Overview

If the air in your house is dry, that may determine much discomfort. If the problem is living in a territory with low humidity or indoor heating during winter months, than using a humidifier can be the best solution and can solve the problem of dry air.

If you have dry skin, chapped lips, sinus problems or a dry cough, you need probably a humidifier. Dry air in the house produces a static electricity that destroys wooden furniture and causes the wood in musical instruments to crack and mar their finish.

Which is the correct humidity in my house?

You can tell that the air in your house is too dry when you have chapped lips or itchy, dry skin, sinus headaches. But the safe way to know if the air is too dry is using a hygrometer, which measures the humidity levels in your home. A level between 35 and 50 percent is a healthy humidity level. For to be maintained in the room and to reduce the risk of crazing or cracking of the finish, musical instruments require around 40 percent humidity level. Over 50 percent humidity level can cause growing of the bacteria, dust mites and mold spores. If you don’t have a hygrometer, but you have in your house mold or condensation and steam dripping on the inside of your windows, than surely the humidity indoor is too big.

Types humidifiers

There are two types of humidifiers: warm mist humidifiers and cool mist humidifiers. Both can help ameliorate problems caused by dry air. Cool mist humidifiers blow air over or through a wick in water and warm mist humidifiers boil the water which becomes a distilled steam to be blown into the room. This steam is like a gentle spray of warm water and is concentrated in the closest area of the humidifier.

Advantages of using warm mist humidifiers:

-          Humidifiers relieve symptoms of dry skin, chapped lips or itchy, sinus problems or a dry cough

-          Humidifiers are useful for the tiny hairs in the nose and for mucous membranes in the throat and upper respiratory tract, because the contaminants are eliminated much easier.

-          Humidifiers are very useful for allergic people.

-          If you have a humidifier in room where a baby sleeps, this will be good because of keeping an efficient nasal breath.

-          If you use a humidifier you will have a restful sleep.

-          A humidifier can reduce shocking from static electricity.

-          In the presence of a humidifier, wooden furniture and musical instruments are preserved more adequately.

-          Humidifiers are very useful for many houseplants that love higher humidity. For this reason, a portable unit is usually preferable.

-          The warm mist humidifiers are comfortable during the cold winter months when air is dry because of ultraheating.

Suppliers

The best suppliers of warm mist humidifiers are Slant-Fin, Bemis, Hamilton Beach, Hunter and Holmes.

Slant-Fin humidifiers:

-          very clean reputation

-          produce clean mist with quiet operation

-          use ultraviolet light as a germicide agent for the water

-          require occasional filter replacements

-          do not have a digital humidistat, but have a manual humidity level control

Bemis humidifiers:

-          whole house humidifiers, as well as humidifier/air purifier combination units

-          need weekly cleaning and occasional filter replacements

Hamilton Beach humidifiers:

-          economical

-          the parts can be cleaned in the dishwasher

-          have a digital humidity indicator

Hunter humidifiers:

-          need only once-a-month cleaning

-          some models have a digital humidistat

Holmes humidifiers:

-          warm mist humidifier Holmes does not require changing filters

-          are treated with an antibacterial agent

-          feature an LCD control panel

Tips for choosing a warm mist humidifiers:

-          the capacity of the unit is an important thing when you choose an humidifier (the number of gallons of water that the reservoir holds or the number of square feet of indoor space the unit can serve)

-          humidistat built in is a feature that a quality warm mist humidifier should have. This humidistat measures the humidity, that have to be setted between 30 and 45 %. The humidistat should be equipped with an automatic shut off if the humidity goes too high, or if the unit runs out of water.

-          Some humidifiers can clean the air as well as adjust humidity.

Tips for using a warm mist humidifiers:

A humidifier can spread contamination if you do not follow these tips:

-          Change the water every day, by emptying the entire tank each time. Warm water encourages bacterial growth.

-          Use distilled water or purified water for filling the unit.

-          Clean the unit immediately anytime you see a scum forming inside.

-          Clean the unit anytime you store it, and again when you get it out.

-          Change the filters regularly.

-          Use tap water for cleaning (but not for filling) the unit and if you do not have cleaning instructions with the unit, use 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Use a soft cloth or brush to clean the inside of the tank.