Many people equate winter with dry skin, sore throats, and congestion. When the air is dry, your respiratory system can suffer. Dry air, whether hot or cold, can cause symptoms like dry skin, eyes, and mouth, and can even cause a sore or irritated throat. These irritations can make breathing more difficult and can sometimes trigger allergy and asthma symptoms. Heating sources like furnaces and forced air heating can dry indoor air, and low humidity conditions outdoors can be reflected indoors. This is where a home humidifier comes in handy. By adding moisture to the air, a humidifier can reduce these symptoms and create a healthier, more comfortable home environment.
Benefits of Using a Home Humidifier
- May make your home less conducive to cold and flu germs: Higher humidity levels (around 40 to 50 percent) can decrease the concentration and transmission of airborne viruses that cause the common cold and influenza. Humid air can trap and neutralize viruses, making it difficult for individuals to inhale them. Studies have shown that increasing relative humidity can significantly reduce the spread of airborne viruses in indoor spaces, especially when humidity is greater than 40 percent. Maintaining indoor relative humidity above 40% can also reduce the infectivity of aerosolized influenza.
- Can help with allergies, asthma, and sinus problems: Low humidity can cause your eyes, nose, and lips to dry out, resulting in an irritated nose, a dry and scratchy sore throat, and itchy eyes. This can occur when you have allergies, as well as worsening asthma and sinus problems. Proper humidifier use can prevent dryness and decrease symptoms related to seasonal allergies, asthma, and sinus problems. Proper humidity can also reduce airway irritation by providing much-needed moisture to your breathing passages. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends keeping your home’s relative humidity around 30 to 50 percent.
- Can moisturise skin and help relieve eczema: Low humidity can dry your skin and worsen eczema. Humidifiers help to restore moisture in the air, which can be beneficial to manage dry, irritated skin common with eczema. The National Eczema Association recommends running a humidifier when you go to bed or during the day if you spend a lot of time at home.
- May help soothe coughs and colds: Cool mist humidifiers may help ease coughing and congestion by relieving irritation in the nose and airways, as well as breaking up mucus that can make it harder to breathe and cause coughing. Heated humidified air doesn’t seem to have the same effect.
- Can help reduce heating bills: Maintaining optimal humidity levels in your home can help reduce overall energy consumption, save energy, and lower your heating bills. Dry air and low humidity can lead to the misconception of needing higher indoor temperatures for comfort, increasing heating costs. Humid air requires less energy to heat, and proper humidity levels help you to retain heat, reducing heat loss and decreasing reliance on heating systems.
Types of Humidifiers
There are several types of humidifiers, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:
• Steam vaporizers: These humidifiers use heat to create steam, which cools before being released. They have the advantage of reducing bacterial and mold contamination due to heat, operate quietly, and have a dispenser for medicine that diffuses into the room with the vapor. However, they can be more difficult to clean due to mineral deposits and pose a burn risk, making them unsuitable for use around children.
• Warm mist humidifiers: These humidifiers also heat water to create steam, and rarely become contaminated with bacteria and molds. Like steam vaporizers, there can be risks of burns, and they are not suitable to use with children. They are generally easy to clean due to little mineral dust accumulation.
• Cool mist humidifiers: These humidifiers emit cool vapor and are generally safer for children. They are easy to clean, require little maintenance, filter out waterborne impurities, and are cost-effective. These humidifiers can be helpful for people with asthma and allergies. However, bacterial contamination can occur in these machines, and they can be noisy. Types of cool mist humidifiers include ultrasonic humidifiers (using sound waves), impeller humidifiers (using a rotating disk), and evaporators (using a fan).
• Console humidifiers: These are designed to humidify the entire house, and some need to be installed with the furnace and ventilation system. It can be more difficult to clean and maintain these units compared to portable ones.
• Combined units with air purifiers: These units combine a humidifier and air purifier, though it’s possible that combining the two can detract from the functioning of each component. It is recommended to look for air purifiers that carry the “Asthma and Allergy Friendly” mark and use a HEPA filter, such as this Breezome large capacity humidifier and essential oil diffuser or this popular LEVOIT Humidifier.
Drawbacks of Humidifiers
While humidifiers offer many benefits, they also have some drawbacks:
• Can cause mold and bacteria: Too much humidity (above 50 percent) can cause mold and bacterial growth. Measuring humidity with a hygrometer and keeping it below 50 percent is important to prevent this. Regular cleaning and filter changes are also crucial.
• Can cause excess moisture: Air that is too humid (above 50 percent) can feel heavy and make it more difficult to breathe.
• Can cause dust mites and white dust: Dust mites thrive in warm, humid environments (around 50 percent humidity). Tap water minerals can collect in the humidifier and be released into the air as “white dust,” which can cause breathing problems. Using distilled water can prevent this.
Popular Humidifiers on Amazon.com
While the specific models available on Amazon can change frequently, here are some popular types of humidifiers you might find based on the information above:
• Evaporative Humidifiers: These are often recommended for their ability to use tap water and provide good coverage.
• Ultrasonic Humidifiers: Especially cool-mist versions, which are safer for children and come in various sizes.
• Cool Mist Humidifiers: Generally recommended for their safety and ease of use, and various types such as impeller humidifiers are also available.
• Console Humidifiers: For larger spaces, whole-house humidifiers are available, but they need to be easy to clean and maintain.
Conclusion
A humidifier can be a great tool to improve your home’s environment, especially during the winter or in dry climates. By adding moisture to the air, they can help with dry skin, respiratory issues, and even reduce energy costs. However, it’s important to use them correctly, keep them clean, and monitor humidity levels to avoid potential drawbacks.
Additional Tips:
- Use distilled or demineralized water.
- Clean the humidifier regularly, every few days, and change the water daily.
- Keep humidity between 30-50% and monitor using a hygrometer.
- Change filters regularly.
- Don’t place the humidifier in confined spaces.
