[herlichka]

I don't think that a humidifier would really use that much water, I think that it is a valuable asset when you need to add moisture to the air during extended periods of very cold, dry weather. When you mention your hardwood floors, it makes me think of times past when it was common for doors, drawers and windows to shrink and swell with the changes in seasons.
I think part of the confusion in trying to make your house air tight and properly ventilated is that many of the components involved in the "system" are not designed to be easily adapted to controlled ventilation systems. Clothes dryers don't have a flange for incoming air, nor do most power vent hot water heaters. How do you supply combustion air to a gas range? On a windy day you can hear the check/flapper valves in your range hood and bath fans bounce around. And so on...
There seem to be so many compromises along the path to improving your home, but the important thing to keep in mind is that all the small gains add up, and eventually you become aware that they make a difference.

My last remark, in hindsight, almost looks like a "Soap box" moment, it really wasn't meant to. I think that what I was trying to say is that if we approach our projects with the "tempering" paradigm in our minds, it will be easier to keep focused, and we will soon realize the benefits of our efforts.
Most of our projects do not yeild 100 percent; we do not all get all of our electricity from our solar panels, or all our hot water from our collectors all the time, our homes are not completely air tight, mini-splits may not service the whole home, despite our efforts we still put out an occasional bag of trash to the curb, and so on. But ALL these projects yeild SOMETHING! And, individually, or collectively, we do notice that they make a difference!

I will stop now, I am getting dangerously close to the soap box!!

Happy New Year to all!