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Category: Articles » Society & News » Social » Article » Article Code

Humidifiers and Your Home

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Living in hot, dry desert areas, like Nevada or Arizona, can take its toll on anyone. Dry heat in a home can cause dry skin and can dry out valuable wood furniture and house structures, leading to cracking and weakening of the wood. Dry air can also cause chapped lips, a dry, scratchy nose and throat, and can lead to more frequent colds and flu's. To combat the harmful effects of dry air in the home, it might be a great idea to consider getting a humidifier for the home. Before just going out to the nearest store and picking one up, it is a good idea to understand what the different types of humidifiers are and what sort of maintenance is necessary for each. 
	
	The most common type of humidifier is called an "evaporative" or "wick humidifier". This type of <a href=http://www.air-conditioner-home.com/category/humidifier.aspx>humidifier</a> has a reservoir that water is stored in. An absorbent filter, called a "wick", pulls the water out of the reservoir to the outside air. The water then evaporates into the air and a fan blows the humid air throughout the room. The wick also filters the water to an extent, so the evaporated water particles will be cleaner than the water inside the reservoir. Evaporative humidifiers are self regulating because once the humidity reaches a certain level, water fails to evaporate from the wick. But if the relative humidity in the room is low, the water will evaporate faster.

Another kind of humidifier is the "vaporizer", "steam humidifier", or the "warm mist" humidifier. This type of humidifier boils the water from a reservoir. The steam that it creates is then blown into the room. The vapor from a steam humidifier is often cleaner than the vapor created from other types of humidifiers because the heat kills most microorganisms that may exist in the water. One downside to steam humidifiers is the fact that they can be noisy from the sound of boiling water. On the other hand, because of the simplicity of a vaporizer, it is normally the least expensive humidifier.

A third type of humidifier is the "impeller humidifier" which breaks the water into small particles which diffuse into the room. The impeller humidifier uses a rotating disk that flings the water into a comb-like diffuser which, in turn, breaks down the water droplets into very small particles. A concern with impeller humidifiers is that the water might become stagnant in the reservoir or there may be high levels of minerals in the water. These pollutants can then be expelled into the room. As long as the reservoir is kept clean there are normally very few problems with the impeller humidifier.

The final type of humidifier is the "ultrasonic" or "cool mist" humidifier. These humidifiers use a small metal diaphragm which vibrates extremely quickly. The vibrations of this diaphragm break down water droplets into very small particles which then spread throughout the room, normally as a cool fog. These humidifiers are often used as decorations and many of them have <a href=http://www.air-conditioner-home.com/category/humidistats.aspx>humidistats</a> which will turn the humidifier on and off depending on what level of relative humidity you desire for your home. Unfortunately, ultrasonic humidifiers do face the same problems as impellers in that the water may contain microorganisms or minerals that are diffused into the air.

Maintenance for humidifiers varies very little from one type to the other. The most important thing to remember is to clean the reservoir often (at least once a month) with a non-abrasive brush to make sure that no microorganisms begin to grow in the standing water and also to clean out any mineral buildup. It is good to use hydrogen peroxide to clean the reservoir, but you can also use chlorine bleach, but with the former, make sure you rinse out the reservoir well to make sure you don't release harmful chemicals into the air. If the humidifier has a filter or a wick, make sure you read the maintenance for them and clean or replace them as often as specified. It is also a good idea to use distilled water in the reservoir instead of tap water to ensure that there are no minerals in the water, because these minerals will settle as a fine white dust throughout the room after passing through the humidifier.

Using a quality humidifier will begin to relieve dry skin and help your body fight the common cold and flu. It will also keep your valuable wood furniture from drying out and cracking. Be sure to shop around for the best humidifier for you before making your purchase. Also, take care to follow any maintenance specifications that go with the humidifier you choose. With proper maintenance, your humidifier will provide clean and refreshing air throughout your home for years to come.

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