- June 10, 2014
- Posted by: pravesh
- Category: Uncategorized
We are told that too much of something or anything for that matter is poisonous. The same can be said about humidity. In this case, low humidity. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air and can thus be high or low depending on the water vapor amount.
High Humidity
This means that the water vapor in the atmosphere is low and the temperature is high. This allows our bodies to sweat faster hence cooling occurs. On the other hand, high humidity has negative effects on our health such as it offers favorable conditions for microscopic organs to breed as well as damage buildings through cracking of walls and peeling of paint walls.
Low Humidity
This means that the water vapor id high and the temperatures are low. This causes dry irritated eyes, dry throat, itchy skin among other health problems. The good news is that this can be controlled at homes by use of a humidifier. Simply put, this is a device that emits the water vapor and raises the temperature of a place.
Types of Humidifiers
i) Warm mist
ii) Cool mist
iii) Ultrasonic
Warm Mist Humidifiers
If you want to breathe in warm air, then these are wonderful warm mist humidifiers to go for. They involve heating water to form steam from boiling water using an internal heating element and thus the vapor that comes out is warm.
Advantages
1. Because of the boiling process, they kill bacteria hence approved more health wise.
2. These humidifiers tend to be small in size and hence best used in small areas like a single room.
Disadvantages.
1. They are expensive compared to the other types
2. They need more cleaning due to mineral deposits during the boiling process.
3. They use a lot of electricity due to heating of water and children have to be kept away from them to avoid being burnt.
4. The fact that they get heated up limits their portability
5. The warm air tends to encourage the growth of molds.
6. They are not recommended for people with asthma as the warm air tends to irritate the breathing passages.
Maintenance.
They need to be cleaned regularly, like once per week for effective functioning. This involves, disassembling the humidifier, cleaning the base using vinegar, cleaning the misting chamber and lastly disinfecting the water tank base.
Cool Mist Humidifiers
They do not have a heating function thus the air emitted is cool .They have an internal fan that blows the air through an internal wick filter.
Advantage
1. They are cheaper in terms of electricity compared to the warm mist ones.
2. They are safe with children.
Disadvantage
1. They are noisy due to the fanning
2. They tend to make the atmosphere chiller due to the cool air emitted.
Maintenance
Just like the warm mist humidifiers, diligent and proper cleaning lengthens the lifespan of the items. This involves, daily, weekly and end of season cleaning. It majorly involves emptying the water tank then disinfecting it with bleach, rinsing the tank, filling the base with vinegar and then rinsing it. As simple as that.