posted on
November 06, 2009 at 06:29PM
I'm confused. What you're looking at is a whole-home humidifier, to be placed near the return register of a ducted heating system.
A single-room humidifier can be cool mist, warm mist, or evaporative. They will usually cost less than $100, and often less than $50. Warm mist uses a heating element to create steam. Cool mist uses vibration and a fan to blow water particles. Evaporative uses a wicking filter with a fan to draw the moisture out of the filter and into the air.
Evaporative tends to be the easiest to keep from over-humidifying a room, but must have its filter replaced regularly (monthly, at least). Warm mist requires adjusting the salinity of the water. Cool mist must be placed on an elevated surface in a room with good air circulation to avoid soaking objects or the floor in front of it.
Happy hunting!
