3 Tips to Using a Humidifier in Your Home

Posted on the 21 October 2017 by Mummyb @mummyb_kw
A humidifier is basically an electronic gadget that helps in keeping the air in your home moist. Some people develop certain kinds of allergies such as skin irritations, nose bleeds and static hair. Some people still experience the problems that are caused by extremely low humidity even when they have a humidifier in their homes. This is probably because they don’t know how to make good use of such a gadget. As a matter of fact, there is no need to invest in a humidifier if you can’t use it to your benefit. Below are some tips that can help you get the best out of a humidifier.

Keep Humidity Levels in Check

This one goes without saying. When using a home humidifier, it’s recommended that you observe the level of air moisture in the house. This is because high levels of humidity can trigger allergies.
Monitoring humidity actually gives you an advantage due to the fact that you will know when to adjust the humidifier to match with the changes in weather. The good thing is that nowadays most humidifiers come with an in-built hygrometer. The hygrometer helps in measuring the level of moisture in the air.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends humidity to be set at 60 percent during summer and 25 percent in winter. The logic behind this recommendation is that the air gets very dry in summer. This is because the high temperatures cause the water to evaporate very fast.
In fact, people who suffer from skin allergies are hard hit in summer because the air around them is dry. One of the best remedies for countering this problem is to raise the level of humidity in the atmosphere. Humidity should be set to the minimum in winter because the low temperature helps in reducing the rate of evaporation.

Keep the Humidifier Clean

You should make an effort to wash the humidifier two times per week. For instance, you can clean it on Wednesdays and Sundays. A humidifier that’s not cleaned often creates a favourable environment for bacteria and mold to develop.
This is a great risk to your health because the bacteria and mold allergens will eventually be released into the air and they will enter your body through the nostrils as you breathe. You can keep such bacteria and mold at bay by washing the humidifier with clean water and mild soap. If you don’t have a mild soap, you can also use either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.


Replace the Water in the Humidifier

The water in the humidifier tank should be drained regularly. Lest you forget, stagnant water is vulnerable to build up of bacteria and mold. In fact, the water should be drained before the humidifier is cleaned. If you allow the water goes for more than a week without being replaced, it might form a film layer at the top. It’s actually this layer that encourages the accumulation of bacteria. Besides that, you should avoid pouring water directly into the humidifier tank.
Research has proved that tap water contains many toxins such as iron and sulfur deposits. The water that is used in our homes is delivered via metal pipes that are vulnerable to corrosion. When these metals wear out, their tiny particles dissolve into water.
Moreover, there are chances that tap water comes into contact with other contaminants as it makes its way into your home. If these contaminants are released into the air, you will definitely breathe them. It’s therefore recommended that you use water that has been filtered to remove such impurities.
Mummy B xoxox
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