Bailey,
You may want to look at the following link from Consumer Reports. It, of course, wants you to subscribe to see the results of their testing, but pretty effectively talks about the different types of humidifiers.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/humidifiers/buying-guide.htm
Although they do not use the term cool (cold) mist, all that refers to is that cold water in a mist form is sprayed in the air, either in the room or in the duct, depending upon the type. As stated by CR, the cold mist types can be ultrasonic or impeller. Cold water also can be used in other types of humidifiers, such as panel or disk or wick, where it is simply evaporated by air flow.
Cold water units use less energy since the water is not heated. However, less water can be put into the air since it does not evaporate as quickly as warm water, so a larger unit or more units may be needed, possibly offsetting the energy savings.
I am assuming you are talking about a humidifier that is installed on the duct? Most of these are plumbed directly to a water source. Be sure that the unit chosen is. Do not use a unit that has a reservoir that must be filled, as running out of water will cause a sudden and possibly large fall in RH. The only exception to this is if you are staffed 24/7 with people who are responsible for checking on and filling the reservoirs (and actually DO it!).
The other issue you should look at if you have uneven RH levels is loss of moisture vapor from specific rooms. Perhaps specific rooms can be tightened up from a moisture perspective. Good places to start are windows/doors and any holes through the walls/ceiling/floor. Maybe vapor barriers can be installed on exterior surfaces. I am sure you are aware of the specific limitations of humidification on historic buildings, so if you have one, be sure to use caution with the amount of humidification you use. Tightening the envelope is always preferable to adding more moisture to the air.
Why don't you ask your building engineer for specific model suggestions? Then you can research those and determine which seems best.
Marc
American Conservation Consortium, Ltd.
4 Rockville Road
Broad Brook, CT 06016
www.conservator.com
860-386-6058
*Collections Preservation Consultation
*Conservation Assessments & Surveys
*Environmental Monitoring & Low-Tech Control
*Moisture Management Solutions
*Collections in Historic Structures
*Collections Care Grant Preparation
*Conservation Treatment of:
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Painted Wood
Horse-Drawn Vehicles
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Decorative Objects & Folk Art
Marc A. Williams, President
MS in Art Conservation, Winterthur Museum Program
Former Chief Wooden Objects Conservator, Smithsonian Institution
Fellow, American Institute for Conservation (AIC)
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