Humidity is one of the most important factors contributing to human comfort. Moisture in the air is necessary for the general well being of everything on earth. From plants to furniture, humans to buildings… all require enough moisture to maintain comfort levels. Ideally inside humidity should be at least 40 to 50% to enable comfortable living. During winter this falls as low as 10% causing dryness to skin, nose bleeds, colds and coughs. The best way to combat low humidity is to install a humidifier and increase the moisture levels in the air.
Basic Types of Humidifiers
There are four primary types of humidifiers.
1. Evaporative Humidifiers: These use a wick or paper to draw water from a reservoir and the moisture is then dispelled into the air by a fan through a filter. This way clean humid air is circulated into the room and humidity levels are maintained as these types of humidifiers are self regulatory.
2. Impeller Humidifiers: These machines also dispel cool mist but the difference is that moisture is released in the form of fine droplets. There is a fan but no filter which means that the mist might contain water borne bacteria and viruses.
3. Ultrasonic Humidifiers: These are the very modern versions of humidifiers, where moisture is released into the air by high frequency vibrations. They can release both warm and cold mist into the air and are the most silent type of humidifiers.
4. Warm Mist humidifiers: These work on the principle of evaporating water and creating steam which is then diffused into the air to heighten moisture levels. Ideal for cold climates, these machines fulfill the dual purpose of heating and moisturizing a room. Known also as vaporizers, these machines can also be used to infuse medication into a room as moisture is introduced in steam form.
Varieties of Humidifiers
Choosing a humidifier is not an easy job. The primary consideration to be taken into account is the space to be covers by the humidifier. Once the space is determined, choices can be made based on the performance levels of humidifiers. All humidifiers work with electricity and require a water source to enable the humidifying process. They are available in various shapes and sizes to suit individual needs and budgets. Amongst the varieties few are extremely popular. They are
1. Table top humidifiers
2. Console humidifiers and
3. In duct humidifiers.
Table top humidifiers are the most popular as they are easily portable and can humidify a room almost immediately. The only drawback is their small tank which means refilling at regular intervals. Evaporative models and Warm mist models are the most popular in this variety of humidifier. Ultrasonic table tops are also available and they use a nebulizer to produce high frequency vibrations. This makes this type more expensive than the either the evaporative or the warm mist humidifiers.
Console humidifiers are larger than the table top variety but can still be moved from room to room. They have higher moisture generating capacity and can humidify more than one room at a time. Placing them in positions where air passages of many rooms meet is ideal.
Induct humidifiers are the ideal choice if a large areas need to be humidified. Installing the humidifier into the heating or cooling system of the building will enable large areas to be humidified at the same time.
