A humidifier is a household appliance that adds moisture to the air. These devices are usually inexpensive and easy to operate. A humidifier in the home also comes with many benefits. If you would like to know more about humidifiers, discover the answers to four frequently asked questions about them.
1. When Should You Get a Humidifier?
If the humidity level inside your home is too low, consider a humidifier. You can tell if the levels are too low through signs like static electricity and dry and cracked interior paint.
If you want to accurately measure the humidity level in your home, you can use a hygrometer. If the humidity level in your home is less than 30 percent, the humidity is too dry, and you would benefit from a humidifier. An ideal humidity level is around 45 percent.
2. What Benefits Do Humidifiers Provide?
Increasing the humidity level in your home will provide many benefits. When humidity levels are too low, it makes the home feel cooler. To compensate for this, many people turn the heat up. Adding moisture to the air causes the home to feel warmer, even at a lower temperature. Decreasing the temperature will help you save money on your energy bill.
A few more benefits that humidifiers provide is that they decrease static electricity. Reduced static electricity keeps you from getting shocked when touching other people or certain objects. The paint on your walls as well as the furnishings inside your home will also benefit, as they will not become dry and brittle.
3. What Symptoms Do Humidifiers Help Relieve?
One of the best reasons to get a humidifier is that it can relieve certain symptoms. If you have a lot of nasal congestion, especially upon waking up in the morning, this could be a sign that the humidity is too dry inside your home.
Besides relieving nasal congestion, humidifiers can relieve a variety of other symptoms, including:
- Dry and itchy skin
- Frequent coughing
- Dry throat
- Bloody noses
- Cracked lips
- Eye irritation
Humidifiers help ward off certain viruses, like influenza. Humidifiers also reduce snoring and make a cough more productive so that you can expel phlegm more easily from the lungs. If you have experienced any of these symptoms, see if a humidifier helps.
4. Do Humidifiers Have Any Risks?
Getting a humidifier is a great idea when you have low humidity levels in your home. However, you should be aware that certain risks are involved.
If the humidifier’s reservoir becomes dirty, it can release harmful substances into the air, including bacteria and mold. This is especially concerning for people with allergies or asthma. Contaminated mist can also affect healthy people by triggering flu-like symptoms.
Thankfully, you can greatly minimize these risks with proper use of your humidifier. This includes using distilled or demineralized water, changing the water often, and cleaning it every three days.
You should also stop using the humidifier if the humidity levels in your home get too high. High humidity levels can cause harmful bacteria to enter the air. This bacteria might release mold spores, which can trigger allergies and respiratory problems. High humidity levels will also cause you to sweat at night, which often leads to poor sleep.
If your home is too dry and you want to experience all the benefits a humidifier provides, contact Steele Bros Heating, Inc. We sell a variety of humidifiers in different price ranges so that you can buy the one that best suits your needs. We also sell humidifier parts. Our family-owned and -operated business takes pride in serving our customers throughout Minnesota.
