How does humidity AFFECT my comfort?
Since the air in your home is always trying to reach its saturation point, it will absorb water wherever it’s found. That means it is stealing moisture from the bodies of you and your children, your pets, your furniture and even your house plants. By giving up moisture to the air, your skin, throat and nasal passages dry out and crack, leading to various physical discomforts. That’s why many doctors recommend humidifiers for allergy and asthma sufferers.

Research has shown that 30% – 60% relative humidity is ideal. Outside this range, bacteria, fungi, viruses and mites thrive and multiply. As these creatures increase in number, so does your risk of being adversely affected.

How does humidity AFFECT my house?
Virtually everything in your home made from wood contains some moisture. As dry air sucks that moisture out, the wood shrinks and cracks. Hardwood floors separate at the seams, furniture shrinks and cracks, and doors warp and no longer fit their frames as the moisture is drawn off.

Pianos, guitars and other wooden musical instruments also shrink from the loss of moisture and go out of tune. Maintaining proper humidity levels can eliminate frequent and costly retuning. Perhaps the most annoying effect of dry indoor air is static shock. As you shuffle across a carpet or slide off upholstered furniture, a static charge builds up in your body and results in that sudden, uncomfortable “zap” of electricity when you touch a piece of metal or other conductor.

Are there any other BENEFITS to properly conditioned air?
Yes, it can help you save energy! Warm, humid summer air feels hotter than it actually is because of the moisture it contains. That same principle applies to your home in the winter. By keeping the relative humidity inside your home at an ideal level, you can turn your thermostat down a few degrees and still feel comfortable. Dialing down your thermostat just three degrees can reduce your heating bill by as much as 5%.

How much HUMIDITY does my home need?
How much humidity your home needs depends on its size and construction, which affects the number of air changes experienced per hour. The more frequently the warm air in your home is replaced by colder, drier outside air, the greater the need for humidification.

The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, a non-profit trade association, developed and published the guidelines used by most contractors today. The guidelines classify home construction as “tight,” “average” or “loose”.

Tight homes have insulated walls and ceilings, vapor barriers and weather stripping around windows and doors. Windows and doors fit snugly and the fireplace has an effective damper. A tight home experiences about 1/2 air change per hour.

Average homes have insulated walls and ceilings, vapor barriers and a fireplace damper but loose storm doors and windows. Average homes experience one air change per hour.

Loose homes have little insulation, no vapor barriers, no weather stripping and no storm doors or windows. These homes typically experience two air changes per hour.

If you know the size of your home, you can evaluate its construction and refer to the chart for a good estimate of how much capacity your humidifier must have. Your GENERALAire heating and air conditioning dealer can help you with these calculations and show you the GENERALAire humidifier that’s right for your home.

Why should I choose GENERALAire humidifiers?
GENERALAire’s patented water tray design on flow-through models assures that the evaporator pad is moistened thoroughly and uniformly for greatest evaporative efficiency. Drum type units are designed to provide the maximum amount of water to the air for evaporation. An evaporator sleeve picks up water as it slowly rotates in a reservoir of water. With GENERALAire humidifiers, more water gets into the air and you’ll not only feel more comfortable, but you’ll save on your water bill as well.