5 Benefits of Using a Humidifier this Winter

Should I use a humidifier?

Humidifiers have many benefits to the health and wellness of your family. There are 5 main benefits to having a humidifier.

1. Maintain your health: Did you know that one of the perfect breeding grounds for viruses that cause cold and flu symptoms is dry air? Humidifiers make it easy to maintain an ideal humidity level in the home, making it one of the most overlooked preventative measures against getting sick during the winter.
2. Valuable for your home: Low indoor humidity causes wood flooring to dry out, separate and crack, wood furniture to crack and split, and wallpaper to peel. Chances are you put valuable dollars towards these household items and would like to see them last as long as possible without getting damaged.
3. Saves you money: A little known fact about dry air: it feels cooler than humidified air. The colder you feel during the winter, the more likely you are to run your furnace. Conversely, the warmer you feel, the less likely you are to run the furnace. This saves you money.
4. Helps you sleep better: One of the most well-known benefits of humidifiers is snoring relief. Due to the humidity moisturizing the respiratory system, the loudness and intensity of snoring is greatly reduced. Even more so, moist air keeps mucus membranes from becoming dry which is a primary reason for sore throat and stuffy nose.  It also helps babies sleep better as well. Humidified air can reduce dust and the drying of the air passages. A baby will sleep better in a humidified environment.
5. Benefits your skin: Dry air is often one of the main culprits for dry skin. Proper indoor humidity can prevent and relieve scratchy and dry skin.

Some things to keep in mind

The benefits of humidifiers are great for your home, but they do need to be cleaned regularly. If they’re not, they can become a source of mold and bacteria. Here are some ways to avoid this:

• Don’t use tap water: It has minerals that create buildup in your machine and promotes bacterial growth. Water is vital in cleaning a humidifier so opt to use filtered, distilled or demineralized water instead. They’ll contain fewer minerals and cause you to have to clean less often.
• Change the filters regularly: If you are using a humidifier that uses a filter, change it! Just like you remember to change your refrigerator and furnace filters (you are changing them, right?) your humidifier filter needs to be changed as well. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for how often to change it as this can vary slightly from unit to unit, although they generally will not be effective longer than 3 months.
• Clean once a week: Make this apart of your routine and you’ll prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, thus keeping your home healthy. Chances are that your unit came with instructions for cleaning, be sure to follow these guidelines.
• Use a hygrometer: Too much humidity can be a problem by becoming a breeding ground for mold and mildew. You can combat this by keeping an eye on the humidity levels in your home by using a hydrometer. Ideally, the levels should be between 40-50%.

Have any questions about humidifiers that you would like answered? Feel free to share them with us, we’ll be glad to help!