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Dry climates, winter air, and artificial heat can lead to dry skin and irritated nasal and sinus membranes. Humidifiers restore moisture to dry membranes by adding moisture to the air.

  How Humidifiers Work

Evaporative humidifiers add moisture to the air using a fan that blows air over a wet wick. Traditional evaporative humidifiers are loud because of the fan, and if not cleaned properly, could become breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. The Air-O-Swiss E2441 corrects both of these issues. With an Ionic Silver Stick (ISS), the AOS E2441 neutralizes bacteria and microbes, and this model operates at a near silent level.

Warm mist humidifiers, such as the Enviracaire EWM-211D Warm Mist Humidifier with UV light,  Enviracaire EWM-300 Warm Mist Humidifier, and the Germ Guardian Manual and Digital Ultrasonic Humidifiers  boil the water to kill germs before misting the vapor into the air. Enviracaire germicidal humidifiers also use a UV light to kills germs, thus creating a mist that is 99.99% free of mold and bacteria.

Impeller humidifiers use constantly rotating discs to break the water into fine drops that enter the air. The rotating discs in the Air-O-Swiss Air Washer & Humidifier also capture dust and other impurities in the air. Particles are charged as they enter the unit, so they'll stick to the rotating discs. Additionally, the Air Washer uses an ISS to kill bacteria and viruses. An Ionic Silver Stick uses the natural antimicrobial properties of silver to destroy germs. The rotating discs are dishwasher-safe, making clean-up easy.

Ultrasonic humidifiers use high-frequency vibrations to spray a cool fog of mist into the air. The ultrasonic vibrations kill most microbes. The Air-O-Swiss AOS7135 Ultrasonic Humidifier also kills germs with an ISS, and comes with a demineralization cartridge prevents white dust. (Some humidifiers create a white dust when minerals are present in the water. If you encounter this problem, try using distilled water to help prevent build-up of minerals.) You can choose warm or cool mist with the Air-O-Swiss AOS7135 Ultrasonic Humidifier or Germ Guardian Manual and Digital Ultrasonic Humidifiers.

  Cool Mist vs. Warm Mist

This is largely a matter of personal preference. As Henry Bernstein, M.D., says, "I do not have a preference between a warm or cool mist humidifier since both accomplish the same thing - getting moisture into the air." Warm mist is more soothing for stuffy noses and sinuses. If children are around, the hot water and steam can be dangerous. Warm mist makes the air feel warmer and holds onto heat better, and warm mist humidifiers can actually lower your utility bill during the winter by changing the heat index. Germ Guardian offers two products that have both warm and cool mist options.