ShareThisQ: Are you familiar with a product called Humidex? The air in my home is very dry and the humidity level is 30 percent to 35 percent. A company is telling me that by installing a Humidex I can actually regulate the humidity and I won't have the dry-air problem. However, everything I read says it takes care of moisture, sweating on the windows, mold, mildew, etc., and I don't have any of these problems. I have a split-foyer home, so I don't even have a damp basement. Can you shed any light on this?
A: From the information I can gather on Humidex, it appears to be a simple device used to remove air and humidity from the home. I don't know the internal workings of this appliance, but the Humidex video represents that the system can exchange the home's inside air with the outside air 10 to 15 times a day.
What that means is that there must be a fan inside the unit that is pulling conditioned air from inside the home and dumping it outside. The term "conditioned air" means the air that has been heated or cooled by the home's HVAC (heating/venting/air conditioning) system. It takes a lot of energy dollars to condition the air, so you don't really want to pump the air directly to the outside.
Another claim made by the Web video is that "dry air is easier to heat than damp air." I have always thought the opposite to be true.
There are many situations where the Humidex can be used, but I don't think your home qualifies as needing to be dehumidified. Unlike a damp and musty home, which has too much moisture, you actually need to add moisture to your environment.
To be comfortable, the humidity levels should be somewhere between 40 percent and 60 percent. You can add moisture by simply placing a pan of water on a heat register or radiator where it can evaporate. If you want to force moisture into the air, you can purchase an automatic humidifier or an inexpensive steam vaporizer.
Two things you should be aware of when using automatic humidifiers or vaporizers:
-- Keep the water vapors and mists away from electronic equipment, electric panels and heating equipment, including fans and ductwork.
-- Sonic humidifiers use sound waves to force water particles into the air. Almost all of the minerals or chemicals in the water will also be forced into the air where they are attracted to the circuits of your TV, computer and other electronic equipment.
You can also add moisture to the air by not using the bath fan when showering or bathing. When you increase the humidity levels you can lower the heating thermostat by a few degrees and still feel comfortably warm.
(Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors. Write to him with home improvement questions at C. Dwight Barnett, Evansville Courier & Press, P.O. Box 286, Evansville, Ind. 47702 or e-mail him at d.Barnett(at)insightbb.com.)
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