Humidifiers

For many people with upper respiratory problems, switching on the heater in the winter means the start of coughing, wheezing, bronchitis and nosebleeds. Dry air is most common in the winter, when heaters and furnaces cause moisture in the air to evaporate. If you live in Maryland or Washington, DC and are tired of feeling the effects of dry air in the winter, call Michael Bonsby and ask about installing a new humidifier in your home.

Benefits of a Humidifier

Dry air can cause more than a scratchy throat and dry skin - scientists recently determined that dry winter air is one of the reasons that the flu virus spreads so much more quickly in the winter. A humidifier can improve the indoor air quality of your home in many ways, including:

• Helping ease cold symptoms by keeping the air moist and your lungs elastic
• Helping reduce susceptibility to infection by helping your throat and nasal passages to expel foreign objects like mold, pet dander and bacteria
• Relieving and preventing itchy dry skin and lips
• Keeping wood furniture from drying out and cracking
• Reducing static electricity in your home
• Keeping wood floors from buckling and separating
• Reducing nasal irritation, preventing nosebleeds

Humidifiers can also help you feel warmer in the winter. Evaporation cools your skin (think about stepping out of the shower). In fact, a thermostat setting of 75 degrees at 20% humidity feels the same as 70 degrees at 80% humidity. While having a humidifier probably won't cut back on heating costs (the difference is made up by the cost of running the humidifier), it will allow you to heat your home using less fuel.

Humidifier Repair & Replacement

Most portable and whole house humidifiers are relatively simple, but damaged or dirty evaporative foam or a faulty fan, float control or humidistat can all cause problems. If your humidifier is not working as well as it used to, call Michael Bonsby HVAC. We can repair all brands of whole house and portable humidifiers so that you never have to experience dry, damaging air in your home.

We also provide humidifier replacement!

Types of Humidifiers

There are two main types of humidifiers - console humidifiers and whole house humidifiers. Each type holds advantages and disadvantages.

Console humidifiers are usually free standing units on wheels that can humidify one or two rooms at a time. They do not need to be professionally installed and can be moved around to any room in the house, making them perfect for renters or people who are planning on moving.

Top-of-the-line console humidifiers tend to be more expensive than whole house humidifiers. Console humidifiers also require significantly more maintenance than whole house humidifiers, often needing to be refilled with distilled or demineralized water daily and needing to be cleaned thoroughly two to three times per week.

Whole house humidifiers require virtually no maintenance and can be installed once and let go. Whole house humidifiers hook into your home's plumbing system, meaning they never have to be refilled. These humidifiers are also very inexpensive to operate, costing literally pennies per year.

Since they are attached to the plumbing system, whole house humidifier units do need to be professionally installed in order to be used. These humidifiers also collect mineral deposits from your local water supply, meaning that at the end of every heating season they must be cleaned thoroughly with distilled vinegar before the deposits harden.

The Montgomery County & DC Humidifier and Indoor Air Quality Experts

The expert HVAC technicians at Michael Bonsby Heating & Air Conditioning are the Montgomery County whole house humidifier and indoor air quality experts!

• Indoor air quality testing
• Electronic air cleaner installation & maintenance
• Whole home air purification systems
• Duct work cleaning, repair and installation
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Radon detection and prevention
• HEPA filters and air purification
• Duct sealing & sheet metal

When dry air woes make it hard to breathe, call Michael Bonsby. We can install a humidifier in your Maryland or Washington, DC home to keep your family healthy and comfortable all year round. We are an authorized dealer of American Standard humidifiers.