Humidity can be relative or absolute. We are interested in the first one – it is what is indicated in the weather forecast and is also evaluated indoors. Relative humidity strongly depends on air temperature: warm air retains more moisture than cold air. This is why many people suffer from dry homes in winter.
Humidity at room temperature should not be lower than 30% and higher than 60%. Due to too dry air, a feeling of “tight” skin appears, in patients with eczema, an exacerbation begins, and the nasal mucosa dries out and becomes more vulnerable to infections. Excessively dry air can also be harmful for some people with asthma and other respiratory diseases.
To maintain normal humidity in the apartment, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room – but in winter this method almost does not work if there is a persistent “minus” outside.
There is a simple device – a hygrometer, with which you can check the humidity level. There are many such devices on sale, and their prices start from 300 rubles. If the relative humidity in the room is less than or approximately equal to 30%, you can safely go to the store for a humidifier.
What types of humidifiers are there?
Humidifiers are divided into three types: traditional, steam and ultrasonic. All have their advantages and disadvantages.
Traditional humidifiers
They do not heat the water or spray it. The principle of operation is the simplest: humidifiers take air from the room, pass it through discs moistened with water, and blow it back out – already moistened.
At the same time, the humidity level in the room increases slowly. Sometimes it can take half a day to bring the air in the room back to normal.
Traditional humidifiers have several important advantages. They consume little electricity, purify the air (dust particles fall into the water and never come out), and are also quite unpretentious in maintenance. All you need to do is wash the water tank and discs from time to time.
However, conventional evaporative humidifiers have a disadvantage. If the water in the tank stagnates even a little, it will become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms and even mold. Therefore, a traditional humidifier must be cleaned frequently according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Otherwise, instead of benefit, you can cause harm to the body.
Ultrasonic humidifiers
These are devices with a more advanced design. They quickly saturate the air with moisture – much faster than traditional models.
Inside these humidifiers there is a special membrane that vibrates very quickly. With such high-frequency vibrations, water splits into small particles, turning into a kind of steam or, rather, fog.
The electricity consumption of ultrasonic models is higher than that of traditional ones – but lower than that of steam models, which will be discussed below. Moreover, many ultrasonic humidifiers have a compartment for adding essential oils, so you can arrange aromatherapy sessions.
However, such devices also have disadvantages. The membrane inside is quite sensitive and can be easily damaged, so ultrasonic models must be washed carefully. And most importantly, they must use only well-purified water. If you pour regular tap water into the tank of an ultrasonic humidifier, a white coating will appear on the walls and furniture in your apartment. This happens because tap water contains a large amount of impurities. When interacting with the membrane inside the humidifier, these particles enter the air along with moisture.
Steam humidifiers
Recently, they are less common on the market, but they are convenient and practical devices. They work on the principle of a kettle: the water in the tank heats up and evaporates. This is a very simple method, but it works well – the air in the room is humidified quickly. Steam humidifiers are best suited when you need to quickly saturate a room with moisture. They are also used for home greenhouses and greenhouses.
At the same time, microbes do not grow in the reservoir of such a humidifier – they die during the boiling process. White plaque does not form on the walls either. Therefore, steam humidifiers can be filled with ordinary water, not distilled.
Disadvantages of steam humidifiers include high energy consumption. Electricity bills will definitely increase after purchasing such a device. Also, steam humidifiers should not be used in the summer – warm steam increases the temperature in the room. Another disadvantage is associated with noise at night, because not everyone can fall asleep to the sound of boiling water.
Which humidifier model to choose
Traditional humidifier Smartmi Evaporative Humidifier 3
The third generation of a very popular humidifier that is part of the Xiaomi ecosystem. It has a nice minimalistic design and simple construction – you can simply add water from above without disassembling the device. It is convenient to control the amount of liquid through the transparent panel on the side.
The model can be controlled using the touch screen or remotely by downloading the Mi Home program to your smartphone. There is also support for voice assistants, so Smartmi Evaporative Humidifier 3 can be conveniently integrated into a smart home system.
There are no filters to change. It is enough just to regularly wash the drum with discs and the internal compartment. In addition, Smartmi Evaporative Humidifier 3 now has a self-cleaning option, which was not available in older generations: a special pump pumps water from one compartment to another every hour – this way the liquid does not stagnate, and germs do not appear in it longer.
This is a simple and convenient humidifier with a proven design, which has been cleverly improved compared to previous Smartmi models. We also note the large capacity of the water tank – 5 liters is enough to humidify the room for a long time.
Ultrasonic humidifier Polaris PUH 9105 IQ Home
An advanced model of an ultrasonic humidifier – with a touch screen, a spacious water tank and remote control from a smartphone. Polaris PUH 9105 IQ Home also attracts with its design: the humidifier has a dark gray turret-shaped body, and its front panel imitates metal.
The device can be connected to voice assistants, such as “Marusya” or “Alice,” – this makes it easier to control the equipment. The kit also includes a convenient remote control.
The device turns off automatically when there is no water, which extends the life of the humidifier. There are seven operating modes available in manual settings. There are also four fully automatic scenarios. There is also a steam heating function, which is useful in cold weather. Not every humidifier has so many settings and convenient functions. It is worth noting that there is a fairly capacious water tank.
Polaris PUH 9105 IQ Home is not the cheapest ultrasonic humidifier; there are many cheaper competitors on the market. But thanks to its thoughtful design and abundance of useful options, this model is definitely worth the money.
Steam humidifier Boneco S250
Boneco is one of the leaders in the field of climate control equipment. The first steam humidifier of this company was released back in 1969.
The Boneco S250 model is not very expensive, but its design is well thought out. The heated water is slightly cooled, so you won’t get burned by the steam jet. The humidification process is fast, and a full tank will last about ten hours of operation. There are several modes, including night mode – in this case, the display backlight becomes dim. Maintenance is simple: sometimes you need to descale the tank if you use tap water.
A simpler analogue of this model is Boneco S200. It does not have a screen, all control is carried out using a mechanical regulator. This design is simple and reliable, and Boneco S200 is cheaper. But it has a drawback – the LED ring is bright…
