Beat Dry Winter Air With A Humidifier
If you need another reason not to like winter, dry winter air is a good one. It can dry out your nasal passages, which can make it harder to get up from a stuffy nose. Dry air can worsen asthma symptoms and cause dry skin. Over time, it can also damage your wooden floors and furniture and affect the health of your indoor plants.
Of course, if you can make up for the dry air, you should. And a humidifier is your go-to device for balancing the air in your home as you count down the days to spring. When shopping for a humidifier, there are a few things to consider when making your selection.
Space of the Room
Once you have an idea of where you will primarily be using your humidifier, it is important to know the size of your room. If you buy a humidifier that’s too big for the space, you’re not only making the room uncomfortably damp, you’re also creating an environment conducive to mold and mildew. Too small and your humidifier won’t be able to sufficiently humidify the room. Humidifiers for large rooms have larger water reservoirs.
Check the humidifier label, which should include information about the size of the room the model is designed for. Know the square footage of your room and choose the model that suits the space.
Warm versus Cool
Device manufacturers make humidifiers that can emit hot or cold moisture. Your choice will largely come down to personal preference, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a cool-mist humidifier for children with colds and flu. However, both warm and cool mist humidifiers increase the humidity in your home.
Filter or No Filter?
Humidifiers with and without filters humidify the air. A filtered model removes minerals from the water before the water is released into the air. However, the filter needs to be changed regularly, maybe every 1-2 months.
Of course, models without a filter do not require a filter change. However, you may notice a buildup of minerals, possibly as a fine white dust, on the outside of an unfiltered humidifier. However, some models come with demineralization cartridges that need to be replaced periodically.
You’ll also likely notice a difference in how filtered and unfiltered humidifiers release moisture into the air. Filtered models are evaporative and use a fan to bring humidified air into the room. Filterless models emit a visible mist directly into the air.
Maintenance and Care
All humidifiers, hot or cold, with or without a filter, require regular cleaning and maintenance. Before you buy, look at the models you are considering and how easy they are to clean. Do they have removable parts that can be put in the dishwasher? Are there narrow openings that are difficult to clean? You’ll need to wipe out the inside of the tank regularly, so make sure the humidifier you choose has an opening large enough to reach in. dungeon
The cleaning process varies by model, but generally it’s a two-step process that includes descaling and sanitizing. Descaling removes any minerals that may have built up on the humidifier. Disinfection kills accumulated germs. You will need bleach to disinfect, vinegar to descale, and a cloth or brush. Follow the cleaning instructions in your humidifier use and care guide.
It’s even more important to keep the humidifier clean if you’re using it for cold, allergy, or asthma relief, since a dirty dehumidifier can release pollutants back into the air.
It's a Humidifier, not a Diffuser.
People sometimes confuse humidifiers with essential oil diffusers. Never put anything other than water in a humidifier. Oils or other substances can damage the tank and mechanical parts of the humidifier. Diffusers, which are typically much smaller than humidifiers and are designed to hold oils.