Dry air during the heating season can cause a sore throat, cough, runny nose, etcdry nose, irritated skin and eyes and reduced immunity - especially in allergy sufferers and children. Animals and plants also feel the drop in humidity and lose their hair more or begin to wither. A wet towel spread on the radiator will not solve the problem - a better idea is a modern oneDevice for increasing humidity. Which humidifier should you buy? What should you pay attention to when choosing? We'll explain everything to you right away!
What types of humidifiers are there?
Steam humidifier (evaporator principle)
A steam humidifier works on the principle of a water heater, which heats the water and releases the hot steam into the room air. The undeniable advantage of a vaporizer is itslow price. Plus, thanks to the high temperature needed to produce steam, you can be sure that it is virtually germ-free. Many manufacturers offer the option of boiling waterFragrance oilsto add, which can make the atmosphere at home more pleasant and become part of aromatherapy. It is also worth mentioning that the steam humidifierno additional accessoriesand no replacement elements required, so you can use it for many years.
The disadvantage of the device is its efficiency. A steam humidifierrequires quite a lot of energy, which means more electricity in the home. The steam emitted by the humidifier also increases the ambient temperature, and the operation of the device itself is not the quietest - you need to be prepared for the bubbling of boiling water from the humidifier. The operation of the device also requiresextreme caution– You could accidentally burn yourself from steam and hot water.
Ultrasonic humidifier (ultrasonic atomizer)
This type of humidifier, also called nebulizer, usesUltrasonic wavesto break down water molecules to create a moisturizing mist. This technology is characterized by high efficiency and quiet operation. Unfortunately, it's not for everyone because ultrasound is heard by pets and can cause them irritation or anxiety. However, people who do not have pets will definitely like the ultrasonic humidifier because of itslow power consumptionappreciate. Most models also have a humidistat that makes it possible to control the relative humidity in the room. Another advantage of the ultrasonic humidifier is the ability to use the devicewarm or cold mist outputto set. The cold mist lowers the room temperature in summer, while the warm mist humidifies the room more quickly in winter.
What are the disadvantages? It is necessary to change the descaling filter regularly and thatClean device. The problem that is rarely mentioned is that humidifiers of this type can easily spread bacteria, viruses or chemicals in the water. Another characteristic of this device is the release of stone dust contained in the water, which is deposited as a white coating on the furniture and has a harmful effect on the human respiratory tract. That's why it's so important to have a humidifierClean regularly (at least every 3 days)and fill in distilled water or reverse osmosis water. A disadvantage of an ultrasonic humidifier without a hygrostat is the risk of oneto intensive air humidification, which can lead to upper respiratory infections and mold growth in the home.
Evaporative humidifier (evaporation principle)
A third type of humidifier is used because of itshigh efficiency and maximum hygienechosen. The evaporative humidifier consists of a water tank, a filter insert and a fan. The device sucks in the room air, passes it through the evaporation filters and releases it again as a light mist. The evaporation has proven to bethe most natural humidification methodenforced. It has a small risk of excessive humidification of the air, cleans it from dust and dirt and does not increase the ambient temperature. The advantages of the device also include:low power consumption.
Evaporative humidifiers areoften more expensivethan other models of this device type. The need for frequent replacement of evaporative filters and the audible operation of the devices can also be considered a disadvantage of this type of device. Still, it seems that the best humidifier is the evaporative humidifier.
Which humidifier should it be – with or without an ionizer?
There are many myths about devices that improve air quality (humidifiers, air purifiers or ionizers). So let's try to shed some light on this. Let's start with the obvious: the air you breathe is full of dust, dirt, viruses, bacteria and allergens.Unfortunately, the humidifier does not improve air quality– except in the evaporative version – and can even worsen it if used improperly. If you neglect regular cleaning of the device, it becomes a habitat for microorganisms and a reservoir for stone dust that enters our body.
So can a humidifier harm you?Yes, if used improperly, rarely cleaned and operated with a dirty filter. But even if you take care of the humidifier and use an evaporative version, there can still be dangerous pollutants in the air. The ionizer can help here. It creates negative ions, called anions, which combine with the particles in the air and then, due to gravity, fall to the ground from where they can no longer rise.The ionizer can significantly improve your quality of lifeand partially protect you from diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and pollutants.
If you don't want to buy two separate devices, you can choose a combination device - oneHumidifier with ionizer function. However, the effectiveness of such a solution is problematic because many manufacturers do not provide precise information about the technology used to generate the anions in a particular device.
Which humidifier should I choose for my child?
When choosing a humidifier for children, you need to consider two elements:Safety and humidification intensity.For the first reason, you should not buy a steam humidifier because it is possible to burn yourself with steam and hot water. Children who come too close to the device accidentally or out of curiosity are particularly at risk. However, a steam humidifier can work well for babies.
The second aspect when buying a humidifier for the baby's room has to do with theHumidity levelto do. Of course, air that is too dry causes discomfort, but too much humidity is just as harmful as it promotes the development of mold, mites and fungi. These in turn lead to frequent respiratory infections in young Indians whose immune systems are not yet strong enough. Therefore, buying an ultrasonic humidifier is not a good choice. Better choose oneEvaporative humidifier– it is a much more hygienic solution.
Be sure to choose a model that is equipped with a humidistat, a hygroscope and different intensity levels so that you can control the level of humidity. An ionizer function and aNight modeare also useful if you want to turn on the humidifier while the kids are sleeping. If the humidifier is to be in the children's room, choose a device with an attractive design. There are now many devices with cute fairytale characters or animal shapes.
Which humidifier is suitable for allergy sufferers?
For allergy sufferers, the main purpose of air quality improvement devices is toto purify the air. Increasing the humidity can also be beneficial as it minimizes drying out of the mucous membranes. However, when choosing a humidifier, think about hygiene above all and choose either oneSteam humidifieror oneEvaporator with a filterequipped – preferably HEPA or carbon filters. However, keep in mind that not all dirt particles are likely to be caught by these filters since the humidifier is not a cleaner anyway.
The optimal solution, of course, is a humidifier with an air purifier, but the cost of this type of device is quite high. An alternative solution is to buy both devices separately or perhaps a good oneHumidifier with an ionizerto choose.
Is it worth buying an air purifier with a humidifier?
Although the filter built into the humidifier can actually remove germs and pollutants, the question of air purification is no longer so obvious. Of course, it's hard to deny that filters do their job and actually remove dust and allergens from indoor air, but the problem is the size of humidifiers. Since these devices are rather small, they also have small filters, which may not be sufficient for thorough air purification in a large apartment.
Plants can also help us, to purify and humidify the air, but we do not recommend using it as the sole source of improving air quality. For people living in cities with high levels of air pollution, aCleaner equipped with a humidification functionbe the better solution.
Humidifiers – what should you pay attention to when buying?
Humidifier efficiency– First and foremost, the evaporation capacity is important, ie the amount of steam produced in a certain unit of time. It is usually given in liters per day or milliliters per hour. Secondly, it is about the humidification area, that is, the size of the room in which the humidifier is to be used. In this regard, you have a wide choice of devices - there are both small models for 10 m² rooms and those that can cover up to 300 m².
Humidifier performance– the amount of energy consumed when the device is in operation. The higher the power, the faster the air is humidified. On the other hand, the energy requirement is for everyoneType of humidifier different. Steam humidifiers use the most electricity, ultrasonic humidifiers are more economical, and evaporative models use the least electricity.
Water tank capacity– the larger the tank, the less often you have to refill it.
Noise pollution(specified in decibels) – An important element that affects the comfort when using the humidifier. Devices with volumes below 30 dB are so quiet that you can hardly hear them.
Night mode– dry air makes it difficult to fall asleep, so we want our humidifier to work at night too. Unfortunately, the noise the device emits often disrupts sleep. Night mode helps here, as it reduces the efficiency of the humidifier but also makes it quieter.
Hygrostat– a humidity sensor that turns the humidifier on or off depending on the level of humidity in the room.
hygrometeris a device for measuring relative humidity.
Filter– thanks to it, the humidifier does not release bacteria and dust into the environment and improves the air quality in the apartment. There are humidifiers with three types of filters on the market: the carbon filter helps eliminate unpleasant odors, the ceramic filter purifies the water in the tank, and the HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter filters allergens and dust particles from the air.
Different operating modes– So that you can adapt the operation of the device to the level of humidity.
Ionization function– helps fight air pollution.
Buying a humidifier is a necessity for people who are sensitive to dry indoor air, which can be quite annoying during the heating season. Increasing the humidity has a positive effect on your well-being, solves the problem of permanently dry skin and mucous membranes and reduces the persistent symptoms of asthmatics or allergy sufferers. A humidifier will also benefit your potted plants, which will reward you with green leaves and fantastic flowers thanks to optimal humidity.
