Whole-House or Portable Humidifiers 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