Benefits of a Humidifier

The Mrs. and my son were suffering from dry sinus head aches and sneezing and coughing. The cast iron tea pot on the stove wasn't doing enough. We purchased a "AIRCARE" programmable humidifier at Sears for $149.00 dollars and within 2 days all sniffling, coughing, and sneezing is gone. I know I sound like a commercial. The other noticeable difference is the heat in the home is more even and comfortable in the furthest rooms from the stove. The 2 bedrooms approx 30 ft and around the corner are within 5 degrees of the living room where the stove is. Before the humidifier it was approx 15 degrees and that is huge! I had a dual 7 inch window fan hanging from the ceiling at the beginning of the hall of my single story ranch home and now it is not necessary.
The humidifier has a setting of 5% increments of humidity and so far 45% seems ideal for my home.
So if anyone is in need of that little extra bump in their heating situation consider your humidity level.

I don't know about heat distribution but I can attest to the benefits of a whole house humidifier. I put one in a few years ago before I switched from wood to coal and haven't looked back. Mine's at 50% and I go through 2+ gallons a day once the temp drops below 30°.

Turbogeno wrote:I don't know about heat distribution but I can attest to the benefits of a whole house humidifier. I put one in a few years ago before I switched from wood to coal and haven't looked back. Mine's at 50% and I go through 2+ gallons a day once the temp drops below 30°.

I'm sure you've heard the term in regards to places like Arizona, "but it's a dry heat", people say they don't sweat when it's 100* and no humidity, well I think the moister in the air is better carrier of btu's. just my 2 cents.

could it be the fan on the humidifier? Or a wind shift outside? This is new to me, as far as the temp going up anyway.

Or maybe you remembered to close a window?

We've been running a humidifier this year, too. I think it's made a big difference in how the house feels. It's definitely more comfortable. Lisa

warminmn wrote:could it be the fan on the humidifier? Or a wind shift outside? This is new to me, as far as the temp going up anyway.

Or maybe you remembered to close a window?

haha...no as a matter of fact my stove runs better with a window 5 feet from it open a quarter inch. All about current and what's in it, kinda' like volts and amps, hot dry air = volts, hot humid air = amps

I too run a humidifier and try to keep the house at 40+%, there is a big difference when there is ample humidity in the house, no dry mouth,dry noses,and no static when walking plus it makes the house feel a lot warmer!

No doubt its more comfortable, I agree completely and use pans of water myself. But Ive never heard of it raising the temp in a room though, so that may be the thing I learn today.

warminmn wrote:No doubt its more comfortable, I agree completely and use pans of water myself. But Ive never heard of it raising the temp in a room though, so that may be the thing I learn today.

I can't say it raises the temp, I think the humidity is a vehicle for the heated air. Our body needs water and like others said it "feels" warmer. Hot water holds heat better than heated air, air cools as it moves similar to a fan effect.

Another way of saying it is you will feel comfortable at a lower temp if you raise the humidity. I track the humidity and usually have a big pot on the stove (Lots of surface area so it is better than tea pot and such.) and turn a humidifier on as needed.

SD

SheepDog68 wrote:Another way of saying it is you will feel comfortable at a lower temp if you raise the humidity............SD

You nailed it!

I agree , the house I grew up in had natural gas hot air heat , one day I noticed this box on the side of the plenum after the burner , it had a little 1/4" pipe fitting on it but was not hooked up , it had a row of (stone wicks) that would absorb water and wick off moisture into the moving air I was nervous to tap into the plumbing so I mounted a 1 gallon bottle to the wall above and ran a PVC hose from the bottom , and would fill weekly , My MOM was a strict thermostat on 68 person , 68 with humidity feels way warmer than without and dry sinus was a thing of the past! Shawn

Walmart and I'm sure other stores carry inexpensive hygrometers...takes the guesswork out of it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5672365_measure-humidity.html

Before I had the coal range, we got one of the cool-water type electric humidifiers. Found out that after a while they can grow mold in the air filter and grills and they have to be taken apart and cleaned almost weekly. Cleaning it properly became a hassle, so, worried that blowing mold around the house was worst, we stopped using it.

Was going to get a cast iron stove kettle. Then I saw that a friend had one, plus a cooking pot on the rusty top of his stove. When I asked, he explained it took both because the cast iron ones don't heat up enough water the way a thin metal pot does. Plus they turn rusty inside and out and make a mess of the paint on the stove top. Most tea kettles don't have a wide enough bottom to equal the amount of heat a cooking pot can absorb.

Found one of these at Sears.
http://www.amazon.com/Copco-2501-9705-Cambridge-S ... co+kettles

All stainless steel and it's large. Holds almost three quarts filled near to the top. The 9 inch base is the widest part, so it absorbs stove heat very well and being that it keeps the water close to boiling, it can't grow mold.

Puts a lot of moisture into the air too. Close to the same we got from the electric humidifier, because we have to refill this kettle several times a day, just to make up for what evaporates out. And, it doesn't turn mucky rusty inside like the cast iron stove kettles do, so we can also use the water from it for tea and cooking.

No extra cost of electricity, puts more water in the air then the cast iron stove kettles can and no rusty stove top.

All our winter dry sinus and dry skin problems are relieved.

Paul