Using a humidifier in your home can definitely benefit your health, as long as you use it correctly! Adding the right amount of moisture to dry air can help relieve nasal and sinus congestion. Humidifiers also help reduce the static electricity in your home caused by dry air. You can choose either cold or warm mist humidifiers, but if you aren’t diligent about keeping them clean and fresh, you can make yourself sick!
The Pros & Cons-
First, let’s discuss the warm mist humidifiers. The warm mist types work by heating the water and releasing the steam into the room. They work great, but these units have a heating element, hence the warm steam, so you must place them out of children’s reach and away from flammable objects. One benefit of the warm mist type is that many models have a medicine cup that disperses the medicine into the air with steam! More often than not, these units are quieter than the cool mist types and are more comfortable during the winter because they add soothing warmth to the room.
Cool mist humidifiers, on the other hand, pose no danger of burning because they have no heating element and produce, literally, cool mist! The cool mist types also help to relieve nasal and sinus congestion and are well suited to use in a child’s room. They can, however, make the room feel colder, especially during the dry winter months.
Humidifier Maintenance-
The most important thing you need to know about any humidifier is that you must change the water daily! Always refer to your owner’s manual for proper cleaning procedures. However, there are some basic guidelines you can follow, just in case you threw the manual out with the box!
Keep in mind that while both types have issues. The cool mist types are somewhat more prone to breeding mold and bacteria than warm mist humidifiers, which will then be put out into the air you breathe! It is advised to change the water in all units daily, including the reservoir. Rinsing them out every day will help ensure that no mold or bacteria has time to get established in the tank. Also, mineral deposits from “hard” tap water can be an issue. Not only can the minerals be dispersed into the air you breathe, but they can damage your unit if they build up inside it. One thing you can do to alleviate this problem is to use distilled water. Distilled water can (and should) be used in both cold and warm mist humidifiers.
In addition to changing the water daily, we recommend thoroughly cleaning cool mist humidifiers every three days. You can use regular dish soap with warm water to clean the water tank and reservoir. Please use caution when cleaning the reservoir! Avoid getting the unit’s motor wet! The unit can break or become dangerous to use because of the high risk of electric shock. Every week or so, run the machine for 20-40 minutes with a water and white vinegar solution. You only need 2-3 cups of white vinegar, filling the tank the rest of the way with water. After letting it run, rinse it out and it’s sanitized and ready to use!
One last thing, don’t over-use your humidifier! You shouldn’t raise the humidity level in your home (or any one room) past 50%. High humidity levels cause mold, bacteria, fungi, and other organisms to grow in your home! If your carpets and upholstery get damp, they can breed all kinds of detrimental organisms! You know you’ve exceeded the maximum 50% humidity level if condensation develops on your windows or walls!
We hope this article helps you, and maybe even saves you the cost of a service call, or two! However, if you still need a visit from one of our awesome technicians, give us a call! We always love to hear from you!
