I can't advise on systems, but don't think you'll really need one. If I recall correctly, you are building near Durango and are from Texas. We're from south central Arkansas and have a second home in Steamboat Springs (and will be building there in a couple of years, so I am following your progress closely). Anyway, I do know where you are coming from with the differences in RH. Our existing Steamboat house is pretty tight and at first we expected the dryness to be a factor. We are out there anywhere between 2-6 weeks at least three times a year. We actually do have ductwork with a Hot Water Forced Air system and considered adding central air. In the end we did not have a problem with the humidity (or lack thereof) beyond using a portable room humidifier in our bedroom occasionally. We also decided that central air that would probably only be used during the heat of the day about 3-4 weeks in the summer was not worth it. On hot days, we spend a bit more time in the basement (always stays cool) and on very hot days DH may sleep in the basement, but even on the hottest days, the temp is back in the 40s-50s by bedtime and we sleep with the upstairs winds open. Drink lots of water, use a heavier moisturizer than you do at home and buy a portable humidifier to use in your bedroom at night if you feel the dryness too much. I doubt you will need it often. The thing I see about a whole house humidifier is it is just one more expense and one more thing to go out. Love your lot, makes me jealous a bit. We went back and forth considering larger lots 5-7 miles out of town or smaller lots in a new subdivision in the middle of the base area. Even though the small town lot was more expensive, we finally decided we wanted to be in the middle of the action able to walk or ride bikes almost anywhere. Still when I see lots as pretty as yours I second guess my decision. I also love your plans. Does your architect work else in the state and would he be someone you would recommend? We will probably begin discussions with architects in August. This post was edited by mojomom on Fri, May 30, 14 at 9:12

Steam is the only way to go. It will not leave that white residue that non steam units do, and because they actually boil the water, they are much more sanitary inside. I just replaced my EWC 110 volt steam humidifier with a 220 volt skuttle steam humidifiier in my personal house. What part of the country do you live in? I STRONGLY suggest that you make sure you spec and install a 220 volt unit. Even in Southern California, the performance of the 110 volt (12kw) unit was dissapointing. The unit could run for hours and never satisfy the humidistat and shut off. Since changing the unit to the higher steam output 220 volt model, the performance has improved incredibly. Unlike A/C, oversizing the steam humidifier is a good thing (within reason). For what it's worth, both the EWC and the Skuttle both drain off the water to prevent junk from growing inside. The EWC drains completely after use and the water has cooled to below 140 degrees. The Skuttle has a programmable timer that opens the drain valve for 10, 20 or 30 seconds every 30 minutes depending how it is set. Both brands will turn the furnace blower on independantly of the thermostat to humidify the house if needed. You have to remember to shut down the unit for the summer because you dont need it runing during cooling season - it will put extra load on the A/C I had a lot of problems with my EWC steam unit and can not personally reccommend it. The Skuttle that replaced it is a lot simpler of a unit and has given me NO problems. I ended up buying my Skuttle brand new in the box on eBay. Make sure you get a good digital humidiatat with an outdoor temperaure sensor that adjusts the indoor humidity based on the OSA temp. www.ewccontrols.com or www.skuttle.com

Go with the pad type humidifier. No standing water and dry when the house is not calling for humidity. Humidifiers only work when the furnace is operating. An over sized furnace that short cycles in moderate outdoor temps and does not give long run times in cold weather will not humidify well. A properly sizes furnace with a 2-stage or modulating gas valve will do an outstanding job of providing humidity in most homes. Good luck.

Your boiler and you baseboard heating has no adjustment for increase humidity. Whoever told you it is impossible to have low humidity with baseboard heating doesn't understand the science of relative humidity. How old is the house, and how tight are the windows and exterior doors? I suspect cold dry air is entering into the house and this is the main reason your house has low humidity. You should look into stopping air infiltration as much as possible. Humidifiers need to maintained and cleaned so it is always best to use them as a last resort. However if are doing research of models then the Aprilaire 865 is one to consider. It is a steam type and is designed to be used without a HVAC duct system.