Category: All Posts

What Do the Numbers on a Dehumidifier Mean?-11 Question Set

What do the numbers on a dehumidifier mean?

Dehumidifiers can be a mysterious thing when you first begin to mess with one.
The different settings and symbols and not to mention the numbers can be confusing.

The main number that appears illuminated on a dehumidifier is the relative humidity inside of the room where you have the device.

It’s the number that you are attempting to lower by using a dehumidifier.

According to the national library of medicine-PubMed, 40 to 60% relative humidity is the Ideal moisture level to avoid problems with either high or low humidity.

BLACK+DECKER 4500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier for Extra Large Spaces

Click Here for Price

Are dehumidifiers safe to leave on?

Dehumidifiers are safe to leave on because they almost exclusively come with an auto shut-off that turns the machine off when the bucket or the basin is full of water.

That means you’re not going to come home to a floor full of water if you happen to leave the house with your humidifier running.

Should I run a fan with a dehumidifier?

Running a fan and a dehumidifier at the same time can be advantageous because both the fan and a dehumidifier have a drying effect on the air.

After all, if you have done a recent painting project that you need to dry  faster you would probably put a fan blowing on it to help it do so.

The same goes for drying your hair, if you want to dry it faster, you can sit in front of a fan or better yet use a hair dryer. Which is essentially a hot fan.

A fan will also help move the humid air in a room towards the dehumidifier where it can do its job better.

And the entire purpose of a dehumidifier is to extract moisture from the air to dry it.

Not to mention that the two can be purchased together in one unit.

So there is no conflict in using a fan and a humidifier at the same time.

Should I run a dehumidifier with an air conditioner?

Using a dehumidifier at the same time as an air conditioner can actually help reduce the wear and tear on your air conditioner because even though an air conditioner dehumidifies as it cools,
It has to work harder when the air is extra humid.

Running a dehumidifier can’t take the strain off of an air conditioner and help it cool easier.

But, remember dehumidifiers operate much like a window air conditioner that exhaust heat out of the rear. Which helps with the humidification process but tends to make the room feel a little swampy.

  So if you’re using a portable dehumidifier, the room that you place the dehumidifier on is not exactly going to feel cooler even though the air conditioning may be working better.

How to know if you need a humidifier or dehumidifier?

If you live in an area that is typically dry, then higher humidity is easy to identify. Your skin is clammy and your hair is frizzy.

But if you’re used to living in an area where high humidity is part of the climate, you may not even be aware that your humidity is spiking.

A hygrometer is a gauge that is designed to tell you what the relative humidity is inside of a room or your house.

If the humidity inside your home is above 60%, then running a dehumidifier is needed to bring that number down below the 60% mark.

Honeywell Small Room Dehumidifier

Honeywell Dehumidifiers

Is it okay to sleep in a room with a dehumidifier?

Sleeping in the same room as a dehumidifier doesn’t have any adverse effects health wise, there is no threat of dehydration or anything that will harm you but..

Dehumidifiers can be compared to running a window air conditioner. If you’ve ever walked behind a window air conditioner, you probably remember feeling the heat coming off of the rear of the machine.

Dehumidifier works much the same only the heat that comes off the rear of it does not expel outside but inside of the room.

Dehumidifiers are also not the quietest of devices.

Technically there’s no problem with sleeping with a dehumidifier in the same room,

But you may be looking at a swampy feeling, loud night.

What’s better: a dehumidifier or an air purifier?

Dehumidifiers and air purifiers both reduce allergens.

Dehumidifiers reduce humidity problems like high dust mite populations and mold growth which results in high populations of mold spores.

These devices, by reducing the humidity, reduce the allergens caused by the humidity.

Air purifiers reduce allergens by filtering them out of the air.

And they do so regardless of whether the humidity is high or low.

Air purifiers are not dependent on the humidity being at a certain level for them to do their job whereas a dehumidifier is useless when the air is dry. Which is about half the year.

Which is better? A dehumidifier or an air purifier? An air purifier is more useful throughout the year than a dehumidifier.

But it is definitely better to own both and use a dehumidifier when needed.

When should you not use a dehumidifierWhen should you not use a dehumidifier?

Dehumidifiers or devices meant to extract moisture out of the air when the humidity level is too high inside of a house.

If the humidity in the home is already at the optimal level of between 40 and 60%, then you should not use a dehumidifier.

  Another issue that can interfere with a dehumidifier that can keep you from using it is lower temperatures.

As you probably will know if you have read the rest of this article, dehumidifiers run very similarly to window air conditioners that use refrigerant to condense the humidity out of the air.

Just like on an air conditioner, if the temperature is too cold, the condenser coils on a dehumidifier will freeze over.

There are many dehumidifiers that come with a defrost setting for this very problem.

There are also dehumidifiers called desiccant dehumidifiers that do not use a compressor at all. Though not as powerful at removing moisture from the air, it can be a good alternative if your primary issue with humidity is during the cold season.

How long should you leave a dehumidifier on?

40 to 60% humidity is the optimal humidity inside of a home or building according to the national library of medicine.

If you are using a dehumidifier to bring down the moisture level inside of your house, then you should be prepared to leave it on till you have reached the relative humidity of 60% and below.

ThermoPro TP50 Digital Hygrometer

Click here for Hygrometers

Do humidifiers make the room colder?

Dehumidifiers can have a cooling effect on a room when the temperature is not too hot and humidity is the main thing that is making the room uncomfortable.

But unlike an air conditioner or a fan, the dehumidifier is better left to run before you are planning on using the room.

Even though in theory, you are lowering the humidity which is the main threat to your comfort, The heat that expels from a dehumidifier will have the opposite effect of making a room cold while the dehumidifier is running.

Should a dehumidifier run constantly?

There are times when the humidity is so high that a dehumidifier may seem like it constantly runs and never turns off.

For instance, running a dehumidifier in a crawl space or a humid basement will require a humidifier to run much longer to reduce which is essentially an everlasting problem.

On the other hand, if the humidity level in a room does not warrant the use of a dehumidifier, then the dehumidifier may run constantly because it can’t extract enough humidity to ever reach the point where it shuts off.

  That also answers the question of why your dehumidifier may not be collecting any water. There is simply not enough humidity for it to do so.

But if the relative humidity is high, and your dehumidifier is not collecting any water, you have definitely ruled out the relative humidity being a problem, and can focus on the issue being a mechanical problem with the device.

Negatives to Crawl Space Encapsulation

Crawl space encapsulation is a broad term that includes the entire gamut of things you can do to weatherize the space underneath your house.

The main items that make up the encapsulation process are:
placing a plastic barrier on the ground and beams underneath the house , sealing any openings, insulating the walls, and installing a dehumidifier.

This can be quite a big list considering we’re talking about that space underneath the house then no one really ever thinks about it in the first place.

That’s until you’re forced to get under the house to repair your foundation or plumbing and find out that you’re going to have to pump the water out first to be able to do so.

Or if you have recently found out that the air quality in your house is as much as 50% dependent on the air quality underneath your house.

And that the air quality underneath the house is coming from a place where the formation of mold is very high.

It’s at that point you began to realize this is a project you’re going to have to tackle.

Negatives to crawl space encapsulation

 

crawl space encapsulation expense1. Expense

Easily the biggest negative to encapsulating the crawl space beneath the house is the expense.

Experts say that you can expect to spend about $5,500 to adequately weatherize and protect your crawl space.

Not only is the project going to cost you the materials and labor to have it done,

There is the upfront cost of a dehumidifier that can carry the load of practically running day and night and the added energy that it will require to do so.

And running a dehumidifier is basically the same as running a refrigerated air conditioner.
Which unfortunately falls at the top of the list of appliances that use the most energy.

Aprilaire Dehumidifiers  Whole Homes up to 5,200 sq. ft

Click here for price

2. No Room to Work.

Crawl spaces are tight. If you’re lucky, you have an area that is big enough for you to walk or to hunch over and get around, but if you’re not, you’re probably looking at crawling around on your hands and knees or even scooting along on your belly or your back.

As you can imagine putting a plastic barrier on the ground underneath your house, and doing so that there are no leaks, is a huge undertaking whether you plan on doing it yourself or paying someone.

3. Muddy

The ground underneath the house in the best of circumstances is going to be moist. After all, moisture underneath the house is one of the main reasons that people consider encapsulation.

If you have moisture under the house, then you are probably having an issue with water rivering from the yard under the house, or pipes that are leaking somewhere beneath the house.

Which adds up to having a muddy surface beneath the house in which to work.
Standing water under the house is going to have to be pumped out before you can do any work.

Which circles back to the original problem of bad air quality coming from your crawl space.

Standing water in a dark muddy place is the ideal environment for mold and bacteria to grow.

Mosquitoes may well be an issue also.

4. Nasty

You probably don’t want to think about it, but the area beneath the house is providing shelter for a whole lot of pests.

Pest like rodents that can basically get in through a crack in the wall or if there hasn’t been properly blocked entry access the area,

You’ve probably provided a living environment for stray cats, possum, foxes, you name it.

That means a lot of excrement. And it could mean clearing out some dead animals.

5. HVAC Zoning

If you have your central heat and air installed in the crawl space, sealing off the area can interfere with the airflow originally figured into the design of your HVAC venting.

If that is the case, it would be well worth your time and money to have a HVAC tech involved before starting your encapsulation process.

Crawl space encapsulation is definitely not something you want to have to do twice or go back and fix because of something like HVAC zoning that you did not think of in the first place.

advantages of crawl space encasulationAdvantages of Crawl Space Encapsulation

Fortunately the advantages of encapsulating a crawl space can be worth the effort and expense.

1. Improved Air quality

The air quality in a crawl space can be responsible for as much as 50% of what is being breathed inside of your home.

And because the air quality inside of the crawl space is more likely being tainted by mold and bacteria growing in standing water,

It’s not that hard to add two and two together and realize that many of the issues that stem from bad air quality like allergies and headaches and so forth, could be originating from the bad air that you are breathing.

Encapsulating the crawl space is a huge step to creating a healthy breathing environment.

2.  Reduce Pest and insects

Most insects including termites need moisture to survive. Not only does the crawl space provide shelter for pests and insects, it supplies nutrition for them to populate.

Encapsulating the crawl space will dry out the area which in turn will start out insects.

Termite damage will be reduced significantly when the source of nutrition and moisture that termites need to live is removed or greatly hampered.

3.  Minimized Mold Damage

Mold damage beneath the home will cause rotting wood. Rotting wood will eventually cause your foundation to start falling.

Which can cause everything from the floor rotting out to the walls cracking.

Encapsulation is a small expense compared to fixing the foundation of your house.

4. Extra Storage

By drying up and sealing space under your house you will be creating extra storage space.

However large your home, as time elapses, you quickly realize how little storage space you actually have.

Depending on the size of the crawl space beneath the house, you could be sitting on a big chunk of real estate that could be easily used for storage if it were sealed up properly.

Even a small crawl space can make a good storage area for non-perishables or holiday decorations, etc.

5. Energy saver

Though it is easy to see the expense it takes to encapsulate the crawl space,

The result of encapsulation will be closing off open windows and leaks that can cause your central heat and air to work much harder and cause your bill to spike much higher.

Encapsulating the crawl space is like shutting the door that’s letting the air out.

And in turn making your home much more energy efficient and the amount of money it takes to heat and cool your home.

Recap

Encapsulating the crawl space beneath your home is definitely not a desirable task.

The expense and the less than favorable conditions to work in make the disadvantages stand out and loom large.

But when you measure the disadvantages against the advantages of crawl space encapsulation,

The advantages outweigh the disadvantages for most people.

The improvement in air quality and the additional savings in energy, plus the protection of your home from mold rot make encapsulation well worth it.

And the additional storage real estate is a big plus.

Are Space Heaters Expensive to Run?

Heating and cooling are easily the most expensive items on your utility bill.

If you have central heat and air in your home, you don’t have to wonder what’s eating your lunch and raising your payment.

That being the case, it is no wonder that many people try to find a way to supplement their heating and cooling to lower their bill.

Vornado VH2 Whole Room Space Heater

Click here

Space heaters tend to be the first thing you think about when you’re trying to find a way to get the heating bill down.

And even though central heat is meant to warm a whole house, you may know by experience that there are plenty of areas in the home that don’t quite get as warm as you would like them.

So using a space heater to supplement the heat in those areas may be needed.

Space heaters are generally small mobile heaters that run off of electricity.

Heaters that use gas are not used inside of a house unless they are properly vented. Which makes them not useful as mobile space heaters.

Not to mention the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning that is present with   gas heating.

Are space heaters expensive to run?

Space heaters are expensive to run, yes.

Space heaters use a lot of Watts. 1500 w on high is the standard for all space heaters.
As a point of reference, 1500 w is the most that any outlet can handle.

That means that if you plug anything else into the same outlet with your space heater, you are most likely going to blow a circuit.

(Space heaters most usually come with a auto shut off safety precaution feature that shut the heater off before the circuit blows, but hopefully that illustrates the point)

space heaterSupplementing the heat in a room that is not getting enough heat from your HVAC with a space heater is definitely not going to be a money saver.

But if you only need heat in a specific room and are not going to run the heating in the rest of the house, then running a space heater will cost you less.

In other words it costs less to run a space heater rather than a whole house system.

But one space heater is definitely not going to warm up the entire house.

And putting a space heater in every room will use more energy than running the whole house HVAC system.

Obviously not everyone is trying to supplement their utility bill using space heaters.

There’s plenty of times you’re just trying to find a way to heat a space without breaking the bank.

Space heaters are not intended to heat up a whole house.

They’re more geared to keeping the bathroom warm while you’re taking a shower or warming your legs and feet while you’re sitting at your desk, doing your work.

The best way to spend less with the space heater is to find one that is more efficient at heating a room.

The space heater that can heat a room well on a medium temperature is going to cost less to run in a space heater that has to be turned on all the way to do the job.

The amount of time you plan on using a space heater everyday plays a big part on what type of space heater to buy also.

Ceramic type space heaters warm up fast and can get pretty hot. A good type of heater if you need a way to warm your hands or feet.

But if you’re planning on using a room for an entire day, an oil heater takes longer to heat up a room but it will do it more consistently.

But the heat that comes off of an oil heater is not the type of heat that you will be able to warm your hands by.

Suggested Space heaters

Vornado is a very good brand of heater that outweighs the competition in just about every capacity.

Not only rated the highest for efficiency, they are rated the highest for safety precautions also.

And for style, they have a heater that can fit in most any decor.

The Vornado VH2 is widely reviewed as one of the best small heaters you can buy. It uses what they call Vortex air circulation.

The heat that it produces is not as intensely hot but it moves a lot of air which warms up a room nicely..

 

Vornado VMH500 Whole Room Metal Heater with Auto Climate

Click here

One of Vornado’s Cadillac models is the vmh500.

It features a thermostat that controls your climate on auto and has a 12-hour timer.

The construction is metal so that you do not have to worry about any plastic parts melting.

It also features advanced safety features like cool to the touch exterior, a two-stage auto shut off, and tip over protection.

It also has a remote.

Vornadobaby Sensa Nursery Heater

Click here

Vornado also carries a heater that is specifically made for the baby’s room.

Vornadobaby Sensa

This heater is designed to shut off when any excessive heat is detected.

It is cool to the touch and delivers a heat that adjusts to ensure that the crib stays warm but never gets hot to the touch.

The controls are all lockable to ensure that children cannot tamper with them. It also has no sharp edges and shuts off immediately if tipped whatsoever.

wifi space heaterWi-Fi Space Heaters

This year’s heaters are finally starting to catch on to the Wi-Fi trend.

Almost every appliance has a Wi-Fi version these days. So make a lot of sense, some not so much.

Space heaters are an appliance that actually makes sense to be incorporated with smart technology.

Being able to schedule a heater to come on to warm a room before you get in there is a pretty great feature.

And think about the fact that if you’re already in bed or comfortable on the couch, you can simply tell your heater to turn up or turn down without having to get up. Nice.

Atomi has a nice Wi-Fi Incorporated space heater that oscillates. Also a great feature for a space heater.

The heater is not meant to be in the children’s room.

Though it has the standard safety features required for space heaters it can get hot to the touch.

Whether you’re trying to supplement your home’s heating system or if you are just trying to find a space heater that you can use to warm your office.

You should know beforehand that space heaters are one of the more energy consuming appliances that you can buy.

That’s why finding a space heater that is more efficient and can be very effective on a low setting is important.

Atomi Smart WiFi Portable Tower Space Heater

Click here

Do You Put Water in a Dehumidifier?

It can be a little confusing deciphering all the different types of devices on the market that do something to your air.

For instance, You got air conditioners, air purifiers, air humidifiers, air compressors, just to name a few.

And trying to understand what each one does compared to one another is a pretty big demand to place on the consumer.

Humidifiers and dehumidifiers are a couple of devices that people seemingly confuse with one another quite often.

And why not, they practically sound like they’re the same machine.

But the similarity in name is where it ends.

Do you put water in a dehumidifier?

You do not add water to a dehumidifier like you do to a humidifier.
Dehumidifiers are the opposite of a humidifier. They are a device that removes moisture from the air.

Compared to a humidifier that effectively adds moisture to the air.

Dehumidifiers pull the moisture out of the air by reducing it to condensation and funnel it into a container which is built-in as part of the machine.

When the container gets full, you dump it out. Dehumidifiers often come with a garden hose hook up to drain the water from the machine rather than dump the container when it fills.

Humidifiers on the other hand, are made to add moisture back into the air.

So they do require you to add water to them before they can perform their function.

Dehumidifiers – remove moisture from the air and require you to dump it out of the machine.

Humidifiers- add moisture to the air and require you to add water to the machine.

What is the purpose of a dehumidifier?

The purpose of a dehumidifier is to remove excess moisture out of the air.

One of the most popular ways of using a dehumidifier is to help dry out a basement.

Basements, being carved underground and basically sitting in moist soil, tend to be very moist inside as well.

The air in the basement can be very humid compared to the rest of the house.

And where there is excess moisture in a home, there is the high possibility of mold growth in that region.

Areas like basements that have high humidity also tend to have a lot of bugs because moisture provides  a source of nutrition for them.

High populations of dust mites are another symptom of having high humidity that often occurs in a basement.

Using a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture inside of a humid room like a basement helps cut down on the amount of mold and allergens caused by mold and dust mites, making it easier to breathe, and protecting the area from mold damage.

In short, it means getting an overall better use out of the room.

do i need a dehumidifierDo I need a dehumidifier?

For a lot of people, the dry mode (dehumidifier mode) on their air conditioning may be plenty to keep the high humidity inside of their home in check.

But there are many times when the temperature does not warrant running an air conditioner but the humidity is still high.

The basement for instance.

So if you have above normal humidity but the temperature does not warrant using an air conditioner, then you do need a humidifier to reduce the excess moisture from the air.

What is the purpose of a humidifier?

Humidifiers are machines that intentionally add moisture into the air.

Humidity is fickle and in order to maintain optimal health and environment, a relative humidity of between 40 and 60% is required.

While dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air when the humidity is too high, humidifiers add moisture when the air is too dry.

Dry air is usually associated with winter for a couple of reasons.

One, the climate produces less humidity, and two, heaters are used regularly. And heaters have a drying effect on the air.

Dry air is air that has a relative humidity of 40% and below.

The symptoms of dry air are many.

1.Dried and cracked nasal passages and skin top the list.

2.Low humidity also aids in the spread of colds and viruses.

3. Sinuses and allergies are also symptoms of low humidity.

  How does a humidifier help with so many of these everyday problems?
  Simple.

Moisture droplets are heavier than dust.

Without enough humidity in the air, dust, including dust particles like pollen, viruses, and bacteria,

are free to float and travel further through your air and eventually come in contact with your eyes, mouth, and nose.

  Humidified air causes dust to be too heavy to float and out of the ambient air that you breathe.

Most of us have no idea how impactful the relative humidity is on our health.

Hygrometer

You may be thinking, that’s all fine, but how do I know what my relative humidity is or how would I track it?

Fortunately, there is a handy device that you can purchase cheaply at your local hardware store that measures humidity.

It’s called a hygrometer.

They are usually paired with a thermometer. Called a thermohygrometer.

  How do you read a hygrometer to know when to run a humidifier?

A hygrometer gives you your relative humidity in the form of a percentage.

If the hygrometer reads 40% or below, you need to run a humidifier to raise your humidity to about 50%.

If the hygrometer reads 60% or more, reducing the humidity is necessary.

That may mean using a dehumidifier unless the temperature is high and the dehumidification process of the AC can handle the humidity.

Recap

It’s easy to get confused between what a humidifier is and a dehumidifier is.

There are so many air related devices that sound similar, and knowing which device does what is not always intuitive.

Dehumidifiers are appliances that remove moisture water from the air and do not require any water to be added to them.

Humidifiers add moisture to the air and do require water to be put in them.

One is for removing moisture. One is for adding moisture.

How to Get Rid of Dust in the Air? – The Lucky 13

Dust is a particularly nasty recipe of ingredients when you get down to it.

Everything from insect skeletons, rodent feces, dead skin flakes, mites, and not to mention pollen and spores.

All floating through the air, ready to come in contact with your eyes, nose and mouth,

And create havoc in your sinuses.

So what can you do?

How to get rid of dust in the air?

Here is a list of suggestions that we have compiled to help you do just that.

1.  Use a humidifier

Low humidity or dry air as it’s more commonly referred to, can play a huge part in how much dust is floating and how far it can travel through the air.

  The reason is that humidity has a “mudding” effect that weighs down dust and causes it to fall out of the air that you breathe.

The result of keeping a higher relative humidity when it comes to dusty surfaces is similar in that it congeals dust particles and keeps them from being kicked into the air.

A Humidifier is a device that adds moisture back into the air when the relative humidity has dropped.

It’s the first thing on our list because if the climate is extra dry then there is little chance of controlling dust in the air until you do something to balance the relative humidity.

LEVOIT Humidifiers

 

Click Here

2.  Air purifier

Filtering is another way of getting dust out of the air.

Most air purifiers use HEPA filters that are able to remove dust particles as small as .003 parts per million.

HEPA Air purifiers work best in small spaces. HIPAA air purifiers are usually combined with carbon filters that are able to adsorb gases and odors as well.

Other air purifiers called Ionizer air purifiers use ions to connect  dust particles together through polarity.

The result is that they become too heavy to float and fall out of the air.

The main disadvantage for ionizers for removing dust from the air is though it falls out of the air it collects on the surface. Which will undoubtedly be kicked up again.
Another disadvantage with them is that they smell a bit like ozone.

LEVOIT Air Purifiers

 

Click Here

3.  Vacuuming

Most dust is brought into the house with your feet. Tracking dust in your shoes is easily one of the biggest ways that it collects in your house.

Walking is all it takes to kick the dust that you brought in with your shoes in the first place up into the air.

Vacuuming the carpet more often is a way of reducing dust in the air.

4.  Sweeping and mopping

Along the same lines as vacuuming, dirty floors supply dust that is easily kicked up into the air when walking over them.

Sweeping and mopping more frequently is another way of keeping dust from becoming a problem in your airstream.

5. Take your shoes off at the door

Just like we mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, dust coming in on the bottom of your shoes is one of the biggest ways that dirt gets into your home.

Kicking your shoes off before you walk through the house is a great way of keeping the dust from traveling in on your shoes.

Another option is to change shoes, when you come in the door to a pair that doesn’t go outside with you.

6.  Dusting and wiping

If your countertops, shelves and tables are dusty, then you have another supply of dust that can easily make it into your ambient air simply by turning on a ceiling fan or letting a breeze in.

Keeping dust out of the air is as easy as keeping your surfaces wiped down sometimes.

7.  Shut the doors and windows

Keeping the doors and windows open is inviting dust to come into the house and float through your air.

As a source for dust, there’s not much bigger of a reservoir than the dust blowing in from outside.

7. Seal up Windows and doors

Leaving the doors and windows open intentionally is not the only way the dust comes in through your doors and windows.

When your windows and doors are not sealed properly, then dust can gather around the unsealed areas of your home and become part of the dustiness of your air.

Sealing up your doors and windows will help keep dust from coming when they are closed.

8. Keep the dogs and cats outside

If you have pets that could come in and out of the house, you are going to have a lot of dust.

Not only are dogs running around in the yard collecting dirt, they are shedding, and spreading dander throughout your air stream.

Cat hair is particularly covered in bacteria and dander as well.

Without keeping the animals outside, there’s no real chance of keeping dust out of the house and the air.

9. Plant some grass

If you have ground in your yard that doesn’t have any grass on it or is overgrown with weeds, then you have a big supply of dust waiting to be blown into the house.

  Planting some grass seed on your bare ground areas and keeping the yard trimmed will help lessen the supply of dust available to get into your home.

10. HVAC filters

The filters in your central heat and air conditioning help filter out dust so that it does not circulate through your house via the vent work of your HVAC system.

Keeping the filters replaced helps them filter more dust and allergens from your air when the unit is on.

It also keeps your unit working much more efficiently.

11. Change your bedding more often

It’s a disgusting fact that your mattress and sheets can be covered with dead skin and dust mites.

The longer you let your bedding go without proper washing, the more dust you’re going to have coming off of your own bed.

  Also many of the allergies that you assume are entering into your airways through the dustiness of your air,

might just be hanging out on your pillow and in your blankets waiting for you to bury your face in them.

12. House plants

If you haven’t heard about it, there’s a big list of houseplants that nasa say are all natural air purifiers.

Some house plants like the rubber plant actually draw dust to themselves and have to be washed off.

Other plants like Aloe Vera and snake plants create oxygen which naturally makes your air easier to breathe.

House plants are a novel and excellent way of creating less dust in your air.

If you want to see NASA’s big list, and pick some plants that you know will do the job, you can click here.

13. Dehumidifier / Air conditioner

The humidifier was at the top of our list to help deal with dust in the air when the relative humidity is low.

But dustiness can be an issue when the humidity is high as well.

One of the big issues with excessive humidity is that it becomes a source of nutrition for dust mites.

Dust mite populations explode in high humidity.

Another problem with high humidity is that it supplies moisture for mold to take root. Once you have mold growing in your house, then you have mold spores traveling through your air.

A dehumidifier is a device that works the opposite of a humidifier.

Instead of adding humidity, it reduces the humidity in the air. Thereby reducing mold spores and dust mites.

Refrigerated air conditioners like window air conditioners and central heat and air (HVAC) dehumidify the air as they cool also.

Post air conditioners have a dehumidifier setting called “dry mode” on them.

If the temperatures are very hot with high humidity, running the air conditioner is a way to reduce dust in your air.
If the humidity is very high but the temperatures are not so much,
A dehumidifier or using the dry mode on your air conditioner is the way to go.

how to get dust ot of the airWe hope you liked our Dusty list.

We hope you’ll get some relief from the dust floating through your air by applying some of these suggestions.

Diffuser vs Humidifier vs Combining Them

One thing I’ve noticed while shopping at the local Walmart is that they have a huge selection of diffusers and fragrance plug in devices and whatnot,

But when it comes to the humidifiers, they basically have the cheapest plastic thing you can buy.

  A lot of that stuff is crammed together with the incense and candles without much explanation of what goes with what.

Diffusers vs humidifiers for instance. What is what?

The diffuser primarily is used to disperse essential oils into the air.

The humidifier’s primary job is to add moisture to the air.

Yes they both use water.

But the volume of water they use is vastly different.

Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier?

One thing that a lot of people ask is that if they can use their diffuser as a humidifier since it has water in it?

The answer is yes, technically you will get a small amount of humidity coming off of your diffuser.

Is it enough to humidify an entire room?

No,  it’s probably not enough to make a noticeable difference in the relative humidity.

The reason is, it takes about a half a glass of water to fill up a diffuser.

And most humidifiers go through a gallon of water or so every 24 hours.

But that’s not to say it won’t do anything at all to add moisture to the air.

After all, placing glasses of water around the house is an old trick for humidifying.

Have you ever left a glass of water on a nightstand or table, etc, and come back to it, only to find that it had evaporated away?

It’s the same concept.

can you use a diffuser as a humidifier

 

The difference is, it is the job of a humidifier to evaporate and disperse large amounts of moisture into the air.

It’s a machine that will accelerate what happens naturally by leaving glasses of water out.

So even though a diffuser and a humidifier may operate basically the same,

And a diffuser may add a small amount of moisture into the air,

A humidifier will do much more to remedy the effects of dry air.

  And a diffuser is best at diffusing essential oils.

LEVOIT Humidifier – Click Here

Elechomes SH8820 Humidifier –Click Here

Are there any devices that combine a diffuser and humidifier?

The answer is definitely.

There are many brands of humidifiers that have a tray to put essential oils in, to get a diffuser effect out of them.

The difference is that you’re starting from the point of view of a humidifier that can be used as a diffuser.

Rather than a diffuser that can be used as a humidifier.

And the price point is going to be quite a bit sharper for a humidifier that does it all, compared to the standard diffuser.

Is it worth it to spend the money on a humidifier that diffuses essential oils?

I think it is. Here’s why.

Essential oils and aromatherapy are something that most people just dabble in.

I’m not saying there’s not some excellent benefits to using essential oils, or that they are not important.

But I am saying that I view a humidifier as being a more essential device then an essential oil diffuser is.

  And if you can get a fully functional diffuser in a humidifier, what’s not the love?

( Believe me, there’s a couple of things about a humidifier / diffuser combination that are not to love, I’m about to spout those off, so stick around a second)

  But maintaining a proper relative humidity between 40 and 60% has numerous benefits to your health.

Humidity aids in the reduction of sick days because it keeps viruses and germs from being able to travel as well.

By the same token, asthma triggers as well as airborne allergens are far less invasive into your life when the humidity level is kept between 40 and 60% in your home.

Skin health also relies heavily on an optimal relative humidity.

Not only does Humidity moisturize the skin, it helps keep conditions like acne and psoriasis from being able to burrow deeper into the skin because of cracks caused by dry air.

And one of the most painful and noticeable results of low humidity and dry air is the drying of the nasal cavities which can lead to bloody noses and painful nostril clearing.

And this is just a few of the benefits you get from the humidifier.

Like I said, there is definitely some therapeutic and medicinal benefits to using different essential oils,

But at the end of the day, the humidifier is a much more needed device.

Humidifier with aromatherapy tray downsides ( back to the not so lovely)

There is nothing dangerous about combining a humidifier and a diffuser but there are a couple of things that make it a little bit inconvenient.

One is, a humidifier is not anywhere nearly as mobile as a diffuser.

You can pick up a diffuser with one hand and carry a baby around with the other. Not a problem.

A Humidifier on the other hand, is much bulkier and weighs a good 10 lb with a gallon of water in it. And that is a small humidifier.

So combining your diffuser with your humidifier means your diffuser is going to weigh as much as the humidifier.

But that’s a pretty small trade off I think.

The other thing is that some humidifiers require you to buy their special essential oils that are made to work with their machine to ensure that the equipment doesn’t get gummed up.

That’s pretty limiting, being stuck with purchasing one brand of essential oils and not even a full essential oil product.

Some humidifiers combine not only a diffuser function, but air purification also.

The top brand is called a Revitalizer. And any essential oils that you put in it have to be their brand because they go directly into the water.

But let me see that that is not the way most humidifier makers do it and definitely not one that I would recommend.

  Usually they will have an aromatherapy tray as a separate compartment to put the essential oils.

OliveTech Smart WiFi Essential Oil Diffuser

Click Here

Takeaway

Even though diffusers and humidifiers both use water as part of the way they work,

Diffusers are made to disperse essential oils and even though they may add a small amount of humidity to the air in the process, it’s not nearly enough to qualify as a humidifier.

Humidifiers are made to add large deposits of moisture into your Air.

Can you use a diffuser as a humidifier?

Technically a diffuser will humidify but not enough to make a real difference.

If you want to combine a diffuser and a humidifier, there are humidifiers that have aromatherapy trays so that you can use your humidifier as a diffuser.

And you can argue, like I did in the article above, that maintaining the proper relative humidity in your home is more important than dispersing essential oils.

My opinion is that buying a humidifier that has the capability of functioning as a diffuser also is a much better idea than trying to get a diffuser to humidify effectively.

Do Humidifiers Help With Dry Eyes?

This has been the weather year from hell.

Record blizzards. Record rainfall. And record heat all in one year.

It seems like we have been trapped in the house all year.

And the utility bill has shot to record highs too.

Can Low Humidity Cause Dry Eyes?

There’s a couple of times a year when dry eyes are more of a problem than usual.

The winter, especially this past year, can be so cold that you can’t get outside for much of anything.

The dry air outside and the heater going non-stop inside create a super dry environment where it feels like your eyeballs can’t make any tears.

Levoit HumidifierBut it’s not just the winter, summer can have you stuck in the house also, with the air conditioner running continuously, and ceiling fans blowing and drying the air throughout the house.

Refrigerated air conditioners like window ACS, and central heat and air units, dehumidify as they cool.

That means they are actually sucking the humidity out of the air, which can cause extra dry conditions.

Once again making the air so dry that your eyes get dry and burn.

Do humidifiers help with dry eyes?

Humidifiers are devices that add moisture into the air. Relative indoor humidity has more to do with having and maintaining good health than most people are aware of. And that includes eye health.

There are a couple of ways that a humidifier can help with dry eyes.

1.Reduce dust and allergies

One of the biggest problems with low humidity dry air is the amount of dust that can accumulate and float through the air.

Dust has an absorbing nature to it that tends to dry out your skin and in this case your eyes.

One benefit of using a humidifier when you have dry eyes is that humidity has a type of “mudding” effect on dust, which causes it to be too heavy to float.

And the particles that make up dust are not just dirt.

Dust can be comprised all types of particulates including allergens like pollen, the exoskeletons of insects, feces, dried skin, germs, bacteria, and honestly just about everything you can think of.

And without enough moisture in the air to wash and weigh down this nasty airborne recipe,

They are free to come in contact with your eyes, mouth, and skin.

Humidifiers not only emit moisture back into the air to balance out the relative humidity when the air is dry, they also have a washing effect on the air.

Which can be a big relief when you suffer from dry eyes.

humidifier for dry eyes2. Reduce the evaporation of tears

Dry eyes are not just symptomatic of dry air. There are many reasons a person or pet can have dry eyes.

I have a dog, for instance, that is a distemper survivor.

Distemper is a debilitating canine disease that leaves the dog with a nerve disorder that causes them to bob their head continually. And that’s if they survive at all.

Another one of the effects of distemper is that it causes a dog to lose their ability to create tears.

One of the things we do to help our dog deal with his condition besides using tear drops and washing his eyes with a wet rag, is to run a humidifier for him to help soothe his eyes.

Dryness in your eyes can be due to your tears evaporating too quickly.

And if you are already having a problem with producing tears or having them evaporate too quickly,

Best Humidity Level for Dry Eyes

Dry air caused by low humidity only makes the problem worse.

Maintaining a relative humidity between 40 and 60% is a must if you already have this type of condition.

Adding moisture back into the air can provide extra moisture that can help prevent the tears in your eyes from evaporating as quickly.

Humidifier Problems

But it wouldn’t be right to espouse the use of a humidifier as a remedy for dry eyes without going into a little detail on the problems a humidifier can cause if they are not maintained properly.

  The nature of the humidifier is that you have to add water to it for it to do its job.

The water that you use in a humidifier, especially when you’re talking about using it for helping with dry eye syndrome, is very important.

Unfortunately tap water can be full of all types of chemicals and debris that is not good for your eyes.

If you are considering a humidifier to help with your dry eyes, you should also consider using distilled water in the humidifier to keep anything that is foreign in tap water from getting into your eyeballs.

Another issue with humidifiers is that they must be cleaned often and never used when they have old standing water in them.

The issue is that bacteria and mold can begin to grow very quickly in the water of a humidifier. As well as all the connecting points that the water moves through. 
 Bacteria can emerge in as little as 48 hours in standing water.

  Running a humidifier with germy standing water means you will be emitting all the bacteria from the water into the air and essentially turning your humidifier into an allergy spouting machine.

Fortunately the humidifier world is beginning to catch up with the need for a humidifier that does not have the chance of getting contaminated nearly as easily as they were once known for.

Some companies like Pure Guardian have begun to put UV lamps pointing at the water in the humidifiers as a way to kill any type of bacteria that is growing in the basin.

Others include germ resistant plastics in their construction that keeps mold and bacteria from having anything to feed on inside of the basin of a humidifier.

Hopefully if this trend continues, the humidifier industry as a whole will follow suit and germ-free humidifiers will be the norm instead of the exception.

Low Humidity Symptoms – Benefits of a Humidifier

Low Humidity Symptoms

The effects of humidity and the lack thereof can have a lot of symptoms on your body that you may have not considered before.

Some of them are very logical and make complete sense straight away, while other symptoms may not be as obvious.

Low relative humidity is at the heart of many issues that you face every day.

But it is one of the last places most people look when they are looking for solutions for a variety of different problems.

Here’s a small list of low humidity symptoms:

 

static electricity low humidity1.Static electricity

You reach out for your wife’s hand or to give your daughter a hug and suddenly you get zapped. Static shock! And it seems like everything you touch is a live wire for the next few weeks.

Static electricity is an indication that the humidity is low.

Static electricity is essentially an imbalance of negative and positive ions in the air.

The shock you feel is the balancing of the ions jumping from one object to another.

But when the air is keeping a relative humidity of 40% or more, the moisture in the air absorbs the shock instead of you and your next victim.

If you notice you’re getting zapped with  static electricity around the house more than usual, you can be certain that your humidity is low.

A humidifier is a device that adds moisture back to the air which is beneficial for reducing the amount of static electrical shock around the house.

Check out the Levoit Warm and Cool mist Humidifier Here.

Humidifier Benefit # 1

Reduce Static Electricity


2. Dry Nose/ Bloody Nose

Another symptom of low humidity that is easier to identify than some others is having a dry nose.

When you blow your nose and it feels brittle and painful to do so, or worse, you have a baby that has a sore brittle nose, the relative humidity in your house has more than certainly dropped.

Nosebleeds go hand in hand with dried nasal passages. If you notice blood on the tissue that you have used to clear your nose or worse, you flat out have a crack on the inner walls of your nose and blood is beginning to drip,

You will more than likely find that the relative humidity in your home has dropped below the 40% mark.

A cool mist humidifier can add the depleted humidity back into your air and give you some cool relief inside of your nasal passages.

Humidifier Benefit # 2

Soothe and Hydrate the linings in your nose


3.Dry skin

Following the same logic as having a dry nose is the low humidity symptom of dried and cracking skin.

The moisture in a person’s skin is absorbed primarily through the humidity in the air.

There is a saying that “dry skin equals dehydrated skin”.

Winter is the time of year that is known for having drier air consistently.

It is also the time of the year when the air is continually dried out further but running the heater continually.

So it is not a coincidence that people experience drier than usual skin during this time of year.

But dry skin is not exclusive to colder seasons,

The climate indoors can suffer from low humidity in the summer as well.

  Tightly sealed rooms running air conditioners that are dehumidifying as they cool and having fans blowing can also have an effect on the relative humidity inside.

Humidifier Benefit # 3

Return Moisture to your skin

dust -low humidity4.Extra Dusty house

Have you noticed the surfaces in your home or office seem particularly dusty?

A dusty room is a symptom of low humidity.

When the airborne particles in a room don’t have enough moisture to weigh them down or give them that ” mud” like texture,

they are free to float further and longer and essentially make the room extra Dusty.

  Dustiness is also a major issue when dealing with dry skin.

Your skin is not the only thing absorbing the moisture from the air.

Dust and dry skin.

Dust is also absorbing the moisture, not only out of the air, but out of your skin as well.

You have probably been in a old room where dust has settled for years,

Or maybe you have been around a wood shop where there are mountains of dust everywhere and in the air. 

If you have then you probably noticed how dried out your skin felt afterwards.

It’s the same concept, being in a dusty room with low humidity.

The combination of dust and dry air will suck the moisture right out of your skin.

Humidifier Benefit #4

Reduce dust and dry skin caused by dust

5. Acne

Acne can be a symptom of low humidity. As surprising as that may sound, the effect that dry air has on your skin can facilitate the spread of acne.

Dried cracked skin can allow the bacteria it causes acne to burrow down deeper into the epidermis.

Dry skin can also flake and clog your pores even more.

And finally the imbalance of humidity can cause your skin overcompensate in the creation of oils.

If you are struggling with acne, dry air may be one of your issues. A humidifier can restore the balance of relative moisture back into your air and produce a positive result in your fight against acne.

Humidifier Benefit #5

Help inhibit the spread of Acne

6. Allergies / Asthma triggers

When the air is dry and there is little moisture to cling to the dust particles in the air.

The particulates such as pollen, insect remains, feces, and the other 1000 particles that make up dust, are free to float further through your home than if there was adequate moisture to weigh them down.

Allergies and asthma attacks can result from the lack of moisture that is responsible for reducing household allergens and triggers.

Elechomes SH8820 is a humidifier that does everything you need and more. It also has a carrying handle that puts it above the fray. Pretty sweet.

 

Humidifier Benefit #6

Reduce the travel of allergens in the air

7. Dry eyes

Dry eyes can be described as eyes that have dried out tears.

Hello there are many causes that can cause the tear ducts to produce less tears than they should,

The dry air caused by a lack of humidity can also cause the tears in your eyes to evaporate quickly and leave you with dry burning eyes.

Running a cool mist humidifier will add moisture back into the air and help create an environment where your eyes don’t dry out nearly as bad.

Humidifier Benefit #7

Sooth Dry Eyes 

8. Cold and flu viruses

One of the most fascinating symptoms of low humidity is the easy spread of colds, flus and viruses.

Not only does the lack of moisture in the air create conditions that are conducive to viruses and bacteria traveling further and staying airborne longer,

Low relative humidity has a drying effect on the linings of your airways.
The result of dry mucus linings is they are not able to ward off foreign substances as easily. source

And creates a type of docking effect where viruses and germs can remain longer causing an increased risk of infection.

The National Library of Medicine has stated that the majority of adverse health effects caused by relative humidity would be minimized by maintaining indoor levels between 40 and 60%.

If the flu and cold bug is going through your house, the chances are that your relative humidity is lower than the 40 to 60% optimal range.

The humidifier may help reduce the spread of cold and flu germs, and it can also have a cooling effect on your sinuses when you are struggling with congestion and a raw nose and throat brought on by being sick.

Humidifier Benefit #8

Help Prevent the Spread of Colds and Viruses 

Is a Humidifier Good for Allergies? How So?

Allergies are a topic most of us can identify with.

Allergy symptoms like Itchy burning eyes, sneezing, headaches are all annoyances that we can relate to.

And we can tell you when pollen season has arrived by the way we’re feeling.

But allergies and humidity are not something that we automatically make the connection between.

In fact, you may be surprised to find that the relative humidity, whether high or low, impacts whether or not you may be having allergy and respiratory symptoms.

Low humidity, which would be characterized by a percentage level of 40% and below,
Is the condition known as dry air.

Itchy flaking skin, static electricity, and raw bloody noses, are a regular result of dry air.

High humidity, which would be characterized as humidity 60% or more,
generally results in frizzy hair and a swampy feeling.

But both have elements that cause allergies to flare.

humidifier for allergies

Is a Humidifier Good for Allergies?

A humidifier is a device that adds moisture to the air. It’s that simple.

A humidifier is good for dry air allergies because when there’s a lack of moisture in the air, airborne particles like pollen and mold spores, have nothing to weigh them down and are able to travel further.

On the other hand, when a room has the ideal relative humidity of between 40 and 60 percent, dust particles are not able to float as readily, which makes them not inhaled as easily.

A humidifier also helps moisturize the breathing airways and nasal passages,

bringing a great deal of relief when you are suffering from symptoms like congestion and dry nose, common to colds and allergies.

Humidifier for Allergies 

Our top 2 choices for humidifiers are Levoit and Pure Guardian

Levoit is the mother of all humidifiers.
It has all the features you could ask for in a humidifier and it can be used as either a cool mist or warm mist.

 

 Pure Guardian has just about all the same features as the Levoit but it has  something Levoit doesn’t.

Self cleaning UV and mold resistant plastic.

The newer generation of humidifiers goes the next step in providing remedies for keeping the humidifier from becoming contaminated with bacteria and mold.

This feature alone may very well outweigh the rest.

When is a humidifier not good for allergies?

  A humidifier has a built-in disadvantage in that it has to be cleaned often in order for it not to become a source of airborne allergens itself.

Let me explain a little further,

Because of the nature of the humidifier and the way it works, it requires filling and refilling with water.

Standing water can become contaminated with bacteria in as little as 48 to 72 hours.

Not only the water inside of the basin, but the mouth, the cap, and the filter all have water moving through them and have the capacity to get moldy and covered in bacteria very quickly.

Running a dirty humidifier will take all the germs in the humidifier water and spit them into the air.

Another time when a humidifier is not good for allergies is when the humidity is already high.

A high relative humidity can cause allergies to flare as well as low humidity.

High humidity causes dust mites populations to explode. The humidity in the air is actually what dust mites feed on. Which creates an ideal environment for them to flourish.

Also extra moisture in the air gives mold one of its main components to take root.
And where you have mold you have mold spores traveling through the air, ready to be inhaled.

So when the humidity is high, the last thing you want to do is add more moisture to the air with a humidifier.

A dehumidifier is a device that reduces the moisture in the air.

hygrometer- humidistatDehumidifier for Allergies

 If you have high humidity but your temperatures are not too high, then a dehumidifier may be the ideal machine you need to bring down the overall relative humidity in your home.

If you’re having high humidity combined with high temperatures then you probably already have a window air conditioner for a central heat and air unit that’s running.

Both of these types of air conditioners dehumidify as they cool. Many units allow for the dehumidifier function to run independently. It’s called dry mode on your settings.

Most allergies in relation to humidity can be avoided by keeping your relative humidity between 40 and 60%.

Hygrometer
But to know what your relative humidity is, you have to have a way to measure it.

A hygrometer is a gauge that does just that. You can buy one pretty cheaply.

But they also come standard on a lot of humidifiers and dehumidifiers.

In fact if you are shopping for either a humidifier or dehumidifier, finding one that has a hygrometer / humidistat will help you keep up with your humidity level and help your appliance keep it at an optimal point.

Levoit comes with a hygrometer/ humidistat as a common feature.

Recap

Allergies and allergic symptoms have more to do with the humidity then you may have ever given it credit for.

Most people can tell you when pollen season has arrived because of how it makes them feel,

But most people do not make the connection between humidity and allergies.

Low humidity, known as dry air, allows allergens as well as germs and viruses to float and travel much further.

Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier weighs down airborne particles so that they settle to the surface faster and stay out of the ambient air that you breathe.

Cool mist from a humidifier also hydrates and gives dry and swollen nasal passages some much needed relief .

High humidity is also a problem for allergy sufferers because excessive moisture in the air breeds higher levels of dust mites. It also facilitates the growth of mold.

A dehumidifier is a better option for reducing moisture when temperatures are mild.
If the weather is hot and humid, refrigerated air conditioners also perform as dehumidifiers. Most even have a dry mode setting that allows you to run your AC as a dehumidifier.

A Humidifier for Nosebleeds and Dry Nose Relief?

At the time of writing this article, it is mid September, and the daytime high temperatures are still in the high 90s.

Summer is refusing to give up.

But even though the afternoon highs are still insane, the mornings are getting pretty chilly.

We are moving into Autumn, whether the Summer likes it or not.

One thing that starts to happen when the season changes is that the tissues begin to come out more and more.

Lots of crusty, dried out nasal passages,
and bloody noses.

It’s been happening to me the last few days pretty regularly.

And as we get closer to Winter and deeper into it, the dryness only continues and is perpetuated with heaters and closed up houses.

It’s not uncommon for the nasal passages to get so dry during the winter that they actually crack and bleed.

Nosebleeds are one of the telltale signs that your humidity is definitely too low.

You may have noticed a lot of static electricity in the house too.

The National Library of Medicine says that the majority of adverse health effects caused by relative humidity would be minimized by maintaining indoor levels between 40 and 60%.

This would require humidification during winter areas with cold winter climates.

best humidifier for nosebleedsLow humidity not only affects your nasal passages, it can also have an effect on your capacity to block and resist viral particles from entering your airways.

What’s more, without the proper level of moisture in the air, viral particles have more freedom to travel further inside of a room.

Which means the dry air can make it easier for you to get sick.

It’s pretty obvious that relative humidity affects your life much more than most of us have given it credit for.

Luckily there’s a solution.

The good ‘ol humidifier.

What is the best humidifier for a dry nose?

The best humidifier for nosebleeds is a cool mist humidifier.

When the inside of your nose is dry and cracked, the cool mist that emits from a cool mist humidifier will offer you some much needed relief.

Sleeping next to a cool mist humidifier a few feet away can help you wake up without the pain of having to blow a dried crusty nose out.

Cool mist humidifiers come in the traditional wick style and ultrasonic.

The noise that humidifiers make has been compared to a blanket of white noise that can help your baby sleep.

That’s not a bad point. A sound that helps a baby sleep while it gives them relief from a dried out nose…

Not everybody wants a white noise machine in the bedroom though.

Ultrasonic humidifiers are known for being a quieter choice but if you have dogs sleeping around the house,

They can actually be much louder for canines because of the sensitivity of their hearing.

Humidifier for Dry Nose

 

Fortunately, today’s humidifiers give you a lot more choices than having to pick a cool mist or a warm mist, or just outright owning both a cool mist humidifier and a vaporizer.

The Levoit gives you the option of using your humidifier as a cool mist humidifier or a warm mist humidifier. 2 in 1. 

It also comes with a humidity meter and humidistat to read and give you the capacity to set the humidifier so that it comes on and turns off as needed according to the humidity level in the room.

And it can do all of that through Wi-Fi.
By just accessing the accompanying app, you can schedule your humidifier, set alerts for functions like giving you a heads up when it’s time to fill the water, and when it’s time to clean the machine.

As you probably know, keeping a humidifier clean is the key to preventing it from becoming contaminated with bacteria.

This air humidifier is easy to clean and also comes with a larger basin so that you do not have to fill it as often.

And what’s a modern appliance without a remote control?

best humidifier for dry nose

Humidifier disadvantages

As we have already touched on, humidifiers have a big disadvantage.
They have to be cleaned often.

Bacteria and mold will start building up very quickly around the water cap.
Standing water can become contaminated in as little as 48 hrs.

It’s very important not to run a cool mist humidifier that has standing water in it.

If you do, you risk spreading germs and bacteria throughout the air.

That’s why one of the very first features I suggest looking for in a humidifier is one that is easy to clean.

Warm mist humidifier steamers have an advantage in that they bring the water to a boiling point to produce steam, which can kill bacteria before it becomes a problem.

But using steam to humidify when you have a dried and bloody nose doesn’t give you the same relief as a cool mist humidifier

Best of both worlds.

Germ-free is the next step and humidifier evolution.

There are a couple of humidifiers that use ultraviolet light to kill the bacteria inside of the humidifier before it has a chance to grow. Pure Guardian Ultrasonic has nearly all the features of the Levoit. It’s a combination of a warm and cool humidifier, it has a large tank and an essential oils tray. But it does something that the Levoit does not do and that is provide a UV lamp to kill bacteria. The materials are also made out of treated plastic that also help resist the formation of mold and bacterium inside of the humidifier. Dyson also has a humidifier that uses ultraviolet light to kill the bacteria and protect the user from any type of germ spread from the humidifier. Like most of their products, it is on the expensive side. But it has some features you won’t find with any other brands like for instance, it oscillates. It also makes the claim that it kills 99.99% of bacteria, mold or mildew. And you can add in a “high velocity fan” with the Dyson AM 10.

Nosebleeds, much of the time, are a symptom of low humidity in your home.

When the humidity drops, the body’s source of moisture also diminishes.

But thankfully a cool mist humidifier can replenish the moisture in the air and give you some relief when you have a dry and brittle nose.

Today’s humidifiers come loaded with all the bells and whistles.

Being able to access your humidifier with your smartphone is a fully realized ideal these days.

Alerts telling you when to clean the air purifier and when it’s running out of water are at your fingertips.

  There are even a few options available that give you a germ-free bacteria and mold resistant security.

Ultraviolet light and mold resistant plastic are the new wave of humidifiers and well worth checking out.

Because even though a cool mist humidifier can give you some much-needed relief when your skin and nasal passages are dried out,

Humidifiers have a built-in problem in that they must be cleaned often.

Having a humidifier that’s easy to clean or even better yet a humidifier that is bacteria free using UVC,

is the first thing I want to know when shopping for a humidifier.