. Turlock, and surrounding areas can be especially dry. When the air gets dry like this, especially in colder months when your heater is running, people tend to be able to tell that something’s not right with their air. They’ll begin to see things like dry skin, an itchy or scratchy throat, drier lips, and issues with the nasal cavity such as noses that sometimes bleed. If you notice things like this tend to be a problem, then a humidifier might be the right solution to your problems.
Humidifiers can provide moisture that not only helps your health in these aforementioned conditions, but it can also help with your home in general, such as with keeping furniture in good condition. Air that’s too dry and that lacks a decent amount of humidity can do more than just harm your healthy, it can damage wood floors, the walls, your precious furniture, and really any wood work you might have installed in your home.
Here are some key considerations when thinking about a humidifier.
Who’s Installing It?
There are two things that matter when it comes to who is installing your humidifier; the contractor, and the manufacturer. Even if, let’s say, you have a great contractor, installing a poor quality unit won’t help much. Likewise, even with a great unit, if you choose a less than favorable contractor to do the work, the unit may not work correctly and even worse, it may not even be covered under warranty. Make sure you go with a company who is no stranger to air quality issues, and installs humidifiers, rather than just asking a random company to put one in for you.
Also, be sure to install a humidifier from a reputable company. At Wally Falke’s, we install York humidifiers because they are some of the highest quality units on the market. What this means for you is, less breakdown over time compared to other units, keeping more money in your pocket over the long term. That’s always a much appreciated win with our Central Valley homeowners.
Price
Many homeowners don’t realize that while having a cheaper, more portable temporary-type humidifier might be the cheaper option initially, the cost of running these units almost always far outweights any short term you can benefit from them. This is where Central Humidifiers come in. Central humidifiers are connected directly to your home’s heating and cooling system, making the operational costs of having them almost zero.
Maintenance
Smaller, more portable humidifiers tend to need cleaning rather often, and its reservoirs of water changed almost daily to avoid spreading germs that can breed and fester in these sitting conditions. In many cases, only distilled water is intended tto be used inside these units, and the filters need to be swapped out quite regularly also. Remember, maintenance on portable humidifiers is very important because as mentioned, bacteria can actually make whatever health symptoms you’re trying to prevent, even worse.
Another issue with these smaller units is that they’re only good for one room at a time. If you want to have another area well-humidified or moisture-controlled, you’ll have to move the unit to a different location.
Central humidifiers on the other hand, because they’re a part of the overall HVAC system, work with your existing unit to disperse whatever humidity is needed throughout the entire home. The unit is hooked up directly to your plumbing, so there is never a need to refill the tank or empty it out. There is some minor upkeep, just like there is with your other HVAC equipment, but just like your furnace or AC system, it’s minimal. The usual maintenance is once a year, just like with the tune ups on your furnace or AC unit.
Using The Unit
Central humidifiers, unlike the portable units that require a lot of upkeep and use a lot of electricity (much like a portable heater) simply just work.
Where portable machines need to be taken apart and cleaned out and maintained regularly, the tank drained out and refilled with more distilled water (another cost), and moved around from room to room to keep you in the right humidity. But let’s be honest… who’s got time for all that? Especially when you consider how much cheaper central units are in the big scheme of things. Not only that but there’s a noise factor as well as the humidifier motor and fan can be quite loud when in use.
Conclusion
Overall, central humidifiers are a lifesaver for anyone who wants to have nice, moist, healthy skin, homeowners who want to keep the right humidity, but cut down on costs compared to a small unit, and for those who want to protect their investment in terms of their furniture. If you have any questions about humidifiers here in the Modesto, Turlock, Manteca, Merced, or surrounding areas, we would love to hear from you so we can explain their benefits, their differences, and your options!
