Tag: proper humidity

Benefits of a Whole-House Humidifier

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

We all know that dry air can be uncomfortable.  Your skin gets dry and itchy, your lips get chapped, static electricity makes your clothes and hair do funny things; and even breathing doesn’t always feel great.  But did you know that low humidity levels can also have several other negative effects?

A whole-house humidifier has many benefits, and they are not just limited to increasing your home comfort:

  • Improve indoor air quality: Proper moisture levels reduce bacteria, viruses, and other irritants and help lower the risk of respiratory infections.
  • Protect your home furnishings: Dry air can be damaging to wood floors, furniture, trim, and musical instruments.  Dry air also tends to be dustier, causing you to clean and vacuum more frequently.
  • Save energy: Dry air feels colder, which will make you turn up the heat in winter, using more energy and costing you money.  The proper humidity level will make you feel warmer and help keep utility bills down.

It is clear that proper humidity levels are important for home comfort, air quality, and energy savings, but why should you consider a whole-house humidifier?

  • Every room will have the same humidity level.
  • You don’t have to maintain several portable humidifiers throughout the house.
  • They do not use a reservoir, so there is no stagnant water available for mold and mildew to grow.
  • They use less energy than portable units, especially in the case of  flow-through humidification systems.
  • The don’t take up valuable space in our home; you don’t even see them!

There are several models and types of whole-house humidification systems available.  The model that is right for your home will depend on your existing heating and air conditioning system, the size of your home, and other factors.  We have a long history of helping our Long Island customers find the best home comfort solutions for their needs,  call us today to learn more about what a whole-house humidifier can do for you.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

Good Ventilation Systems Provide Good Indoor Air Quality

Posted on by T.F. O'Brien Cooling & Heating

There is nothing more important than the safety of your family. You would like to think that in the confines of your home, you would have nothing to fear.   However, the is a potential danger lurking right inside your house. Indoor air pollution is more of a threat to most of us than the smog of polluted cities and the only way to protect your loved ones is through proper ventilation systems.

Houses today are built “tight” to keep the air inside from leaking out. The pursuit of energy efficiency, though, has put at risk from stale air that does not circulate properly. The newer homes being built today are more susceptible to mold and mildew and dangerous gases like carbon monoxide or radon.

The telltale signs of poor ventilation are moisture that gathers on the windows, mildew  on walls  and foul odors which linger. A temporary solution can be just opening windows to air the home out.   However, this does not provide conditioned air at the proper humidity, and can actually cause additional problems for your indoor air quality.

A better solution is installation of one of a number of  good ventilation systems.   Our skilled technicians can evaluate your home and recommend which of the available state-of-the-art ventilation systems will work best in your home.  Quality ventilation systems start out at about $500  and will only cost $10-15 per month to operate.

Some of the best ventilation systems on the market today include energy saving features which can capture the warm air before it leaves your home and recycle it into the fresh air coming back in. The new models also have features which can remove moisture from the air which is perfect for New York’s humid summers.

These exchange units usually pay for themselves in a short time because your current heating and air conditioning units will be running less. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has put together an excellent guide for home ventilation solutions.   To get it,  click here.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about preventive maintenance and other HVAC topics, please download our free  Home Comfort Resource guide.