Humidifiers – Improving Indoor Comfort and Well-Being

Humidifiers have a long list of health benefits, including preventing dry skin, easing allergy and asthma symptoms, and loosening congestion. They can be especially helpful in winter, when indoor air tends to be drier.

Humidifiers raise humidity levels through evaporation of water vapor or steam. Many options include a hygrometer, a device that measures the amount of moisture in the air.

Reduces Dry Skin

Humidifiers add moisture to the air, which can help prevent dryness that causes irritation and helps ease symptoms of certain conditions like psoriasis. However, if not used and cleaned properly, humidifiers can also spread bacteria.

Low humidity can irritate the skin and cause dry eyes, making it feel tight and uncomfortable. It can also thicken the mucus produced by the body to clog sinuses and make breathing difficult.

Dry skin can result from many factors, including excessive showering and bathing, using harsh soaps or cleaning products, being exposed to cold weather, or living in a dry climate. Humidifiers can help combat these problems. For best results, choose an evaporative model or use distilled water in the tank to avoid minerals that can gum up the machine and breed bacteria.

Reduces Asthma Symptoms

Humidifiers put moisture into the air to prevent dryness that irritates skin, nose, throat and lips. They can also reduce the symptoms of the common cold and flu.

Studies have shown that humidity above 40 percent deactivates influenza virus particles and lowers the risk of infection. Humidifiers can be especially helpful during drier winter weather, when heating systems blow hot air into the home and dry out the atmosphere.

Humidifiers should be drained and cleaned daily to prevent bacteria from building up in standing water. Distilled water has fewer minerals and is safer than tap water, which can gum up the machine and release bacteria into the air as white dust. Humidifiers can also breed mold and mildew that irritate the respiratory system. To avoid these problems, use a humidifier with a filter or consider purchasing a steam-mist humidifier that requires no filter.

Reduces Sore Throat Symptoms

Humidifiers help to reduce sore throat symptoms by moistening air and thinning mucus, which helps ease irritated tissues. (As a bonus, flu’s infectivity rate drops when indoor humidity levels are high.)

If you don’t have a humidifier, try sucking on ice chips or hard candy to soothe a sore throat. A saltwater gargle (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of table salt to 4 to 8 ounces of water) can also relieve throat irritation. (Be careful not to swallow the salt.) Over-the-counter throat lozenges and cough drops may help, too, though you should never give these to children under age 4 because of choking risk.

Keep in mind that a humidifier can also encourage the growth of bacteria and fungus, especially if it’s not regularly cleaned and monitored for humidity. Set your humidifier at the right level (you can use a hygrometer or a sneezometer to measure) and clean it every 3 days.

Reduces Nasal Congestion

Humidifiers can reduce congestion and irritated nasal passages, soothing them for improved breathing. This can help people with allergies, asthma or snoring conditions breathe more easily.

Having enough moisture in the air can also prevent static electricity from damaging sensitive electronics, and it can prevent wood furniture from cracking or warping. In addition, humidification helps plants maintain their health and beauty year-round.

Whole-home humidifiers can add moisture to the air throughout your home every time the furnace runs, helping you enjoy these benefits. Ask River City Heating & Air Conditioning to discuss adding one in your Winona-area home today.

Reduces Snoring

Humidifiers add moisture to the air. This can reduce the itchy eyes, dry skin, and chapped lips that can result from low humidity levels. They can also help alleviate breathing issues caused by bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.

Keep in mind that a humidifier shouldn’t be set too high; humidity levels above 50% can promote condensation on windows and surfaces, which invites the growth of mold, bacteria, and dust mites. Also, tap water contains minerals that can gum up humidifiers and spout them as air vapor, so it’s best to use distilled water or filtered water for your humidifier.

In addition to a humidifier, making lifestyle changes such as losing weight and sleeping on your side can help relieve snoring. If these self-help solutions don’t work, consult an ear, nose, and throat doctor to see if there is an underlying issue.