Consumer Reports does not test whole-house humidifiers at this time. Whole-house units tap into the air ducts from your furnace and are plumbed into your water supply; they typically require professional installation.
Most humidifiers sold are cool mist. If you have a cold, a cool-mist humidifier can help shrink swelling in nasal passages, making it easier for you to breathe, according to the Food and Drug Administration. There are two types of cool mist humidifiers in our ratings: evaporative and ultrasonic. Evaporative models use a fan to blow air through a wet wick, and the air cools as it picks up moisture from the wick.
Ultrasonic humidifiers use a nebulizer, which is a small vibrating diaphragm, to create a cool mist. Warm mist humidifiers, also known as steam vaporizers, are typically your cheapest option.
They use a heating element to boil water and create a warm mist, which means they use more energy than cool mist models use. But when the temperature drops, you may prefer having a warm mist running in your house instead of a cool one. Warm mist models can cause your nasal passages to swell and make breathing more difficult, however, so they should not be used to relieve cold symptoms, according to the FDA. CR advises against using a warm mist humidifier around children because the humidifier tank contains hot water that can burn skin if the humidifier tips over or leaks.
Shop Warm Mist Humidifiers on Amazon. To determine the humidifier size you need, first measure the square footage of the room. For small and midsized rooms, tabletop humidifiers are the least expensive option, but their small tanks require frequent refills. For large spaces, console models are best because they generate lots of moist air. They also have larger water tanks, so they need fewer refills.
Think about where it will go. You may want to sidestep the legwork of figuring out the right humidifier for your room size and just get the biggest humidifier available. Not a good idea. Get only the humidifier with the moisture output for what you need. Ease of use matters, too. With evaporative humidifiers, make sure the wick is simple—and economical—to replace; how often you have to replace it varies by model and how much you run the humidifier.
Look for user-friendly controls and clearly visible displays of the humidity level and settings. A humidistat helps. Almost half of the humidifiers in our ratings have a humidistat that shuts off the unit when it reaches a set humidity level—most are humidifiers meant for large rooms.
You can wake up with a dry mouth and start coughing for no reason. It also suggests using filtered water in humidifiers, if possible, to avoid the minerals and micro-organisms that unfiltered water might contain. Dry air can wreak havoc on your nose and lungs and make existing conditions worse, Dr. Nicolacakis says. Regardless of what kind of humidifier you choose, she says, everyone should have some type of humidifier in their home, Dr. Try following these three simple steps:.
Setting up a humidifier can improve breathing and reduce lung problems. Learn if you need a humidifier and the five types available. Both are effective in helping to relieve congestion but should be used with care. Because they both have heating elements, they can cause burns and can even be a fire hazard. Be sure to follow these guidelines when using warm mist humidifiers.
Whether you decide to get a warm mist or a cool mist humidifier, always be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and keep it very clean. The last thing you want is to contract an even worse infection from something that is supposed to help you feel better.
Looking to avoid getting the flu? Our free guide has everything you need to stay healthy this season. Sign up and get yours today. Medline Plus. Humidifiers and health. Updated October 11, Unsdorfer S. Cool mist humidifier: adding humidity where it counts. Pearl, MD, Alden J.. National Institutes of Health. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
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