Although it’s possible to maintain a healthy environment in your home, staying too dry can still cause uncomfortable conditions.
During cold seasons, static electricity and the lack of moisture can cause conditions such as congestion and soreness to develop.
If you’re suffering from these symptoms, it could be time to consider getting a humidifier. It can help improve the quality of the air in your home and alleviate these conditions.
Table of Contents
Are Humidifiers Good For You?
The comfort of humidifiers depends on the current humidity in the room. It helps to reduce dryness by adding moisture and freshness. Humidifiers are also beneficial to people with dry skin issues, allergic and respiratory problems. It helps to sleep better without snoring.
In this article, we’ll talk about what kinds of humidifiers are and why they’re beneficial for different people.
How Do Humidifiers Work?
Understanding how humidity affects our bodies is also important to know why a humidifier is beneficial. In order to properly utilize a humidifier, you need to know how humidity affects your body.
Injecting moisture into the nasal passages, lips, and skin can help nourish and relieve congestion. However, it can also cause uncomfortable and irritating conditions. The ideal humidity for the air in your home should rest at around 45%.
They work by creating a fine mist using steam or vapor. This method helps increase the humidity in the air and restore the feeling of comfort.
There are two types of humidifiers: warm mists and cool mists. The former uses heat to generate steam, while the latter uses other methods to create vapor.
Types of Humidifiers
Steam evaporates before it leaves the unit. This method is not recommended for use around children.
Ultrasonic Humidifiers
These use vibrations instead of electricity to vaporize water.
Evaporators
Evaporator Humidifiers produce humidity by blowing air past evaporating water.
Impeller Humidifiers
These humidifiers are generally child-friendly and use rotating disks, rather than heat, to vaporize water.
Central humidifiers
Central humidifiers are usually placed in the central air conditioning unit to effectively add moisture to a room.
A good quality humidifier comes in various sizes. They can be placed in various locations and can be transported efficiently.
Health Benefits of Humidifiers
Let’s summarize the ways humidifiers can be beneficial for you and your health.
Prevent and Alleviate Dry Skin, Eyes, and Nasal Passages
Getting a humidifier can help prevent various conditions such as dry skin and cracked lips. It can also improve your comfort levels and ward off potential issues caused by the cold.
As the air temperature rises, a humidifier helps promote a more balanced air quality. It can also prevent hair from becoming fragile.
Ease Illness Symptoms
It helps keep the nasal passages moist and helps clear the mucus from the throat. Having a humid environment can also help relieve the soreness from a cold.
The sensation produced by a humidifier is similar to that of inhaling steam. This is why it’s often used to treat pneumonia.
Prevent Influenza
A study revealed that humidity levels of over 40% can help minimize the spread of airborne viruses.
Reduce Snoring
Having a good night’s sleep is also a plus for couples who are looking to improve their snoring.
Safer Electronics
Unfortunately, static electricity can still cause issues with electronic equipment even after using a humidifier.
Happier Plantlife
Since many indoor plants require more than 27% humidity, a good humidifier will help keep their conditions at a healthy level.
Protect Furniture
Also, keeping the wood floor clean can prevent it from getting damaged and closing again. This applies to both hardwood and solid furniture.
Your body can also feel the warm air from a humid environment as it warms. This effect generates a feeling of comfort.
Treat Pneumonia
Pneumonia symptoms include nausea, headaches, and exhaustion. Many people suffering from this illness often use humidifiers to reduce their symptoms.
Pneumonia is a serious illness that is usually followed by a cold or flu. Symptoms include nausea, headaches, and coughing. Many people suffering from this condition use humidifiers to reduce their symptoms.
However, treating severe respiratory conditions such as asthma isn’t enough to cure them. Having a humid environment can help relieve the symptoms of these conditions.
Like using a hot bath, humidifiers can help improve the quality of life for people with respiratory conditions like pneumonia.
Related: Can A Humidifier Cause Pneumonia?
Can Humidifiers be Harmful to Your Health?
High humidity can also make homes feel uncomfortable and contribute to the development of allergic conditions and asthma.
Before buying a Humidifier, check with a doctor to see if it can help you or someone in your household who has respiratory conditions.
It’s also important to turn off the humidifier when it’s not working. Having a hygrometer is also helpful to make sure that the machine is working properly.
The most dangerous thing about using a humidifier is that it can allow bacteria and mold to develop on the device. This can then trigger flu-like symptoms and worsen the situation for people with respiratory conditions.
Allowing the growth of bacteria and mold to develop on the machine can also cause allergic reactions and worsen the situation for people with respiratory conditions.
To prevent this issue, remove all parts of the humidifier that come into contact with water and then use a bleach solution to remove the bacteria and mold.
Related: What Are the Benefits of a Humidifier?
Drawbacks of Using a Humidifier
Some of the disadvantages of using a humidifier are also worth keeping in mind. Doing so can be fixed by choosing a good quality one.
Humidifiers Can be Noisy
Since today’s models are quieter than their predecessors, it’s worth looking into their ambient noise concerns.
Humidifiers Draw Electricity
The cost of running a humidifier can vary depending on its uses and comfort levels. Generally, it’s around $30 to $85 a year.
Minerals Can be Dispersed Into the Air
The minerals in tap water can also cause a crusty deposit inside a humidifier. This issue can be solved through the use of distilled water.
Regular Cleaning
If you’re prone to experiencing dry air conditions, a humidifier can be helpful. It can help make the air in the room more comfortable.
However, if your home already has the ideal humidity level, then a humidifier isn’t recommended. This is because it can promote the growth of bacteria and mold.
Aside from being beneficial, it’s also important to regularly clean a humidifier to maintain its longevity. At Everlasting Comfort, we offer a variety of products that can improve the well-being of our customers.