With Ohio’s cold winters, you rely on your home’s heating system to stay warm. While it keeps your home warm and cozy, it can create dry air that aggravates certain health conditions and reduces home comfort. A humidifier can reduce health problems and increase comfort by adding moisture to the air. Portable or room humidifiers are used for rooms or small areas, while whole-house models are typically fitted into your forced-air system, adding moisture to the air before it’s circulated throughout the home.
If you have a humidifier, proper maintenance is essential to prevent growth of mold and bacteria. Dirty humidifiers can trigger respiratory infections and flu-like symptoms in healthy people. For people with allergies or asthma, more serious lung problems can develop from inhaling some strains of bacteria.
With proper maintenance of your humidifier, you can avoid potential health hazards related to dry air and have a more comfortable home. Here are seven humidifier tips to keep your humidifier operating in top condition.
(Most of these are specifically meant for portable humidifiers; whole-home humidifiers are nearly maintenance free, other than cleaning the water panel once a year, and having the appliance checked along with your furnace or heat pump during annual professional maintenance.)
- Change the water – empty the water reservoir every day to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Dry the inside of the tank, then refill it with clean water.
- Use distilled or demineralized water – tap water contains minerals that build up deposits inside the reservoir. These deposits aid the growth of mold and bacteria and expel white mineral dust into the air.
- Clean the humidifier – clean the inside of the reservoir every week. Remove film and mineral deposits with natural white vinegar to disinfect and deodorize. Let components dry, then refill the tank.
- Change filters – if your humidifier contains a filter, change it regularly to keep it clean. Use demineralized filters and follow humidifier tips from the manufacturer.
- Keep surrounding areas dry – materials such as carpets, fabrics and wood can produce bacteria if they remain wet or damp.
- Clean before storing – empty water and thoroughly clean your humidifier before you store it. Discard all used filters.
- Replace old humidifiers – old portable humidifiers build up deposits over time that are hard to clean. Replace your old unit with a new sanitizing model.
To learn more humidifier tips and the benefits of humidifiers for home comfort, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services. We’ve been servicing the heating and air conditioning needs of the Dayton area since 1978.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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