If you live in a hot neighborhood, you might already know the feel of those dry days when the humidity drops drastically, leaving the moisture in your rooms at a low. It’s a problem if you’re exposed to a climate that is at a loss for moisture (pun intended). Low humidity causes static electricity. Static energy can cause your semiconductor devices becoming faulty. Low humidity affects our body. It affects skin and hair and can also cause increased susceptibility respiratory illnesses and colds as it creates an ideal environment for viruses and germs to thrive. These are just a few of the conditions that accompany a less humid environment.
What’s a humidifier
A humidifier is a device which is used to increase the level of humidity in a single room or an entire building. Humidifiers can successfully remedy the irritation in various body parts caused due to low humidity. Humidifiers are also used by various industries to maintain an ideal humidity level so as to prevent mold formation. Places like art museums have quality humidifiers attached to the HVAC system so that the art can stay in its pristine form for years to come. Depending on the size and type of area you want to humidify, there a huge range of humidifiers available in the market today.
Although the job of a humidifier is very straight forward, but there are different types of devices available which suit different needs. For example, the sort of humidifier needed to maintain the suitable environment at an art gallery is surely not needed for a single room or even a small house.
Best Humidifiers List (2018)
Different types of humidifiers are as follows
1. Evaporative Humidifier
Evaporative humidifiers have a simple working process. These humidifiers make use of the evaporation process to introduce moisture into the air. These devices are a hygienic choice as no harmful aerosol sprays are released during the entire process. Evaporative humidifiers are also a good choice because they consume very small amount of energy.
These devices are comprised of mainly three components. A water tank, a wick, and a fan. The process is pretty straight forward. The water tank is used to contain the water. The wick provides larger surface area for the evaporation process and absorbs the leftover residuals. The fan aids and maintains the process.
2. Natural humidifiers
Natural humidifiers as the name suggests are a bit crude as compared to all other humidifier types. These are the humidification solutions that are used by people on their own. There are “Do it yourself” kits, as well as some other basic homemade solutions that come under natural humidifiers.
These humidifiers can also be called porous filters, as they make use of only a wick and a reservoir. Wick is the material that provides the surface area for the evaporation and a small tank can be used as the reservoir.
A simpler natural humidifier is a towel submerged in a bowl of water. Really! Thanks to a process called the cappilary action, water spreads through the towel and as the towel provides a fairly large surface area, the process of evaporation takes place. Also, some plants you might have at home can also act as natural humidifiers by the process of transpiration. Plants are awesome!
3. Vaporizers
The vaporizer has the same function as all the other humidifiers but it’s a better choice for colder climates because unlike cool mist type humidifiers, it releases moist warm air. It is smaller in size and easier to carry around.
These are fairly cheap than other humidifiers and available in any electronic shop. Vaporizers produce vapors by heating up the water. These devices can also heat up a small room. The steam is produced by the boiling of water and there is no chance of any bacteria or germ surviving, so simple tap water can be used for the process. People also use vaporizers to remedy coughs and colds by adding medicated inhalants to the steam. As these are electronic devices, they might use up more energy. If you buy a vaporizer, make sure your heating point is good and can regulate high energy.
4. Impeller Humidifiers
Impeller humidifiers, also called cold mist humidifiers are also another type available in the market.
These humidifiers make use of a propeller to water through a diffuser. The water is broken down into smaller droplets by the diffuser and sent into the air. When the droplets exit the humidifier, they have a fog-like form, and hence these type of humidifiers are called Mist Humidifiers. These devices add the cleanest, mineral free humidity to the atmosphere. They are also a popular choice among people because they can humidify large areas using minimal energy. But yeah, they can be noisier than the rest of the humidifier types.
5. Ultrasonic Humidifiers
Ultrasonic humidifiers have many qualities that make them a really attractive option. These humidifiers have a small metal plate that vibrates at an ultrasonic speed and converts the water into fine mist. These devices don’t have fans so they can accomplish their function with making any noise. They provide an effective and quiet operation. If you find white powder like residue after using these humidifiers, try replacing hard water with distilled water. As these devices don’t use heat, they use up very little electricity.
How Ultrasonic Humidifier works
With proper maintenance, these devices can last you a long time. To prevent mold formation, make sure to clean up regularly. Depending on the climate of the area you are living in and the size of your home, you can decide the best humidifier for yourself from different types of these machines.