Humidifiers FAQ

Humidification is the process of regulating humidity in home environments. To be comfortable, people require a certain level of humidity in their homes. Humidification can be used to help control room temperature and eliminate static electricity in the home. A humidifier is a household appliance that increases the humidity in a single room. Humidifiers work by putting water back into the air. Most home or single room humidifiers--like our Air-O-Swiss, Enviracaire, and Germ Guardian--work by sending a warm mist or cool mist into the air.

Humidifiers are an essential component of any allergy sufferer’s environmental control regimen. Proper humidification can provide significant relief from dry and irritated sinuses, stuffy noses, and itchy eyes. In addition, humidifying your home can prevent the exacerbation of eczema, can lower heating costs, and can protect furniture and wood floors from the effects of over-drying.

How do humidifiers help with allergies? And what can I do to combat dry air?

Dry air can lead to a host of problems for allergy and asthma sufferers. Dry climates, winter air, and artificial heat all contribute to the discomfort caused by dry skin, dry throats, and irritated noses (which can lead to sinusitis). Winter is an especially bad time for dry air. Home heating systems, especially forced-air systems, reduce the amount of moisture in the air which leads to a home environment that is dry. Here are several suggestions for combating the effects of dry air:

• Humidifiers provide a great environmental solution to the problem of dry air. Check out the next section of this article to see how humidifiers work in your home.



• Drink more fluids. Water, juice, low-fat milk, and other caffeine-free drinks all help your body to counteract the effect of dry surroundings. Soups and broths are also a good choice, and they will help keep you warm.



• Shorter showers and baths in warm rather than hot water are easier on your skin. Mild soap is best. Showering less frequently will also help guard against excessively dry skin.



• Moisturizing after showers or baths also goes a long way to help prevent dry skin. Apply Vanicream lotion while your skin is still slightly damp to help your body absorb the moisturizer and increase its effectiveness. Use lip balm to prevent or soothe chapped lips.



• Nasal irrigation, which is safe to perform regularly, helps to combat dry nasal passages.

Dry air doesn't only affect the people who live in the home. Dry air can also damage furniture, wood floors, and paint in your home. A humidifier not only helps those in your home breathe better, but it also helps maintain the air in your home at a comfortable level for everything inside it. Furthermore, air that's too dry makes the temperature feel colder than it actually is. Humidification works in conjunction with heating devices to keep you snug and warm during the winter and they save you money on your heating bills.

How do humidifiers work?

There are so many types of humidifiers out there that a decision about which humidifier to purchase can be overwhelming. As when purchasing any appliance, it's helpful to learn how a humidifier works and what's involved in the differences between them.

Humidifiers do what their name suggests – they add moisture to the air. Some homes are equipped with humidifiers that are connected to their overall HVAC systems, but portable humidifiers are most popular and extremely effective. Here is a breakdown of the overall types of humidifiers with their advantages and disadvantages:

• Steam or Warm Mist Humidifiers.   These humidifiers boil water and then release the steam into the air of the room. The technology is simple, and steam humidifiers are the least expensive types. Inhalant medications may also be added to this type of humidifier for those suffering from coughing. The drawbacks of steam humidifiers, however, are that they incur higher energy costs than other types of humidifiers, and that the hot steam could be a hazard to young children.



• Ultrasonic Humidifiers.  A vibrating disk operating at an ultrasonic frequency creates water droplets that are then released into the air. The fog that an ultrasonic humidifier produces is cool. Although energy costs for running ultrasonic humidifiers is low, there are still two possible disadvantages related to them – mineral dust caused by using water with a lot of minerals in it and the presence of stagnant water that can breed bacteria. However, nearly all ultrasonic humidifiers have technologies in place to counteract these disadvantages.



• Impeller Humidifiers.  Like ultrasonic humidifiers, impeller humidifiers are a type of cool mist humidifier. A rotating disc throws water into a diffuser which breaks the water into tiny droplets that then float into the air. Like the ultrasonic variety, impeller humidifiers are subject to the same concerns of mineral dust and bacteria.



• Wick or Evaporative Humidifiers. In this type of cool mist humidifier, some type of wick (made of paper, cloth, or foam) draws water from a reservoir filled with water. A fan that blows above the wick helps the surrounding air absorb the moisture from the wick. Hence, this system is self-regulating because a higher humidity means less absorption and vice versa. The fan in these humidifiers can be loud, however, and, again, stagnant water poses a bacterial threat. See our Humidifier Buying Guide for more information about different types of humidifiers.

What is relative humidity?

Relative humidity is a percentage showing how much water vapor is currently trapped in the air relative to the maximum amount of water vapor the air can hold at a given temperature. Imagine that you have a glass of water and begin to stir sugar into the water. When you get to point where you have put a full cup of sugar in the glass, you notice that the sugar no longer dissolves and that it begins accumulating at the bottom. At this point, the water is saturated with sugar and will hold no more. At the point where you have put only 1/2 a cup of sugar in the water, you are at 50% of the maximum the water can hold at the current temperature. Now, think of the air in your home as that glass of water and the moisture vapor in the air as the sugar. Your relative humidity level is the ratio of the current amount of water vapor in the air relative to the maximum amount of water vapor it will hold at a given temperature.

Where do I put a humidifier?

Most of our non-humidifiers work best when placed in a single room. There are several sizes available to fit any room in your house. Air-O-Swiss humidifiers range in size, from the Air-O-Swiss 7142 to the Air-O-Swiss 7146 Travel Humidifier. Additionally, our Enviracaire, and Germ Guardian come in multiple sizes. All of these models will work well in your living room or bedroom. By far the most common area to place a unit is in the bedroom. In reality, you can use a humidifier in any room where a low humidity level leads to problems.

How do I know what size and model is right for me?

There really is no easy answer to this question, and deciding which model and size is right for you will depend on several factors. You need to ask yourself three questions before purchasing.

• How large is the room where the humidifier will be used?
• How much do I want to spend?
• Is energy consumption a primary concern?
• How many times per day do I want to refill the humidifier?
• Do I want cool mist or warm mist?
• Do I need advanced electronic controls?

What do I do when my humidifier stops working?

Your first step is to check the water level. Almost all of our humidifiers have automatic stop functionality when the water tank is empty or low. If that is not the problem, your second step would be to reference the user manual to check any simple trouble-shooting measures. While a humidifier is a simple appliance, it does have several things that could go wrong with it. Replaceable parts should be changed regularly, ie. mineral pads, evaporator wicks, demineralization cartridges, and filters. If any of these become clogged it can reduce your humidifiers efficiency or possibly damage the unit. Cleaning should be done regularly, and remember, if you examining the unit yourself, you are dealing with an electric appliance that uses water, so unplug the cord. Contact the manufacturer and they can point you in the right direction. As with all of our products, should you have a problem with a humidifier you purchased from us, contact customer service, toll-free, at 1-800-339-7123.

Should I keep the box?

Should a humidifier you purchase from us encounter problems due to no fault of your own within 60 days of purchase, you can contact customer service to obtain a Return Authorization number and exchange the unit. For this reason, we recommend you keep the box your humidifier arrived in for at least 60 days. If you have the storage space you may want to keep the box for as long as the manufacturers warranty time period. You should also keep all paperwork and manuals associated with your new humidifier.

How do I maintain my humidifier?

Clearly, purchasing a humidifier is a sound investment in the health of your family, your budget, and your home. But humidifiers do require regular and thorough maintenance; without it, they not only don’t run efficiently, but they pose a serious health risk. Bacteria and mold that can easily breed in an unmaintained humidifier are propelled into the air and inhaled – obviously a terrible situation for those with allergies, who are already more sensitive than others.

While many units feature built-in germicidal measures, such as using silver to purify water or zapping microbes with UV light, it’s important to know that these are not a substitute for regular cleaning. Furthermore, be aware that what you clean your units with is also important. Using bleach may seem instinctive in order to cleanse your humidifier of any mold or bacteria; however, in addition to the fact that bleach’s harsh fumes are never good to inhale, if the humidifier isn’t cleaned properly, vaporized bleach will be impelled into ambient air and inhaled each time the unit is running. Consider using white vinegar to clean instead.

Aside from keeping your humidifier free of microbes and germs, minerals can also build up in the tank and in the machine itself. Many of our humidifiers feature demineralization cartridges that will filter mineral content out of the water, but even with these, it's still a good idea to clean regularly. One handy product that works to remove mineral build up in almost all humidifiers is EZ Cal Cleaner and Descaler by Air-O-Swiss. This simple, dissolvable packet removes mineral build up and other contaminants from your humidifier. When finished, rinse and you're ready to use the humidifier again. Each box comes with three packets, and it's recommended to use EZCal every two weeks. That will vary though, depending on the mineral content of your water.

Are humidifiers heavy?

No, most of the models in our humidifier line-up weigh between 5 and 15 pounds when they are empty. The weight will increase when you have a full water tank, so you need to be careful if you are moving your unit and the water tank is full. Never pick up your humidifier by the water tank handle.  The tanks are made to be removed easily and they will separate from the body of the unit.  Most units are made of plastic which tends to keep the weight down. The weight for each humidifier we sell is listed in the specifications section on each product's web page as well as our Compare Humidifiers page.

Am I forgetting anything?

If you have any questions about humidification, humidifiers, humidity, allergies, prices, or our policies, please call our customer services representatives at 1-800-339-7123.

Compare All Humidifiers or return to the Humidifiers Homepage.