The air is beginning to dry up in the Pacific Northwest now that fall is here. This can adversely affect your breathing if you have allergies. A humidifier inside your home can improve the indoor air and keep allergen levels in check. As a homeowner, should you buy a whole-house humidifier or a portable humidifier?
Whole House or Portable Humidifier: The Pros and Cons
Whole-House Humidifier
A whole-house humidifier is a permanent installation mounted to the home furnace or HVAC system.
Pro:
- The humidifier is virtually maintenance-free on the homeowner’s end. The unit auto-adjusts to keep the home at the optimal moisture level. You also don’t have to refill it since it draws water from a cold-water supply line.
- It’s cost effective. Humidifiers consume very little energy and water. It can also control moisture in the entire home and not just a single room.
Con:
- Every room is at the same moisture level. You don’t have the ability to adjust different settings for individual rooms.
Portable Humidifier
Pro:
- Setup is a breeze. Just take it out of the box, plug it in, pour some water, and it’s ready to use.
- They come in a variety of designs, including animal shapes that make them ideal for a young child’s bedroom.
- Unique moisture levels are possible for each room.
Con:
- Portable humidifiers are a bit more expensive to operate because the unit uses more power.
- You have to refill the unit, usually daily, with distilled water.
We Clean Whole House Humidifiers
Aurora Edmunds Furnace Cleaning can inspect and clean whole house humidifiers as part of a furnace cleaning. This should also include air duct and dryer vent cleaning, since both of these components can also cause allergies. Whole-house and portable humidifiers are great investments for allergy-prone home occupants.
Edited by Justin Vorhees
Furnace and Humidifier Cleaning
Serving Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bellevue, King County
and South Snohomish County
