加湿器是保持家庭舒适的常用设备，尤其是在空气非常干燥的冬天。便携式加湿器在家庭的特定区域运行，例如卧室，而炉式加湿器与
HVAC 系统一起安装，以在整个房屋内分配水分。 Humidifiers are a common appliance to keep homes comfortable, especially in winter when the air can be very dry. Portable humidifiers run in specific areas of the home, such as bedrooms, while furnace humidifiers are installed with the HVAC system to distribute moisture throughout the house.
您是否需要一个取决于您家的条件和您的个人喜好。本文将讨论炉子加湿器的细节、它们的工作原理以及它们可以为您和您的家做些什么。
Whether you need one depends on the conditions of your home and your personal preferences. This article will discuss the specifics of furnace humidifiers, how they work and what they can do for you and your home.
什么是炉膛加湿器？
What is a furnace humidifier?
也称为全屋加湿器，炉子加湿器与强制通风 HVAC 系统连接，以润湿炉子在整个家庭中推动的暖空气。它们通过保持水库、使用淡水供应或通过产生蒸汽来增加来自熔炉的气流来工作。以下是可用的各种类型的炉子加湿器：
Also called whole-house humidifiers, furnace humidifiers connect with forced-air HVAC systems to moisten the warm air that the furnace is pushing throughout the home. They work by holding a reservoir of water, by using a fresh water supply or by creating steam to add to the airflow from the furnace. Here are the various types of furnace humidifiers available:
旁路加湿器
Bypass humidifiers
旁路加湿器有一个水面板。由于没有自己的电机，他们依靠来自熔炉鼓风机的空气来吸收水分，因为水分通过水面板，然后通过管道系统循环。因此，它们仅在熔炉运行时才处于活动状态。这种类型的系统有利有弊。
Bypass humidifiers have a water panel. With no motors of their own, they rely on air from the furnace's blower to pick up moisture as it passes over the water panel before circulating through the ductwork. They're only active, therefore, when the furnace runs. There are pros and cons to this type of system.
优点包括能耗低、损坏的可能性较小（因为移动部件较少）和发霉的可能性较小，因为只有当暖空气通过时，水分才会被推入管道。
The pros include low energy usage, less chance of breaking down (because there are fewer moving parts) and less chance of mold since moisture is only pushed through the ducts when warm air is moving through with it.
一个缺点是，与其他一些系统相比，它在加湿您家中的空气方面效果较差，因为在空气从面板吸收水分后，它会重新路由回炉子，然后再分配到整个家中。在这个过程中，空气会失去一些水分。所需的旁路管道还占用额外的安装空间。
The one downside is that it's less effective at humidifying the air in your home compared with some other systems because, after the air picks up moisture from the panel, it's rerouted back to the furnace before being distributed throughout the home. During this process, the air loses some of its moisture. The required bypass ducts also take up extra space for installation.
流通装置
Flow-through units
相比之下，流通装置有自己的风扇。当空气通过炉子的空气供应时，它被吹过水面板以吸收空气。即使在炉鼓风机不运行时，它也可以润湿和分配空气。
Flow-through units, by contrast, have their own fans. As air passes through the furnace's air supply, it is blown over the water panel to pick up air. It can moisten and distribute air even when the furnace blower isn't operating.
蒸汽加湿器
Steam humidifiers
蒸汽加湿器将水煮沸以产生蒸汽，然后与来自炉子的空气一起分配。蒸汽可以非常有效地增加家中空气的水分，但是，购买和操作蒸汽炉需要花费更多的钱。
Steam humidifiers boil water to create steam that is then distributed along with air from the furnace. Steam is very effective at adding moisture to the air in your home, however, steam furnaces cost more money to buy and operate.
全屋加湿器由内置恒湿器控制，恒湿器测量空气的湿度，只有当湿度低于其设定值时，系统才会工作。这最大限度地降低了房屋过度加湿的风险，这可能导致霉菌、窗户和墙壁上的冷凝以及建筑物居住者的炎热、粘稠感。
Whole-home humidifiers are governed by built-in humidistats, which measure the humidity of the air and only allow the system to work when the humidity dips below its set point. This minimizes the risk of over-humidifying the home, which can lead to mold, condensation on windows and walls and a hot, sticky feeling for the building's occupants.
炉膛加湿器的好处
Benefits of a furnace humidifier
为什么首先需要在炉子设置上安装加湿器？潮湿的空气会给健康、舒适和家居带来一些好处。
Why would you need a humidifier on furnace setup in the first place? There are some great health, comfort and home benefits that come with moist air.
理想的湿度水平在 30%-40% 的湿度之间，但该国的某些地区在冬天可能会非常干燥，在有暖气的家中会低于 20% 的范围。这种干燥会导致皮肤干燥、嘴唇干裂和可能流鼻血。干燥的空气也会引发鼻窦炎或哮喘发作。
Ideal moisture levels sit between 30%-40% humidity, but some areas of the country can be extremely dry in the winter, reaching below the 20% range in a heated home. This dryness can contribute to dry skin, chapped lips and possibly nose bleeds. Dry air can also trigger sinusitis or asthma flare-ups.
您的家也会对干燥的空气做出反应。您可能会在非常干燥的空气中看到更多静电、墙纸剥落和家具开裂。尤其是木地板会收缩甚至开裂，从而在木板之间产生难看的缝隙。调节湿度水平可以防止木材收缩，并使您的地板看起来光滑。
Your home reacts to dry air, too. You might see more static electricity, peeling wallpaper and cracking furniture from very dry air. Wood floors in particular can shrink or even crack, causing unsightly gaps between boards. Regulating humidity levels will keep the wood from shrinking and your floors looking smooth.
添加炉子加湿器还可以减少家庭中的整体能源使用量，因为炉子可能不需要那么努力地工作。保持空气湿润可以让家里感觉相对温暖，你不太可能加热。
Adding a furnace humidifier can also lead to less overall energy usage in the home because the furnace may not need to work as hard. Keeping the air moist can make the home feel relatively warmer and you'll be less likely to crank the heat.
个人或便携式加湿器始终是一种选择。它们相对便宜，可以在单独的房间内运行。但是这些单位有一些缺点。它们需要每天填充并重新打开以运行，因此它们不能提供恒定的潮湿空气气候。便携式加湿器每天运行也更加费力。它们需要经常彻底清洁，以将水垢保持在最低限度。有人担心，在保养不当的便携式加湿器内生长的细菌和霉菌会随湿气一起散布，从而对空气质量和个人健康造成严重破坏。
Personal or portable humidifiers are always an option. They're relatively inexpensive and can operate in individual rooms. But these units suffer some downsides. They need to be filled daily and turned back on to operate, so they're not offering a constant climate of moist air. Portable humidifiers are also more labor-intensive to run on a daily basis. They need to be cleaned thoroughly and often to keep scale to a minimum. There are some concerns that bacteria and mold growing inside poorly-cared-for portable humidifiers can be distributed with the moisture, wreaking havoc with air quality and personal health.
安装在炉子上的全屋加湿器是获得一致湿度的最佳方式，而无需大惊小怪。由于它们直接安装在您的炉子上并与您的 HVAC 系统配合使用，因此除了定期维护和密切关注湿度水平之外，它们无需额外考虑即可持续工作。
Whole-home humidifiers installed on the furnace are the best way to get consistent humidity with less fuss. Because they're installed directly on your furnace and work with your HVAC system, they work constantly with little extra thought required, outside of regular maintenance and keeping an eye on your humidity levels.
你需要炉子加湿器吗？
Do you need a furnace humidifier?
炉子加湿器不是您家的绝对必需品，就像供暖系统在凉爽的气候下一样，但有一些特定的原因您可能会考虑在炉子解决方案上使用加湿器。
A furnace humidifier is not an absolute necessity for your home like a heating system is in cooler climates, but there are some specific reasons you might consider a humidifier on furnace solution.
炉膛加湿器的健康原因
Health reasons for a furnace humidifier
您可能需要炉子加湿器的第一个原因是您是否因空气过于干燥而出现健康问题。炉子加湿器可以缓解由干燥空气引起的皮肤干燥、皲裂或哮喘症状。对某些人来说，这些可能看起来像是冬天的小麻烦，但对其他人来说，它们会影响睡眠、健康和生活质量。如果您因为家中的条件而受苦，可能是因为湿度低。
The first reason you might need a furnace humidifier is if you're experiencing health problems from overly dry air. A furnace humidifier can provide relief from dry, cracked skin or asthma symptoms caused by dry air. For some people, these may seem like minor winter nuisances, but for others, they can impact sleep, health and quality of life. If you are suffering because of the conditions in your home, low humidity levels may be to blame.
气候条件
Climate conditions
您的户外气候可能使炉子加湿器成为一个好主意。在寒冷天气地区，干燥的空气条件通常更糟，因为较冷的空气往往具有较低的湿度。该国气温特别低的地区最容易受到干燥空气引起的问题的影响。
Your outdoor climate may make a furnace humidifier a good idea. Dry air conditions are generally worse in cold-weather regions, because colder air tends to have lower humidity. Areas of the country that get especially low temperatures will be most susceptible to problems stemming from dry air.
更糟糕的是，在那些令人毛骨悚然的日子里运行炉子会使你的空气更加干燥。这在较旧的房屋中可能会加剧，这些房屋的气密性和效率可能较低。在这些家庭中，更多的冷空气会进入，您的炉子可能会在更多时间运行。在较小的家庭或公寓中，便携式或特定房间的湿度解决方案可能就足够了。
To make matters worse, running the furnace on those bone-chilling days further dries out your air. This can be exacerbated in older homes, which can be less air-tight and less efficient. In those homes, more cold air will enter, and your furnace may be running even more of the time. In smaller homes or apartments, portable or room-specific humidity solutions that may suffice.
如果您认为安装炉子加湿器可能对您有益，请联系您当地的暖通空调专业人员以获取更多信息。
If you think you may benefit from installing a furnace humidifier, contact your local HVAC pro for more information.
