Re: Humidifier to reduce need for Heating

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

>Fringe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>>I recently read an article on MSN about increasing humidity to save on
>>heating since the body can tolerate lower temperature better if humidity is
>>higher.
>
>Sounds like bad advice. Where did you find this article? It is true you can
>turn down the thermostat a few degrees if the house air is more humid, but
>it takes energy to evaporate water, and making the house air more humid with
>a humidifier almost always costs more in heat energy than you save by turning
>down the thermostat. A perfectly airtight house would be an exception, but
>it wouldn't need a humidifier :-)

Nick is right.  It takes a substantial amount of energy to change water from a
liquid state into a vapor.  Swamp coolers cool desert dwellings just by
evaporating water.  They chill heated low humidity air just as effectively.