Sore throat and blocked nose? Humidifiers to the rescue!
If the air in your home is too dry, the symptoms mentioned above may occur. That's when you should start thinking about getting a humidifier. Read on to find out what to look out for.
Dry air coming from the heating system is more of a problem than you think. There might not be any scientific studies to prove it, but humidifiers do help. The Federal Office of Public Health recommends humidifying any room with less than 30% humidity at a room temperature of around 20 degrees. With the help of hygrometers, it's easy to measure humidity levels. Find out here which devices are available and what you need to know before you purchase one.
Why is humid air better?
Breathing is easier and you’re less likely to catch a cold or a cough, as moist mucous membranes are less susceptible to bacteria and viruses. If there's fine dust, it's even more uncomfortable to stay in a room.
Evaporators
With these devices, the so-called evaporator cassette fills up with liquid and the dry air is sucked through the cassette with the help of a fan. As a result, moisture is released into the air. Evaporators are very efficient and don't consume much energy. If the filters are cleaned regularly, there’s no danger of germs or bacteria developing.
Ultrasonic nebulisers
As the name suggests, these nebulisers come with a membrane that vibrates with ultrasound and breaks liquid particles down into a fog so that they can spread out with the help of a fan and evaporate in the room. This fog is visible, cold and harmless. These devices also require little power and offer good performance. As water contains limestone, particles may also find their way into your home. For this reason, ultrasonic nebulisers should always be used with a descaling cartridge. As mentioned above, antibacterial tablets kill any bacteria in the water.
Vaporisers
Vaporisers heat the liquid until it turns into germ-free steam, which spreads out into the room and humidifies the air. These devices are ideal for anyone who suffers from allergies. Vaporisers should be equipped with a hygrostat whenever possible. Why? They’re very powerful and can quickly cause the air to become too humid if no hygrostat is installed. Also, make sure to descale your vaporiser regularly, as there will be limescale on the heating plate after a while.
Go to our full range of humidifiers on Galaxus.
What about germs in stagnant water?
If you use your devices properly, there's nothing to worry about. In the case of ultrasonic nebulisers, antibacterial tablets ensure that nothing can happen. With evaporators, replaceable filter mats take over this function. On top of this, the water in evaporators is heated and germs are killed off. Manufacturers also offer silver-plated pins that prevent germs. My last recommendation is to clean your devices regularly.
What about mould?
This danger also only exists if you don't use your humidifier properly. With evaporators, the air is drawn through a water-soaked cassette – if the room air is saturated with moisture, no more air is released. Both evaporators and ultrasonic nebulisers could theoretically over-humidify the air, but most models are equipped with a timer and hygrostats to prevent this. Nevertheless, keeping an eye on the hygrostat is recommended.
Header image: Humidifiers are the solution to dry air, a sore throat and a blocked nose.
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Raphael Knecht
Senior Editor
raphael.knecht@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.
