The North American residential humidity control market gets major boost as homeowners increasingly realize this equipment's role in staving off ailments such as sore throats, dry nasal passages, eye irritation, allergies, bronchitis and asthma. Homeowners also gradually invest in humidity control equipment to protect expensive furnishing, artwork, musical instruments, hardwood floors and molding.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, North American Residential Humidity Control Markets, finds the market earned revenues of $110.6 million in 2007 and estimates to reach $150.9 million in 2013.

'In high humidity, wood can pick up moisture and swell, causing cracks, while low humidity can make wood release moisture and shrink,' says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Alejandra Lozano.'Extreme amounts of moisture in the air can also cause condensation on windows and damage wooden window trims.'

Apart from these considerations, end users will also consider the installation of humidity control systems for saving water and energy. These demands are prompting manufacturers to design new, more efficient and feature-rich equipment, which drives the market despite high levels of competition and low degree of technical change.

In residential applications, the humidifier segment is much bigger than the dehumidifier segment, accounting for about 90 percent of the overall market revenue. End users also greatly prefer evaporative humidifiers to steam humidifiers due to the higher price of steam units.

'The lower average price of steam humidifiers after 2008, however, expects to attract more end users to this technology,' notes Lozano. 'Similarly, since refrigerant-based dehumidifiers cost half as much as desiccant-based dehumidifiers, they are favored in the residential market, while the desiccant technology is primarily used in the industrial and commercial markets.'

The market is recovering well and growing steady from the slump in 2006. This is largely due to educational programs promoting end-user awareness.

The success of the market depends on not only the price and product offering, but also on a well-established distribution channel as dealers and contractors are the ones that present products to end users.

'By helping them understand the technology and installation of humidity control equipment, manufacturers will assure that dealers and contractors are able to convey the value of the equipment to prospective buyers and offer first-rate service,' adds Lozano.

North American Residential Humidity Control Markets is part of the Building Management Technologies Growth Partnership Service program, which also includes research in the following markets: North American fire suppression systems, North American fire and smoke detection devices, and North American industrial boilers. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. Interviews with the press are available.

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