Water feature doubles as humidifier

DEAR DESIGNER: Living in the hot and dry desert climate is new for me. I want to add a humidifier to my home. Will an interior waterfall feature add the humidity I need? -- Brad.

DEAR BRAD: Interior water features are quite the design trend. Wouldn't it be great if they served a dual purpose by also regulating your humidify? I recently found a system that does just that.

Our dry air is not only tough on our skin but on our furniture. There are certain woods that do not make it in our arid desert climate. I've seen beautiful wood furniture ruined with cracks. To protect your wood and give you personal comfort, it is a good idea to have some sort of humidifier in your home.

An indoor water feature can provide a unique architectural element, soothing water sounds and, some will say when placed in the correct location, provide good feng shui. (Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice believed to utilize the laws of heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive energy flow.)

Logically, any time there is water, it evaporates into the air, changing the relative humidity (the ratio of the moisture actually in the air to the moisture it would hold if it were saturated at the same temperature and pressure). But, the humidity changes you will experience with a typical indoor water feature are minimal and inconsistent.

A lot goes into the design of a water feature before it can be considered a humidifier for your home. Without boring you with all the technical attributes that go into a humidifier, I will tell you that it needs to heat the water and use a sterilizing system to kill viruses, germs, mold and bacteria. Many standard water fall systems require the owner to add chemicals to control the bacteria and mold. The water is recycled and generally needs to be changed manually.

The Humidifall is an indoor water fall that has a humidistat built in. With this application, you get the beauty of an indoor waterfall and the function of a humidifier.

The Humidifall is now represented here in Las Vegas and was showcased in the Las Vegas Parade of Homes. It has many great features and for good reason interest in it is beginning to go wild here in town.

By doing the necessary prep work for installation, you will have a worry-free water feature that can humidify your home. These waterfalls are plumbed in and have a drain. The water recycles in the waterfall for 24 hours, then the system automatically drains and refills with fresh water.

Another issue we have in Las Vegas is our hard water. When I asked Humidifall how the waterfalls handle it, the representative had an answer. The best solution is to install the plumbing for your Humidifall so the water runs through your household water softener. If you don't have a water softener, no problem. The Humidifall comes with a built-in hard water filter that you will simply need to change a little more often.

A few other things Las Vegas homeowners will love about the Humidifall:

* It uses an ultraviolet light to sterilize and kill viruses, thus is chemical free.

* You can adjust the sound. It's hard to believe that indoor waterfalls can be too noisy, but it's true.

* The built-in humidistat is designed to automatically maintain the ideal indoor relative humidity setting. It shuts off when your relative humidity reaches 40 percent.

To my knowledge, this is the only waterfall on the market that doubles as an approved humidifier. You can find more information at www.humidifall.com.

If you aren't quite ready to plumb in a humidifying waterfall, another option is to purchase a whole-house humidifier that will attach to your central heating or cooling system. These hidden types of humidifiers won't affect your design style.

You can find out more information on these types of systems on Aprilaire.com.

Cindy Payne is a certified interior designer with more than 25 years of experience, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, as well as a licensed contractor. E-mail questions to her at deardesigner@projectdesigninteriors.com or send them to her at Project Design Interiors, 2620 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite 189, Las Vegas, NV 89109. She can be reached online at www.projectdesign interiors.com.