In Georgia, it’s not at all uncommon for humidity, more than anything else, to be the biggest climate control headache for our customers. You can have the best air conditioner in the world, with great indoor air quality in other respects, and still feel miserable throughout parts of the year because of poor control of humidity.
Of course, this problem can end up reversed in the winter, as blasting your heating system at full power can quickly dry out the air and turn warm and toasty into arid and irritating.
To combat either of these problems, you may have purchased a humidifier or dehumidifier at the store or online—but did you know that there is an alternative to these portable units?
What Are Portable Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers?
The small, self-contained unit you can purchase at your local general store is considered a portable humidifier or dehumidifier. You can pick it up, carry it elsewhere, and plug it in, and expect it to work. This lets you quickly manage the humidity wherever you need to, even in other locations. Often, these double as air purifiers, removing particulates through a HEPA filter or purification technology.
What Are Whole-Home Humidifiers & Dehumidifiers?
A whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier is something quite different from the small units you’ve bought before. These units are installed in your home HVAC system and used to manage the humidity of all air that passes through your home.
When your heating unit dries out the air it sends into your air handler, a whole-house humidifier can restore the moisture and make the heat you receive comfortable instead of dry.
When your air conditioner can’t quite cool your home because it cannot easily remove the excessive moisture, a dehumidifier can bring things down to a comfortable range—one that won’t encourage mold, attract pests, and leave your blankets and clothes feeling vaguely damp.
What Are the Overall Differences?
To put it simply, a portable humidifier or dehumidifier will control the humidity and air quality of a single room if you can keep that room’s air supply from being constantly exchanged with other rooms. This can help for keeping you comfortable at night or in your office during the day. However, it doesn’t do much for housewide issues that excessive dryness or humidity can cause, to say nothing of the comfort of anyone not in that particular room.
To put it simply, a whole-house humidifier or dehumidifier is almost always the superior option if you’re willing to make the investment. Combined with other purification and filtration technology, you can make your home not just the right temperature but truly the ideal climate for perfect comfort and health.
Portable units can still make sense to manage humidity if areas aren’t adequately serviced by ducts, if you only have humidity issues in one area of the house, or if you’re using a ductless heating and cooling system.
How Do I Get a Whole-Home Humidifier or Dehumidifier Installed?
A whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier is a solution, like air filtration and purification technology installed by the same HVAC technicians who work on your heating and cooling systems. The system goes into your ductwork, somewhere it can affect all of the air passing through the system. As long as you have adequate ducts and intake, your whole home will end up comfortable.
