Warm or cool mist humidifier?
At my local pharmacy they had a stand filled with a variety of humidifiers. Among the mix was warm and cool mist humidifiers, and not knowing myself the difference between the two, I decided to do a bit of research into the topic.
Warm or cool mist humidifiers are designed to provide a room with more moisture. A child or adult suffering from sinus infections, allergies, excessively dry skin or consistent symptoms of cold due to lack of moisture in the air, can benefit by using a humidifier. Humidifiers ensure clean and healthy air quality by regulating moisture levels in the room, thus minimizing the concentration of dust, bacteria and other irritants.
A room that is dry and stuffy is one of the major causes of respiratory infections such as asthma, nose bleeds and repeated episodes of winter colds. Dry climate, artificial heat and a lack of air moisture can prevent the body's immune system from repelling infection and can actually promote the growth of some bacteria, viruses, and irritants.
What is the difference between warm mist or cool mist humidifiers?
- Warm mist humidifiers tend to make the surrounding room air feel a bit warmer as a result of the warm steam they release into the air. During the colder months, a warm mist humidifier is preferable to a cold mist humidifier, which In contrast, have the opposite effect of causing the air to feel cooler.
- Most warm mist humidifiers are best suited for smaller rooms, as they often cannot produce enough moisture output to cover a large area. Look for a cool mist evaporative humidifier with a large output when looking to humidify large areas.
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In homes with children, it is better to avoid warm mist humidifiers since a child may get burnt from the hot steam emitted. Also, warm mist humidifiers consume more electricity as they have to heat the water to produce steam.Cool mist humidifiers are considerable safer, but require more maintenance.
- Warm air humidifiers allow for the application of an inhalant to soothe dry nasal passages and congestion.
All humidifiers require regular cleaning to reduce the risk of bacteria, and some models have filters which require changing to maintain performance levels.
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