Whole-home humidifiers offer numerous benefits, including improving indoor air quality. However, it’s important to choose the right size for your house. An incorrect size can lead to problems such as excessive or insufficient humidity. Here are several tips to help you choose the perfect size, ensuring balanced relative humidity levels between 30% and 50%.
Clear Out the Humidifier Area
Clean the entire area near your furnace where the Southport Home Services professionals will install the whole-home humidifier. Part of choosing one that’s the right size is knowing the amount of space available for installation. Leave enough room for the humidifier, as well as at least a few feet of clearance around it. A clear area allows the appliance to function optimally and safely. It also lets the Southport Home Services team easily access the space during the installation process.
Determine How Much Square Footage You Have
A whole-home humidifier usually works with your ducted HVAC system to add moisture to the air within your house. This means it’s important to know your home’s square footage. If you’re unsure what it is, you can contact your local assessor’s office for the information. Then you can provide the details to the Southport Home Services technician during the installation consultation. They’ll use the square footage number to choose the perfect humidifier. Generally, extra square footage requires a whole-home humidifier with a large tank capacity.
Do Your Research
Doing research helps you make informed decisions about which whole-house humidifier is best for your home. Determine your square footage first so that you can use it during your online research. For example, a product description typically states the appliance’s limits, such as that it’s for homes up to 5,000 square feet.
There are three primary types of whole-home humidifiers: bypass, steam, and fan-powered. They come at different price points and are available for small, medium, and large homes. Benefits and drawbacks can vary between specific brands and models.
Speak With an HVAC Technician
Schedule a consultation with an HVAC technician to discuss installing a whole-home humidifier. It gives you a chance to learn the basics, including the cost and best size for your house. They’ll also ensure there’s enough space in your home to install the size you need.
What to Know About Buying the Perfect-Sized Whole-Home Humidifier
It’s valuable to learn more than tips for choosing your ideal whole-house humidifier. Gaining comprehensive knowledge about selecting the right one helps you make beneficial decisions. It’s also useful for recognizing when to contact us for professional assistance. Here are some helpful questions and answers.
Can I Choose the Correct Humidifier Myself?
During your research, you can certainly find units that may be ideal for your home’s square footage. However, we strongly advise running the options by our professional HVAC technicians. We have extensive experience in choosing whole-home humidifiers that are the ideal size for your space. You can also count on us to help you select the best brand and model for your budget.
Do Larger Whole-Home Humidifiers Cost More?
Yes, they typically cost more. If you have a large home, you need a high-capacity whole-house humidifier. Its advanced components are more powerful to meet the demand, which increases the cost of the appliance. There are additional contributing factors, such as the model and brand.
Don’t choose a smaller humidifier just to cut costs if you have a larger home. This could lead to numerous problems that might end up costing you more in the long run.
Are There Risks of Installing a Humidifier That’s Too Small?
Yes, there are risks. Installing a whole-house humidifier that’s too small won’t produce enough humidity throughout your home. However, it will increase your utility bills by constantly working to meet demand. Additionally, a humidifier that’s too small will strain itself trying to add moisture to a large home. This can lead to frequent repairs or a premature breakdown.
Low humidity levels in the home can cause several issues, especially for your overall well-being. You may experience problems such as dry skin and eyes, nosebleeds, and throat irritation. This is particularly worrisome if you already have allergies, respiratory conditions, or other health concerns.
Your home itself might also experience the negative effects of low humidity levels. For example, dry air can cause wood to warp. This includes your furniture, floors, doors, and window frames, and it can lead to structural damage and costly repairs.
What Are the Risks of Choosing an Oversized Unit?
Installing a whole-house humidifier that’s too large for your home could lead to excessively high humidity levels. This creates an ideal environment for mold growth. Even if you don’t see it, mold could be developing behind walls or in other hidden spaces. It can start growing within 24 to 48 hours of elevated moisture levels.
This means that even a few days of high indoor humidity levels could result in serious issues. The longer the problem goes unaddressed, the greater the likelihood that you’ll need professional mold remediation in the future.
Does Adding Square Footage to My Home Require Changing the Humidifier?
You may need to change your humidifier if you’re putting an addition on your home. However, it depends on several factors, including the amount of the extra square footage and what your humidifier can handle. For instance, say your existing unit is ideal for up to 5,000 square feet. If you increase your home to 6,000 square feet, you need to change the humidifier.
Once you add square footage to your home, contact Southport Home Services for an appointment. This is important to do as soon as possible. Our team can assess your whole-house humidifier’s suitability for your new amount of square footage. We’ll let you know if you need to replace your existing appliance or if you can continue to use it optimally.
Is There a Standard-Size Whole-Home Humidifier?
No, there isn’t a single standard-size whole-home humidifier. It’s important to buy one that matches your home’s square footage.
Do Multi-Level Homes Need Larger Humidifiers?
Yes, they typically require larger humidifiers to suit the extra square footage. These appliances can ensure balanced humidity levels throughout each floor.
How Precise Does the Sizing Need to Be?
The size of a whole-home humidifier should be as precise as possible. Significant differences between the sizing and square footage could lead to unbalanced humidity levels. You can count on our team to always choose the right size.
Do Larger Whole-Home Humidifiers Need More Professional Maintenance?
A larger whole-house humidifier doesn’t necessarily need more standard professional maintenance than its smaller counterparts. Whether the humidifier is small, medium, or large, the service frequency is typically the same. We recommend annual professional maintenance to ensure the appliance is functioning properly. During the appointment, our team will perform tasks such as checking for leaks and mineral buildup.
Start today to choose the best whole-house humidifier for your home. Southport Home Services, with locations in Wausau, Madison, and Caledonia, WI, provides high-quality indoor air quality services to ensure the appliance is the perfect size for your needs.
Call our team at Southport Home Services today to book an appointment, or schedule service online through our website.
