Humidifiers

Buying a humidifier.

What does a humidifier do?

Cooler, dryer weather can wreak havoc on the air quality in your home, leaving you and your family uncomfortable and potentially unhealthy. Using a reliable air humidifier in your home can help with some of these problems. So, what is a humidifier? Humidifiers add moisture to the air by releasing a nearly invisible mist that can help to reduce symptoms of allergies, asthma, colds, sinus headaches, bloody noses and snoring. Air humidifiers can also soothe dry lips and itchy throats, help with chronic coughing, and reduce static electricity in your home. You can pair your humidifier with an air purifier, which helps to remove contaminants like dust, smoke, animal dander and pollen. Some machines even act as a combined air purifier and humidifier, so you can save space with just one device.

There are other humidifier benefits as well. You can use your humidifier for plants to encourage growth, and keep your wood furniture and flooring from shrinking, splitting and cracking. As you discover the best humidifier for you, make sure it doesn't add too much moisture to the air, which can cause mold, condensation and odors. If your home has too much warm, moist air, add a dehumidifier to remove moisture.

Choosing the best humidifier for your home.

Different styles of humidifiers add humidity to the air in different ways. A cool-mist humidifier expels a room-temperature mist using an internal fan. Many child-safe models are the perfect humidifiers for kids or babies because they are available in fun shapes and characters. An ultrasonic humidifier uses an ultrasonic-vibrating diaphragm to create and disperse fine water droplets into the air to promote cooling in the room. A warm-mist humidifier uses a heating element to boil water, killing germs and viruses. The water then vaporizes and releases into the room. These units tend to be quieter than other styles since they don't use a fan. A steam humidifier heats then cools water before releasing it into the air.

Picking a humidifier based on room size.

Select the best room humidifier based on the amount of air you need to condition. A mini humidifier or a small humidifier like a vaporizer is best for small spaces. The best humidifier for bedroom use has a capacity of around 100 square feet, while a large room humidifier can be used in rooms 400 square feet and larger. A compact, portable humidifier is ideal if you need to move the humidifier from room to room.

Regardless of home humidifier size, whether you choose a large, small or personal humidifier, you should maintain it regularly, cleaning the water tank to keep mold, mildew and bacteria from forming, and checking the misting spouts for clogs. You may need to change the humidifier filter every two to three months if you use it daily.