A: The greatest advantage of using a humidifier is that it keeps an area from drying to the point where damage could be caused to you or your belongings. Extremely dry air can damage your furniture and electronics, and can dry out your hair and cause your skin to flake or chap. For this reason, humidifiers are ideal for the cold, dry winter months to keep your indoor humidity at a comfortable level.
Q: What is needed to run a humidifier?
A: Humidifiers require very little work and upkeep. Most will only need to be plugged in and filled with water. More complex models may have timers and features that keep the humidity at a constant level. Refilling the water tank and cleaning it periodically is all the maintenance that is required.
Q: What are the different types of humidifiers and are there any health risks?
A: Warm mist units boil the water, so any bacterium is killed in that process. These units can cause burns if caution is not used, however, and are not recommended for use around children. Some cool mist units use a synthetic, anti-bacterial pad, the models that don’t should be cleaned more frequently and thoroughly. Ultrasonic units transmit energy through high-frequency vibrations that will destroy any bacteria present.
Q: How noisy are humidifiers?
A: Ultrasonic humidifiers are extremely quiet due to high-frequency vibrations that can’t be heard by humans. Cool and warm mist humidifiers rely on a fan to push the moist air from the unit, thus making a little more noise.
