Residential Humidification: Types, Benefits and Installation
For optimal indoor air quality, the humidity in a home should be between 40-50%. Many homes have levels of humidity that are well below this, especially during the winter months. The dry air can cause a variety of complications for most adults, let alone children and senior adults. Humidifiers add moisture into the air and prevent dryness that can cause dry skin, irritation, bloody noses, sinus congestion, and more. Humidifiers can also help several parts within the home like wood floors, furniture, etc.
Proper humidity within an environment prevents things from breaking down and increases humidity in moisture-deprived areas. There are several different types of humidifiers available for you to choose from, depending on your specific needs. Some of the different types of humidifiers include:
Warm Mist:
Warm mist humidifiers produce a warm, quiet mist when in use and can be very helpful when dealing with colds and flu-like symptoms. The mist provided by the warm mist humidifier tends to be cleaner than its cool mist counterpart. Some drawbacks to this humidifier include more cleaning needed than the average humidifier and the steam produced by it should be kept away from children.
Ultrasonic:
Ultrasonic humidifiers are a little bit more expensive, but they have extensive features and benefits. They use high-frequency vibrations to produce a high-quality mist that can add moisture to any environment. Since there is no hot water in the system, it’s safer around children, as it will not burn or irritate the skin upon contact.
A drawback to this humidifier is that it needs extra disinfecting to prevent bacteria or any other contaminant from growing on its surface.
Cool Mist:
Cool mist humidifiers release a cool vapor into the air when they are in use. Their filters are very easy to clean, as they catch water impurities. For homeowners in warm climates, this is one of the best options to humidify a home.
Since the vapor emitted is cool, cool mist humidifiers are safe around pets and children. You also have the option to add inhalants to help with colds and flus.
Some drawbacks to this type of humidifier include possible bacterial growth if uncleaned and semi-loud operational noise when in use.
Vaporizer Humidifier:
Vaporizer humidifiers can provide both a cool and warm mist. Additionally, vaporizer humidifiers are affordable and inhalants can be added in to treat illnesses like the cold and flu. The vaporizer humidifier unit tends to boil water and distributes steam throughout a room.
This type of humidification can be very beneficial, but there are a few drawbacks. This type of humidifier consumes a lot of energy and should be kept out of the reach of children due to the burn risks associated with it.
