Tips to Use and Maintain a Humidifier at Home

Humidifiers help in adding moisture to your room by dispersing water vapour. It is a saviour when it comes to improving symptoms of several breathing-related issues and skin irritations. Even the furniture at your home is less likely to crack if you keep the humidity levels right. Humidified air is great for your indoor plants, especially for tropical houseplants. Nevertheless, you must choose the right humidifier for your home and maintain it properly for it to perform efficiently.  

How to Maintain Your Humidifier at Home

Here are some of the most important tips to maintain your humidifier at home well.  

Choose the Right Size of Humidifier  

Room humidifiers are available in different sizes, and they allow you to match different types of rooms. The humidifiers packaging identifies them as appropriate to some square footage of the room. They can also be categorized by the size of the water reservoir and by the time they operate between the fillings. Humidifiers that have large water tanks do not need to be refilled soon - this is a great advantage as you will not have to wake in the middle of your sleep to refill the tank. So, a 2 to 3-gallon humidifier will run for around eleven to sixteen hours between fillings. However, they can vary slightly depending on the setting as well.  

Choose the Right Design

Humidifiers are designed differently to suit different uses. They are divided into warm mist and cool mist humidifiers in general. Warm mist humidifiers release water vapour that we can see while cool mist humidifiers release water vapour that is invisible to the eye.  

Listed below are the different types of humidifiers. Choose what best suits your needs.

Tips to Maintain a Humidifier

Do Not Add Salt to a Humidifier

Many people have a common misconception that adding salt to the humidifier’s reservoir will make the air fresh. Unfortunately, this is wrong and can damage the metal components of the humidifier, thereby reducing its lifespan. It also clogs the filter and hinders the operation of the humidifier. Some humidifiers are designed to allow the addition of essential oils, and that too in a secondary reservoir. Never add anything directly to the water that is being vaporized.  

Clean Your Humidifiers Regularly

You should clean and sterilize the humidifier at your home regularly to stay safe and healthy. Even the type of humidifiers that comes with UV disinfectant features will develop mineral deposits, which will hinder their operation. Look out for recommendations from the manufacturer to clean your humidifier and replace the pads of the humidifier at suggested intervals.  

Maintain a balanced humidity level

Maintaining a balanced humidity level is crucial for creating a comfortable and healthy indoor environment. Too much humidity can lead to issues like mold growth and musty odors, while low humidity can cause dry skin, irritated respiratory passages, and static electricity. To achieve optimal humidity levels, it's essential to use a hygrometer to monitor the moisture content in the air. Aim for a relative humidity of around 30% to 50% for most indoor spaces. Adjust your humidifier or dehumidifier accordingly to keep the humidity within this range. Regularly ventilating your home, using exhaust fans in moisture-prone areas like bathrooms and kitchens, and fixing any leaks or water damage can also help maintain a balanced humidity level.