Humidifiers and dehumidifiers both control the level of humidity in your home. Specifically, humidifiers increase your humidity by putting more moisture in the air, while dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air to lower your humidity. Both can be incredibly useful tools to have in your home, especially if you live someplace where the humidity outside fluctuates. Here are just a few reasons why.
Improve Your Health
Having dry air in your home can cause issues such as dry skin, irritated eyes, a sore throat, and even irritated lungs. This is especially the case during the winter when the air becomes particularly dry, or if you live in a dry desert climate. Having a humidifier in your home can help alleviate many of these issues.
While dry air can make your home uncomfortable and unhealthy, too much moisture can be just as bad for your health. Water in the air carries bacteria and other microbes that can make you sick when you breathe them in, and too much moisture in your home can cause mold to grow. In these cases, having some dehumidifiers in your home can be very useful.
Protect Your Home
Having humidifiers and dehumidifiers on hand isn’t just good for your health; it can also help protect your home and your belongings. As mentioned, excessive humidity can lead to mold growth and moisture build-up—damaging your home, wooden furniture, books, documents, and any delicate items in your home that need to be kept at a certain temperature and humidity. Some of these could be irreplaceable keepsakes, while others might be expensive musical instruments or electronics. Having a way to control the humidity in your home can go a long way toward protecting those items.
Control the Environment
Humidifiers and dehumidifiers can help you control the moisture not only for you and your family, but also for things like your plants. Many plant parents don’t realize that the humidity level in their home can have a significant impact on the plants they keep inside. Most plants need a particular range of humidity levels to thrive, and if your home is too dry or too moist, your plants will suffer. Luckily, using humidifiers (or dehumidifiers when needed) is a great way to increase (or decrease) the humidity level in your home to benefit the health of your plants accordingly.
If you’re looking for a way to increase or decrease the humidity in your home, either of these devices could be a great option for you. Using these tools in combination can help you control the humidity levels per room, such as decreasing humidity in the bathroom or increasing humidity on the sunporch where your plants live. If you have questions about how humidifiers and dehumidifiers can benefit your home on a larger scale, contact an HVAC professional!