Whole home vs. portable humidifiers: which one is right for you? These are popular appliances that add more humidity to the air. When your heat is on, it can remove the moisture in the air leading to health issues such as dry throats and sinuses.
In fact, some people suffer from bleeding noses and increased issues with asthma when the air is too dry. So what type of humidifier is best for your home – whole-home, or portable humidifiers? Here we review seven things to consider when buying a home humidifier.
1. The Main Differences Between Whole-Home vs Portable Humidifiers
Whole-home humidifiers are attached to your HVAC system, while portable humidifiers are standalone appliances. The best portable humidifiers can only manage the humidity in a limited area, while the smart whole-home humidifier keeps the entire home’s humidity in check. It creates water vapour distributed through your ductwork while monitoring the humidity levels in hand with your room temperature. This provides an even, comfortable level of moisture in your home throughout the year.
2. Maintenance
Your portable humidifier requires constant refilling of the reservoir for it to operate. If you have several units to cover your entire home, this becomes pretty labour intensive each day. Your whole-home system on the other hand uses water from your plumbing system so you never have to worry about it running out of water.
Do you have any questions about home humidifiers? Our team at D&B ClimateCare would be happy to help. Give us a call today!
3. Sound
Some portable humidifiers make a noticeable sound that you might find annoying, especially when trying to sleep. Your whole-home humidifier is completely silent, operating alongside your HVAC system.
4. Space
You’ll need to find somewhere to place your portable humidifiers and they aren’t overly attractive. Your whole-home humidifier is out of sight and out of mind.
5. Cost
While it might seem like the whole-home option would cost more, it is actually far more affordable. First, it is attached to your HVAC system and requires just one unit, and second, it also costs mere pennies to operate compared to the portable option. Since you a) usually need more than one unit for portables and b) they use up more energy to run, you are spending much more overall on your portable units.
6. Installation
Your portable humidifier just needs to be plugged in to operate, while your whole home unit does require installation. However, once installed, it is good to go, unlike your high-maintenance portables.
7. Water
Your portable humidifier not only needs to be refilled day after day but also requires distilled or demineralized water. This is because tap water can create a mineral build-up that can bung up the system. This can add to the cost of running your portable humidifier.
Whole Home vs. Portable Humidifiers: Which is Better?
Generally, a whole home humidifier is recommended, as you can have the same climate control from room to room. If other members of your family don’t want more humidity, or if you only need it when you sleep, consider a portable model.
We Have You Covered
You can have a whole-house humidifier installed on your existing HVAC system even for homes with radiant or baseboard heat. You’ll find the whole home humidifier worth it. For more information contact D&B ClimateCare today.
