Honeywell 2 Gallon Cool Moisture Humidifier

Choosing a humidifier not only increases the comfort level in your house but also prevents damage to walls, wallpaper, and wood floors from excessive dryness. Humidified air has been shown to reduce the level of bacterial, viral, and allergenic contaminants in the air and is therefore recommended for children or the elderly. It is also helpful in the winter to battle the drying effect of indoor heating or to help in healing a dry cough. Choosing one can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. That’s why we’ve put together this basic guide to teach you everything you need to know about buying a new humidifier.

There are a few different types of models on the market. Here are some of the pros and cons of each of them:

Cool Mist/Ultrasonic Humidifier
Cool mist humidifiers usually work by use of a high-speed rotating disk inside the unit to propel the water into the air. Ultrasonic humidifiers also produce cool mist by way of sound vibrations caused by electricity. Both devises can cause indoor air pollution such as white dust from water minerals that settle in the air and furniture which could be adverse to your health. A cool mist humidifier also lowers the temperature in the room by a few degrees, which may or may not be desirable depending on your climate.

Steam Vaporizer Humidifier
Steam vaporizer humidifiers or warm mist humidifiers create steam from boiled water inside the unit, therefore killing off most microorganisms and bacteria and don’t disperse minerals into the air. The fact that they utilize boiling water makes them dangerous if placed anywhere where children or pets can knock them over. Portable warm mist humidifiers provide a safer alternative by using cooler airflow, but require a lot of electricity to operate.

Evaporative Humidifier
Evaporative humidifiers work by blowing air through a wet filter and are capable of creating the most amount of mist, using up to 13 gallons a day. They are also substantially louder to operate than other types of systems. The filter also prevents minerals from being released into the air. It’s also recommended to purchase a unit with an anti-bacterial filter.

Central Humidifier
Central or in-duct humidifiers can be built into the existing central heating and air conditioning system and will humidify the entire home. If you already have a forced air heating or cooling system, in-duct systems have automatic water-filling capability and require much less attention than portable models. You only need to change the filter every six months or so and they are the cheapest to run, although they are the most expensive to buy. Additionally, most regular air conditioners, even window units, succeed in humidifying the air as part of their normal air conditioning cycle.

Here are some additional factors to take into account:

Size
Tabletops humidifiers are the smallest, lightest and cheapest type of humidifier available, but are only suited for humidifying single rooms. Larger console models have the ability to generate enough water vapor for a small house. It’s important to choose a model with a large enough tank size that you will not have to add water too frequently. Nonetheless, tank size can be deceiving since the real measure of how frequently tanks need to be filled is how much water it can evaporate in a given period of time and, more important, how much water is needed to be vaporized to attain the desired humidity level. Look for a humidifier that will turn off when the water reservoir empties or that will alert you when it’s running low and needs to be refilled. A see-through reservoir will also make it easier to tell when water is required.

Humidifier Problems
If not maintained properly, bacteria and mold can grow in the tanks of humidifiers and will subsequently get blown into the air. This can pose a risk for young children, the elderly, or anyone with respiratory weakness or allergies. It is therefore essential to wash out humidifier units with anti-bacterial detergent on a regular basis. If you live in an area with hard water, it is important to lower the mineral content of the water by purchasing a heavy duty water filter for your home to reduce the presence of white dust. The humidity level in the house should be kept below 60 percent to prevent dust mites and mold from developing in the house.

Noise
All humidifiers make some noise, however a warm-mist tabletop unit is substantially quieter than an evaporative model, making only a mild hissing sound. In contrast, evaporative models generate the same noise level as a small air conditioner. If the unit is to be placed in a child’s room, it is essential to choose a quieter warm-mist tabletop unit. Alternatively, a console evaporative unit can be placed in the hallway outside the bedroom, generating enough air to reach the entire area, if bedroom doors are kept open. The alternative of placing table top models in each room will end up costing more, both upfront and over time.

Honeywell Up to 99.999% Germ Free Warm Mist Humidifier

Humidistats
Nowadays most models come with essential humidistats that display room humidity levels and humidity settings. Humidistats control humidity levels and shut the humidifier off when the set level is reached. They come in either dial or digital form. Without a humidistat, humidity levels can become high enough to form condensation on windows and other cold surfaces leading to mold and bacteria growth. As outdoor temperatures drop, it’s important to lower the humidity level to prevent condensation on windows, doors or other cold surfaces.

Operating Costs
Warm-mist humidifiers are the most expensive to operate since they require boiling water. In-duct systems and evaporative models are the most energy efficient, although they cost the most upfront. A humidistat will also cut down on costs, since it shuts off the machine whenever optimum humidity is reached. Some filters are expensive, so it’s also important to find out how often they need to be replaced.

In Summary:
As we explained, the first step is to decide what type of humidifier will satisfy the unique needs of your home. Depending on how many rooms you need to humidify, your budget, and whether or not noise is an issue, you may decide on either a portable or central humidifier with evaporative, cold, or warm mist humidity. We hope that this will make your humidifier shopping experience more relaxing. May it bring a breath of fresh air into your home!

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