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The air humidifier is indispensable during the heating season, because when the air in the house is dried by the radiators, the mucosa also dries up - and this is one of the reasons for respiratory system infections. How does an air humidifier work, how to choose an air humidifier and how to use it?

Contents:

  1. Air humidifier: how to effectively humidify the air?
  2. Which air humidifier should I choose?
  3. Features that a good air humidifier has
  4. How to use the air humidifier?

An air humidifieris indispensable, provided you know how to use it properly. Why? The mucosa of the throat and nose protects our respiratory tract against bacteria, viruses, dust and molds. On its surface, there are millions of cilia that sweep away uninvited guests, i.e. particles of polluted air. When the mucosa is wet, the system works fine. As it dries up, the movement of the cilia stops and more pollutants enter the lungs.

Air humidifier: how to effectively humidify the air?

The mucosa dries up excessively when the ambient humidity is slightly below 40%. Meanwhile, in winter, the humidity in closed rooms drops even to 10%! In such a situation, wet towels on the radiator and laundry in the bedroom are not enough.

Evaporators - small vessels with water (also a kind of plastic frames with paper inserts inside) - which we hang on radiators may also turn out to be insufficient. In this way, we will only slightly increase the humidity. Only 0.5 to 2.5 liters of water can be evaporated from the evaporators per day - provided that we constantly replenish its level.

This is far too little to improve the air quality in the apartment. More radical countermeasures are needed. So it's best to get yourself an air humidifier.

Important

Regular humidification devices are safe for allergy sufferers, but ultrasonic humidifier mist may cause an allergic reaction in some people.

Which air humidifier should I choose?

You can buy the so-called traditional, or steam air humidifier, which ejects warm water vapor under pressure, and an ultrasonic humidifier - water is sprayed in a light formmists, as well as an evaporative humidifier, which also emits water vapor, but unlike a steam humidifier, it has a neutral temperature. The efficiency of the device depends on its power (20-400 W) and the capacity of the tank. Example: A 5-liter tank of a 40 W humidifier is sufficient for approx. 16 hours of continuous operation.

The humidifier can be equipped with various types of filters, e.g. water decalcifier or circulation filter, responsible for efficient distribution of water particles in the air.

Some humidifiers have a degree regulator and a hygrometer - a special device that measures the air humidity in the room and adjusts its work accordingly.

Features that a good air humidifier has

  • is matched to the size of the room,
  • is automatic - it adjusts the intensity of humidification to the conditions in the apartment by itself,
  • has appropriate protection (it will not be damaged even if you forget to add water to the tank).

How to use the air humidifier?

An improperly used humidifier may not only fail to fulfill its function, but even harm your he alth: if it is incorrectly set, it will not moisturize the air in an optimal way, and if it is cleaned too rarely, it will become a source of bacteria, fungi and allergens. That is why it is so important to use it skillfully.

You will find a lot of useful information in the instruction manual of your equipment and you should follow it first. As for the general principles of using air humidifiers:

  • The air humidifier must be placed in the right place - which depends on the way it works. A steam or ultrasonic humidifier should be placed at least half a meter away from walls and furniture: both warm steam and fragmented water vapor can make walls damp and furniture swell and fall apart. Evaporative humidifiers can stand close to walls, and some manufacturers recommend this because of the way humidified air is blown from the unit and then circulated around the room. In all cases, the humidifier must be placed on a firm surface, away from fabrics and upholstered furniture that can soak up water, and away from heat sources that might impair the moisturizing function.
  • Before starting the humidifier for the first time, it is worth cleaning the apartment thoroughly, removing the dust that has accumulated in hard-to-reach places - high air humidity means a greater risk of multiplying house dust mites, and therefore also the development of a dust allergy.
  • Pour into the air humidifierpotable water that is not contaminated with microbes. It should be ordinary tap water, or distilled water, if the manufacturer allows it in the instructions (the latter is better, because it has been devoid of mineral s alts, it does not leave a white residue in the water tank).
  • The air humidifier should work until the humidity level in the room reaches the recommended value, i.e. approx. 50%. The operating time of the device depends on the model and size of the room, and the hygrometer (either built into the humidifier or set separately) will help in assessing whether the air in the room is optimally humidified.
  • The humidifier with hygrometer turns on and off automatically, so it can be on at all times. The humidifier without this option should be turned off after the time recommended by the manufacturer, because too much humidity in the room poses a high risk of mold and fungus formation.
  • The air humidifier must be cleaned regularly and properly, as recommended by the manufacturer. The water in the humidifier must be changed every day, and the container must be washed. If the humidifier has a filter, it must be cleaned or replaced as recommended by the manufacturer.

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Category:

Allergies