During the cold winter months, dry indoor air can become quite a nuisance. It can cause a slew of annoying health issues, including itchy, dry skin, cracked fingertips and lips, and even irritated airway passages. Dry air can also lead to frequent nose bleeds. For some individuals, those may seem minor, but for others, it can lead to even more serious problems. For instance, when dry air irritates your throat and nasal passages, it makes you more susceptible to respiratory illnesses like the cold, flu, and even sinus infections. In addition, people suffering from asthma or allergies may experience more severe and or frequent attacks when the air becomes dry as well. This is where humidifiers come in. They can help relieve dry weather symptoms and make dealing with the coldest times of the year more bearable.

Humidification Can Help Your Home Too –

Dry winter air isn’t ideal for most homes and the things inside them, like furniture, either. As an example, low humidity can cause wood floors and their finishes to dry out, shrink, become brittle, and even crack. Additionally, the wood furniture inside your home is also vulnerable to damage caused by dry air and low humidity. Maybe worst of all is the inconvenient and sometimes painful static electricity that often occurs with drier air conditions. Specifically, static electricity results from an imbalance between negative and positive charges in an object. Dry air can cause these charges to build up, causing increased levels of static electricity. With the proper humidifier, you can help abate these issues and keep your wood floors and furniture in pristine condition.

Different Types Of Humidifiers –

There are many different types of humidifiers, and their benefits vary greatly depending on the type. Specifically, they include cool mist humidifiers, warm mist humidifiers, ulrasonic humidifiers, steam or vaporizer humidifiers, and whole house humidifiers. If humidity levels in your home often go below 30% during the winter months, then you may benefit greatly from humidification. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends keeping your home's humidity level between 30% and 50%. A useful tool to help you accomplish this would be an indoor digital humidity monitor like the AcuRite. In addition, when choosing a humidifier, you should remember to keep in mind room size, reasons for humidification, and the amount you're willing and able to spend on a humidifier. These factors will help you narrow down your parameters and make finding the perfect one for you and your home that much easier.

Cool Mist Humidifiers -

Cool Mist Humidifiers use a filter to capture and trap impurities and minerals present in the water. Once absorbed, the water is turned into a cool mist vapor and released into the air. Specifically, these types of humidifiers are perfect for warmer climates and summertime use because of their refreshing cool mist. Cool mist humidifiers do make some noise, and they benefit most from using distilled water to reduce mineral build-up. Additionally, they are cost-effective, easy to clean, and widely regarded as a safe option for young children and pets. Moreover, they can be used in larger areas to greater effect than other types of humidifiers. The cool mist that these humidifiers produce is also much easier for an individual to inhale, making it more effective at relieving breathing issues. Lastly, it's important to note that both ultrasonic and evaporative humidifiers can be termed "cool mist" humidifiers. Their names are often what specifically differentiates the two types.

Warm Mist Humidifiers -

Warm Mist Humidifiers produce a soothing warm mist that you can see and feel. These are amazing for helping relieve cold and flu symptoms and tend to be quieter than cool mist humidifiers. In contrast, the warm mist is often cleaner than the mist produced by cool mist humidifiers. However, warm mist humidifiers require frequent cleaning, and this process can be slightly more involved compared to other humidifier types. Specifically, warm mist units are perfect for humidifying smaller spaces and are usually preferred during the coldest winter months, thanks to their soothing nature. Because some models can be quite warm, it's safer to keep them out of reach when children and pets are concerned. Overall, these models are great for soothing dry air and dry weather symptoms and providing a little comforting warmth at the same time.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers -

Ultrasonic Humidifiers use a diaphragm or other element that vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency, much the same way a speaker does. This vibration creates microscopic water droplets that are evenly dispersed into the air for balanced evaporation. Additionally, because these units operate at such high frequencies, they are above the normal range of human hearing, making them virtually silent. Furthermore, the vibrations create such a fine mist that it resembles more of a fog or vapor. As with some other models, ultrasonic humidifiers can produce "white dust" unless you only use distilled or filtered water. Also, because there is no water heating, these humidifiers are sometimes referred to as "cool mist humidifiers." Ultimately, ultrasonic humidifiers tend to require less maintenance and are particularly easy to own, operate, and care for.

Steam Humidifiers or Vaporizers -

Steam Humidifiers are among the most portable and least expensive available. They work by heating water and then cooling it to room temperature. In addition, many steam or vaporizer humidifiers offer a compartment for adding medicinal inhalants like camphor or menthol to them. This added benefit can greatly improve and soothe cold and flu symptoms. Moreover, steam humidifiers usually feature a humidistat that recognizes when the air is too dry. Once the humidity level drops below a specific set range, the humidifier will then engage, making these a more efficient choice. Another added benefit is that the steam released is essentially sterilized due to high temperatures within the unit. Unfortunately, steam humidifiers do require scale removers due to limescale buildup and are sometimes not the best choice for homes with children or pets. On the whole, for many, steam humidifiers are a soothing and efficient choice during the cold winter months.

Whole Home Humidifiers -

Whole-House Humidifiers, also known as console humidifiers, usually cover a large area or level of a home. Many people get these units confused with ones that you attach to your furnace or HVAC system. One of the main benefits of these humidifiers is the costs you save by not having to add them to your HVAC system. Because console humidifiers are larger units, they usually don't get moved from room to room. Additionally, you can usually go a few days between fillings thanks to their larger tanks (generally 5 gallons). It's important to note that with larger humidifiers like this, you do have to clean the tanks and unit itself periodically, and there are filters or wicks to replace. These whole-home humidifiers will benefit you most by having them on an upper floor because humid air is heavier than dry air. Placing the whole house humidifier this way will allow the heavier humidified air to disperse better and more evenly. Overall, these humidifiers are a great choice. Just remember to use distilled or filtered water to avoid "white-dust" build-up.

Humidifier Brands We Carry –

At National Allergy, we offer various brands and types of humidifiers. Some even feature the added benefit of being both a humidifier and air washer all in one, like the Boneco W200 Humidifier Air Washer. In addition, Boneco has ultrasonic humidifiers like the Boneco U200 Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier, and the Boneco U50 Desktop Personal Humidifier. This brilliantly designed unit is able to fit right on your desktop or night stand to offer more personalized humidification. We also carry PureGuardian Humidifiers by Guardian Technologies, including their 90-Hour Ultrasonic Warm or Cool Mist Humidifier and their H1510 Ultrasonic Warm and Cool Mist Humidifier. Comparatively, we also offer AIRCARE ultrasonic, steam, and console humidifiers, as well as Vornado ultrasonic humidifiers.