Everyone knows that in rural areas the air and cleanliness of the environment have sufficiently high indicators for a comfortable existence, and in cities and megalopolises these parameters have to be regulated artificially, with the help of purifiers. To increase the quality parameters of air humidity in the room, household appliances are used - humidifiers. This article provides helpful tips on how to choose the right humidifier, top choices for 2016, and a rating based on customer reviews and comments.
Who needs a humidifier and why
A person is not able to see the air that he breathes, but very often he feels the consequences of a dry, gassed climate. The dryness of the air increases dramatically during the heating season, when central heating radiators dry up the air, creating uncomfortable sleeping conditions. As a result, a decrease in immunity, frequent headaches, fatigue increases, absent-mindedness and insomnia are observed. Dry air also badly affects the interior decoration of apartments - parquet and furniture dry up, paintings crack, indoor flowers dry.
If you experience dry mouth, peeling skin, and a decrease in overall health, you need to get a hygrometer and determine the level of humidity in the room. The optimum humidity for a comfortable stay in a residential area should be at least 60%, especially for children.
Traditional hygrometers are mechanical, electronic, with or without a built-in thermometer for measuring air temperature. Top rated hygrometers come with built-in additional functions - clock, thermometer, barometric pressure meter, alarm clock, radio. They are called weather stations and are practical and informative home appliances. Such devices are marked with good user reviews.
Types of humidifiers, pros and cons
If, having measured the air temperature in your home, you understand that the humidity leaves much to be desired, then the next step is to decide what kind of humidifier you need for your apartment. The following are the main types of humidifiers, along with their pros and cons.
The main types of humidifiers:
- humidifiers with built-in cold steam;
- humidifiers with built-in hot steam;
- ultrasonic humidifiers;
- humidifiers with ionizers;
- air washers;
- climatic complexes.
Cold steam humidifiers blow air through a built-in fan and a damp grate. At the same time, all the sucked-in dust, dirt and bacteria are attracted to the wet grate, and the room is filled with clean and moist air. In the ranking of humidifiers they occupy the lowest position due to their simplicity and cheap prices.
Advantages: low energy consumption and reasonable cost. The ability to adjust the level of humidification and noise. Can be used in any childcare facility, safe for children.
Disadvantages: Due to the low steam temperature, the room temperature decreases. Low cleaning level.
Hot steam humidifiers have a built-in heating element in their design. Water boils like a kettle and evaporates.Often such models are used as a home inhaler with the ability to add aroma oils and drugs to a special device - an aroma capsule.
Advantages: low cost, no replaceable filters, quick room humidification.
Disadvantages: Hot air can injure others, so they cannot be used in childcare. The hot air raises the room temperature.
Ultrasonic humidifiers - Today it is the most common type of humidifier. The meaning of the operation of an ultrasonic humidifier is that water droplets are broken up by ultrasound into small particles, forming fog or mist, which is accelerated by a fan through the room. The rating of such devices is much higher than conventional humidifiers and, according to customer reviews, this is the most common type of home humidifier.
Advantages: works silently, quickly humidifies the air, the ability to program the required level of room humidification, built-in hygrometer and remote control.
Disadvantages: The ultrasonic humidifier is more expensive than conventional humidifiers. There is a need for replaceable filters. There is a settling of white plaque on pieces of furniture when using low-quality water.
Ionizer humidifiers - these are ordinary humidifiers with cold or hot steam, or ultrasonic ones, equipped with a built-in ionizer. The ionizer enriches the airspace with negative ions, making it look like crystal air in a mountainous area. The saturation of the airspace with negative ions creates an after-rain effect.
Benefits: Similar to conventional humidifiers with improved ionization properties.
Disadvantages: like all humidifiers - sediment on furniture, changes in the room temperature, cost.
Air wash - improved air humidifier. The sink combines both a humidifier and a purifier. The built-in fan blows the air flow into the middle of the sink, along the built-in discs, partially immersed in the water, collects dirt, dust, bacteria and blows out clean humidified air.
Advantages: high quality air purification.
Disadvantages: high cost, large size and the need to change spare cartridges.
Advantages: a high level of air purification from a wide range of harmful and dangerous pollutants, touch control, silent operation.
Disadvantages: very high price, therefore inaccessible to the majority.
Humidifier for baby's room
The microclimate of the child's room is very worrisome for caring parents. Moreover, the dry climate causes flaky and dry skin, poor sleep and frequent respiratory problems. Traditional folk methods in the form of wet towels on batteries and plates of water will not give much effect. In order to increase the humidity to 50-60% in a room with an area of 12 m3, it is necessary to spray from two to three liters of water, and this can only be done by a stationary good humidifier, preferably with the functions of a purifier.
For a children's room, especially if a child with signs of allergies lives in it, you need to choose a more advanced humidifier, for example, an air wash with a purifier. When choosing climatic equipment for children's rooms, it is necessary to take into account such parameters as power and noise level.To maintain a high rating, the production of children's climatic devices is often in the form of toys and equipped with additional functions, for example, a baby monitor, so that the child is constantly under control, which, according to consumers, is very convenient and practical.
Choosing air washers, purifiers and humidifiers correctly
With all the variety of choice of climatic technology, it is necessary to decide for which room the humidifier is purchased and what is the budget for this purchase. Regardless of how much money you decide to spend on a humidifier or purifier, the tips for choosing one will be about the same.
- Room area. In order to calculate how much space to be humidified, the area of the room is multiplied by the height of the ceiling.
- Performance. This is the volume of air that passes through the filters. It is better to take the one that, in an hour of continuous operation, will "let through" the air flow at least twice.
- Container or tank for water. The larger the container, the longer the device works. In order for the humidifier to work without interruptions and stops at night, a volume of 4-5 liters is enough.
- Availability of additional functions. It is much better when the humidifier is equipped with a hygrometer, ionizer and aroma vessel.
- Automation. Also designed for ease of use. Remote control, the ability to program the humidity level and automatic shutdown, timer.
- Noise level. A very important indicator when choosing a device for a children's room. Top rated models are equipped with a slip function for quiet operation at night.
- Replaceable filters. It is better to immediately clarify which filters are needed for the selected purifier model and how often they need to be changed.
If the decision to buy a humidifier is made, then it is necessary to focus, first of all, on the reliability, efficiency and rating of the model.
Review of popular models
Many global manufacturers of home appliances and electrical appliances have a line of humidifiers and air purifiers in their arsenal. The most rated brands in 2016 in the post-Soviet space were Boneco Air-O-Swiss (Switzerland), Venta (Germany), Electrolux (Sweden), Polaris (USA), Binatone (UK).
Since a humidifier is an essential element of home furnishings, every manufacturer strives to give their creation a special design chic. Boneco devices look like a stylish handbag. Venta does not pay much attention to design, focusing on the internal qualities of the device, so all her creations, according to reviews, look like an accordion or a central heating battery. A Polaris humidifier cannot be distinguished from a teapot with floral patterns and such a device is unlikely to fit into a strict interior, but it will be ideal for the Provence style. Binatone humidifiers look like a pillow or lamp under a shade. Manufacturers focused on the production of models for children's rooms often make devices in the form of children's toys.
A humidifier and air purifier are indispensable home helpers in maintaining family health. You are now in a position to choose a humidifier yourself.
