Choosing a humidifier for your home and apartment

Air humidification is a very important process that has a positive effect on human health. First of all, it is worth noting that water particles, getting into the air, contribute to the deposition of harmful substances on the floor. In addition, humidified air makes it much easier to breathe, moisturizing all mucous membranes.

Sometimes the natural humidity in the room is not enough, so specialized devices were invented - air humidifiers. Today they are presented in a huge assortment. Therefore, before choosing a humidifier for your home, you need to study some of the characteristics of the device.

Why use a humidifier

If an air conditioner is installed in the room and there is no special humidification function, it will be much more difficult to breathe, since the air will constantly be dry. This phenomenon occurs if the airing of the apartment is extremely rare. A humidifier will help to correct the situation.

In winter, when the humidity outside decreases due to the low temperature in the apartment, the situation worsens even more. Instead of the intended 45-60% in the room, the humidity level remains only 15-20%.

The negative effects of dry air:

• the airways dry out, which leads to a decrease in protective function. This can provoke the frequent occurrence of colds and acute respiratory infections;
• has a negative effect on the condition of the skin and hair;
• dryness leads to cracking of wooden furniture.

The main types of humidifiers

The very first humidifier can be called a wet rag hung on a battery. During the heating process, the water evaporates, thereby humidifying the air in the room. Among the modern devices that are used for this purpose, three types can be distinguished:

• traditional;
• steam;
• ultrasonic.

Each species has its own characteristics that are worth knowing about. This will allow you to select the most suitable humidifier for your room.

Traditional humidifiers

The principle of operation of such a device is based on cold liquid evaporation. In this case, water molecules evaporate naturally, thereby saturating the air in the room. The design of such a humidifier assumes the presence of a special tank where water is poured. Further, the liquid flows through special channels to the evaporating devices. When choosing, you should pay attention to this element, it can be in the form:

• cartridge;
• filter;
• disk.

The simplest option is considered to be a device in which a paper cartridge acts as an evaporator. More expensive options are equipped with a plastic disc that constantly rotates and is moistened. It is better to choose models that are equipped with additional air purification systems. These are special filters that are located near the fan, passing through which the air is cleared of dust and small particles of debris.

Distilled water must be selected for these humidifiers. This will prevent rapid contamination of the cartridge system. An alternative option is to install an additional system that softens regular water. Before choosing a cold type humidifier, it is worth knowing its performance. On average, they can process 4-8 liters of water, while their power is 20-50 watts.

Steam type humidifier

Unlike the cold type, steam humidifiers work on the principle of water heating and evaporation. To some extent, the evaporation system resembles the operation of a kettle. Voltage is applied to the electrodes, thereby heating the water, which evaporates as a result. If the water completely boils away, the circuit is opened and the device is completely turned off. This makes the use of such a device completely safe.

It is recommended to choose a device with a built-in hygrostat.

This element will control the level of humidity in the room and, if necessary, turn on or off. Without a hygrostat, the humidifier will operate without interruption, which in turn can lead to excessive humidification of the air. It should be noted that steam humidifiers consume significantly more water. On average, from 7 to 1 liters of water per day can be consumed per day, depending on the size of the room and the dryness of the air. The power of such devices is also higher and amounts to 300-600 W. To extend its life, it is worth using purified water and timely replacing all filtration systems.

You should be careful with such appliances, as the escaping steam can be very hot, as a result of which you can get burned. If there are small children in the apartment, it should be located in a safe place. Also, do not put it next to flowers, otherwise they can be damaged.

Ultrasonic type humidifier

Today you can choose a more modern type of humidifier for your apartment. The main structural element is a special vibrating plate. Water, falling on it, breaks down into tiny particles, a kind of fog is created. A built-in fan conducts this moisture into the room, where it naturally turns into steam.

This type of humidifier can be chosen even for a children's room.

The low noise level also allows it to be placed next to the bed. The temperature of the outgoing steam does not exceed 40 degrees Celsius, which will prevent burns and damage to plants. These models are more expensive and can be additionally equipped with a display and a remote control. The productivity of the device is on average 7.5-12 liters of water per day, while the power consumption, unlike steam models, is very low and is only 40-50 watts.

Air humidifiers with ionizers

This device can be of any type - traditional, steam or ultrasonic. The only difference is that it is equipped with an additional function - ionization. The air passing through the device will not only be humidified, but also have an effect like after rain. The presence of such a function in the device makes its cost slightly higher, but as a result, the state of health will significantly improve.

What to look for when choosing a device

Among the huge range of products offered, it is important to choose the most suitable type. Having studied the basic principles of operation of different humidifiers, it is also worth considering some points before choosing the most suitable option. In addition to financial opportunities, it is also worth taking into account the individual characteristics of each person who lives in the room.

1. The choice of the device is significantly influenced by the size of the room in which it will be installed. The packaging indicates the performance of the model. Knowing the total area of ​​the room, it will not be difficult to choose a device.
2. Capacity for water and its volume. The duration of the device operation without refueling with liquid will depend on this. In order for the device to work throughout the night, it is worth choosing models with a capacity of at least 4-5 liters.
3. Water consumption for most models is 8 to 12 liters.
4. Additional features. It is very convenient if the device is fully automatic and has a built-in device for measuring air humidity.When the indicators decrease, the device turns on and the work continues until the required indicator is reached.
5. Before choosing a humidifier, you should also pay attention to the noise level. If it is to be installed in a bedroom or nursery, it should be virtually silent. It is very convenient if the humidifier has a sleep mode. This is especially convenient at night and during leisure.
6. An equally important point is the filter system. When buying, you need to clarify how the filters are replaced and how often this procedure needs to be carried out. It is also worth clarifying in advance where you can purchase replacement parts.

Knowing all the subtleties of the device and the features of its use, you can choose the most suitable option. A correctly chosen humidifier will have a positive effect on human health, plants in the apartment and wooden furniture. With a sufficient level of humidity in the room, wooden products will not crack, and plants will delight residents with their luxurious appearance. In terms of health, the likelihood of ODS and colds is reduced. The condition of the skin and hair improves.