What are humidifiers? 

Humidifiers are appliances that emits water vapors or steam to escalate the amount of moisture in the air and it prevents dryness that can cause dry skin, nose irritation and bloody nose. Moreover, they relieve several symptoms produced by flu or common cold. 

Types of humidifiers:

1.Central humidifiers

These humidifiers are built right into heating, venting or air conditioning systems. These humidifiers are more expensive than the smaller, single room humidifiers. Central humidifiers do not emit steam, so there is no risk of burns. 

2.Evaporative humidifiers:  

Evaporative humidifiers use fan power to blow cool air through a wet filter or belt. These are more economical than the central humidifiers but it is good only for a room. 

3.Ultrasonic humidifiers 

Ultrasonic humidifiers produce a cool mist with ultrasonic vibration. Both cool-mist and warm-mist versions are available. The price of unit varies according to the size of your home. These humidifiers are a good choice for homes with children, but proper maintenance is required. 

4.Steam vaporizers 

These vaporizers use electricity to produce steam which cools before leaving the machine. Steam vaporizers are the most portable humidifiers, also affordable and readily available. Expert consider these units are dangerous to use around children or pets because the heating element creates a burn risk. 

5.Impeller humidifiers 

These humidifiers use a fast-rotating disc to break water into little droplets which then enter the air, but, these are good only for single rooms. These units are child as well as pet-friendly since they generate cool-mist. 

Benefits of Humidifiers: 

1. Improves quality of sleep: 

Some people breathe through their mouth when sleeping, which dries out their airways. Using humidifiers help create a better environment for your breathing and soothes airway tissue, which benefits airways no matter how you breathe. This leads to a good sleep and a reduction in snoring, which is more common when airways are dry and air does not flow through moistened nasal and oesophageal passages. 

2. Reduces the risk of influenza:

According to researchers, humidifiers might reduce the risk of catching the flu because after the addition of influenza virus to the air with a simulated cough, they found that humidity levels above 40 percent rapidly deactivated virus particles, making them much less likely to be infectious. 

3. Improves skin and hair health:

Some people have dry lips, skin and hair in winter. Numerous kinds of heating units are used in house or office which can make the skin dry, itchy or flaky, also cold air outside can dry out the skin, but If you use a humidifier, it adds moisture to the indoor air, which helps to reduce the occurrence of cracked skin.

4. Mitigates asthma and allergy symptoms:

Humidifiers can help with allergy and asthma conditions by soothing tissues in nose and throat which eventually can help to relieve symptoms like runny nose, coughing, nose bleeds, sinus congestion.

5. Benefits for the home:

Moisture from a humidifier can be helpful around the home by preventing wallpaper from cracking and static electricity from building up. Moreover, houseplants become more vibrant and wood floors or furniture may last longer. Humid air can also feel warmer than dry air, which could help a person to save money on utility bills in winter.

*Note that overuse of humidifiers can potentially worsen respiratory problems. So, it’s necessary to know how to use humidifiers properly. People with indoor allergies should clean their humidifiers frequently and monitor humidity levels. Sometimes, too much humidity can cause dust mites and mold to form and spread. Humidity should not exceed 50%.

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