Are Humidifiers Good for You?
Humidifiers can make homes into havens for those who suffer of skin and breathing conditions. However, they can also encourage mold
According to skin brand Aveeno, more than 30 million Americans suffer from some form of eczema. Millions more suffer from dry noses, throats, and lips, as well as a host of allergies, with the risk of dry skin conditions increasing in older people – oil glands stop producing as much sebum, we sweat less and our lipid content drops.
Experts advise the use of humidifiers to mitigate some of these symptoms, while also providing relief if suffering from coughs, colds, and sinusitis. Remmington Belford, spokesperson for the US Environmental Protection Agency, explains: “Humidifiers are commonly used in homes to relieve the physical discomforts of dry nose, throat, lips, and skin.” They’re particularly effective in the winter months when we spend more time indoors and are using our heating systems, which dry out the air.
How can a humidifier help our health?
Research suggests that the top layer of our skin – the epidermis – holds less moisture in low-humidity conditions, which can leave skin vulnerable to cracking, drying, and infection. Scientists have directly correlated decreasing humidity with an increase in dry skin symptoms, including dermatitis and eczema.
Alongside, cold air holds less moisture, so when we move from chilly climes outside to warm homes with heating systems turned on, our skin becomes more dry. Humidifiers counter this issue by adding moisture into the air, with healthcare professionals – including Harvard Medical School – stating that the devices can really help alleviate some symptoms. Note, too, that a report from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) connected eczema with an increased likelihood of developing depression and anxiety, which suggests the benefits of using a humidifier are both physiological and psychological.
How does a humidifier work?
At the most basic level, humidifiers essentially release water vapor or steam into the air when the humidity in a room drops below a specified level. However, different types of humidifiers service different scenarios:
- Central humidifiers – Professionally installed, these are built into heating or air conditioning units. They do not emit steam; instead they use filters, which will need replacing periodically.
- Ultrasonic humidifiers – These use an element called a diaphragm that vibrates at a super high frequency to create water droplets that are propelled into the air.
- Evaporative humidifiers – Such models are a type of cool mist model, blowing moisture using a fan through a filter that’s been moistened.
- Impeller humidifiers – Again, delivering a cool mist, impeller models use rotating disks to blow water droplets into a room.
- Steam vaporizers – These models use electricity to heat water and then cool it before expelling it into the air.
Cost, portability, the space you need to humidify and child safety – because of the hot steam released by some models – are all factors to consider when choosing the best model for your home.
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The downside of using humidifiers
As we’ve seen, there are numerous benefits to using a humidifier in your home; however, there is a caveat, too. Continual use of a humidifier increases the risk of developing mold in your home.
“Excess moisture can encourage the growth of biological organisms in the home. These organisms include dust mites, which are microscopic animals that produce materials that cause allergic reactions”, the EPA’s Belford explains. “Ultrasonic and impeller (or ‘cool mist’) humidifiers can also disperse materials such as micro-organisms and minerals from their water tanks into indoor air”, he adds.
To guard against such risks, it’s important that owners regularly check the cleanliness of their humidifier’s tank, empty it regularly, ensure that filters are working and clean and stick to the maintenance programme suggested by the manufacturer of the unit.
Some models might require the bucket and filter system cleaning as often as two or three times a day during regular use. “Children, the elderly, and people with lung diseases or respiratory allergies may be particularly susceptible to the types of airborne pollutants [that can be released]”, Belford adds, so extra attention will be required in these households. The minerals in tap water can also prove problematic for some health conditions when water turns to mist, so the use of distilled water in your humidifier might be a better option.
How to use a humidifier to best effect
The EPA has released a factsheet on how to use and care for home humidifiers, which is a great resource to check out before you start using your humidifier. Experts also suggest keeping the humidity between 30-50%; deploy a hygrometer to test this daily.
Keep humidifiers that emit hot steam out of reach of children, and do not place your humidifiers too close to walls since this can cause condensation. Note, too, that a humidifier placed near soft furnishings will become damp from the water vapor, increasing the chance of mold forming.
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Weighing up the advantages and disadvantages
Humidifiers have proven health benefits from a large range of respiratory and skin conditions; but they must be maintained and cleaned, or else they could have the opposite effect. Experts add that users must monitor their health and if the humidifier isn’t having a positive impact, they should visit their doctor for medical advice.
