What Are Evaporative Humidifiers?

Evaporative humidifiers are portable humidifiers that have a simple design with three main parts. The reservoir is a water tank that is usually manually filled by the homeowner or operator. The wick is made from some porous material that absorbs the moisture from the reservoir. A small fan blows air onto the wick to evaporate the water and thus increase the home's humidity levels.

What Are Vaporizers?

Vaporizers are a type of humidifier that use energy to heat or boil water to release steam into the surrounding air.

What Is a Impeller Humidifier?

Impeller humidifiers rely on a rotating disc that casts small amounts of water at a diffuser. The diffuser (sometimes in the shape of small fan blades) essentially chops the water into minuscule droplets that float into the surrounding air to increase humidity levels. These types of humidifiers do quickly raise humidity levels. However, it would help to ensure that the water is purified and mold-free to avoid sending pathogens flying around your home. Some impeller humidifiers can be noisy as well.

What Is a Cool Mist Humidifier?

Cool mist humidifiers rely on an ultrasonic frequency released within a ceramic diaphragm. Incredibly, this strategy creates water droplets that exit the device as a cool mist to raise ambient humidity levels. Cool mist humidifiers are best used with distilled water to avoid releasing bacteria or other pathogens into your indoor air.

What Is a Whole-house Humidifier?

Whole-house humidifiers connected to a centralized HVAC system are usually only used when humidity levels are lowest in the winter months. These devices can come as a drum-style bypass unit, disc wheels, or a bypass flow-through unit. You will most likely need to hire a professional HVAC technician for installation and yearly maintenance for these types of humidifiers.

What Is Passive Humidification?

Passive humidification is not usually commercially sold but includes homemade options for raising humidity levels in the home. Through transpiration, many types of household plants can increase the humidity in your home naturally. Similarly, merely filling a stainless steel bowl with water, placing a towel over the bowl, and using a small stone to "sink" the towel's center into the bowl of water is an example of a simple, DIY natural humidifier. The towel absorbs the water via capillary action. As that moisture evaporates, your home's humidity level can increase.

Are Humidifiers Safe?

Humidifiers can play an essential role in helping to keep us healthy. As we mentioned in the introduction, we can lower the probability of viral infection and transmission by raising interior humidity levels during the drier winter months. Humidifiers can also help people who suffer from sinusitis and other sinus problems.

It is crucial to ensure that the water used in your humidifier is pure and pathogen-free and that your humidifier is immaculately clean. Suppose you have mold growing in your reservoir or dust on your fan blades. In that case, your humidifier will essentially be spreading pathogens around your home.

How Long Do Humidifiers Last?

Most portable humidifiers should last between 10 and 15 years before needing replacement. This durability depends, of course, on how often you use the device and proper maintenance. Whole-house humidifiers should last as long as your other centralized HVAC equipment, especially if professionally serviced on an annual or biannual basis.

How Do You Install a Humidifier? 

Portable humidifiers are "plug-and-use" devices that are ready to use upon purchase. You will most likely need to hire an HVAC technician to install a whole-house dehumidifier connected to your centralized HVAC equipment.

What Are The Best Brands of Humidifiers?

There are dozens of different companies providing all different types of home humidifiers. Some of the best brands for humidifiers include the following:

• Levoit: This brand offers several reasonably-priced smart humidifiers. Some of their most innovative products combine with aromatherapy diffusers to help humidify and add a pleasant smell to your home.
• Honeywell: Honeywell is another company with a massive portfolio of home humidifiers. The brand has several whole-house humidifiers for homeowners who want to go that route. They also have a unique, smart, impeller-style humidifier. This product comes with UV technology to eliminate the majority of germs, viruses, and other potential pathogens that could be lurking in your humidifier.
• Dyson: This company has a unique home humidifier designed to both cool, purify, and humidify the room where it is placed. Dyson offers a desirable, multi-purpose option, but it is one of the most expensive portable units on the market.