Table of Contents
Which Humidifier to Choose
Previously, we told you why you need an air humidifier. To some extent, it is best suited for creating a healthy indoor microclimate. Especially in winter In the cold season, the apartments become very dry, and the humidifier normalizes the humidity by spraying the moisture. How exactly does the device spray moisture into the air?
Any air humidifier (the price here does not matter) consists of the essential elements: a reservoir of water and a moisture generator that delivers it to the room. An optional fan may be present. On which method of moisture generation is used, the differences between humidifiers begin.
TWO SIMPLE METHODS OF MOISTENING
The first is the spraying of water without changing its temperature and state. Devices that work on this principle are called traditional devices. In them, air is passed through a moist environment (special filter or cartridge). Since the rounds, due to their density, resist wind, such humidifiers are equipped with powerful fans. The noise level, for this reason, is higher than for other types of humidifiers. The current humidity of the air determines Their performance. This is a natural regulator of its operation since at high moisture the evaporation intensity drops noticeably. Therefore, a traditional humidifier cannot “waterlog” the air.
The second way is to heat the water to the boiling point. Steam humidifiers use it. At the outset of the device, the temperature of the steam is 50-60 ° C, so it is better to avoid contact with it. It is tough to regulate the degree of moistening with this method since with active vaporization the humidity of the air quickly becomes higher than the optimal one. Also, the heating element of the steam humidifier consumes quite a lot of electricity. Before buying, we recommend estimating the approximate expenditure on electricity. For many users, this factor is crucial in the question of whether a steam humidifier is worth buying or not.
AIR WASHERS
One of the types of traditional moisturizers is air cleaning. Sometimes they are considered to be cleaners, but in fact, air washing is an ordinary disc humidifier. In the body of the sink, there are plates fixed to the axis and a container with water. Rotating, these plates capture water from the tank and are transferred to a stream of air where it evaporates. The humidified atmosphere, leaving dust and dirt on the plates, enters the room.
Important point: you must continuously monitor the condition of the tank with water. If it is not cleaned for a long time, microorganisms begin to multiply in the stagnant water. This is fraught with unpleasant smells in the apartment and the spread of infections. In some models, the water in the tank is disinfected with an integrated silver rod. However, its efficiency leaves much to be desired, so we recommend using special antibacterial agents to purify the air. With their help, you protect yourself from infections and increase the period between cleaning the device.
If salt water is poured from the tap into the air sink, salt deposits of air can settle on the plates and rotating elements. Because of this, their mobility and balance can be disturbed. As a result, there are extraneous noises, humidification becomes uneven, overall performance decreases. To avoid this, it is advisable to use dematerialized water in the humidifier.
ULTRASONIC HUMIDIFIERS
Steam and traditional humidifiers gradually give way to a more modern type of instruments – ultrasonic humidifiers. They are bought more often, however, and they have both advantages and disadvantages.
In humidifiers of this type, water is sprayed by ultrasonic waves passing through a reservoir of water. Waves, moving through water, create in it areas of low and high pressure. In the low-pressure zone, cavities filled with water vapor appear in the liquid. The collapse of these bubbles creates shock waves, causing the smallest particles of moisture to fly off the surface of the water. This is how steam is produced in ultrasonic humidifiers.
Ultrasonic waves are mechanical vibrations. As a rule, in humidifiers, they are produced by a thin piezoelectric membrane, which oscillates under the influence of an electric field. The main advantage of this method of moisturizing is that it is virtually noiseless.
But he also has a drawback. And he is all connected with the same salts in the water. They are sprayed together with the steam in the air and then settle on furniture, household appliances, and other surfaces. Many users of ultrasonic humidifiers are complaining about this white coating.
WHAT SHOULD THE HUMIDIFIER HAVE?
The humidifier is appreciated, first of all, not by the type of spraying of water in the air, but by its productivity. This indicator indicates how much water evaporates the device per unit time. The capacity of the humidifier is measured in kg / h or l / h, which is the same. For a room of about 20-30 sq.m. The performance of the air humidifier, as a rule, should be 0.3-0.5 kg / h. Compare the performance of different types of humidifiers and their power consumption.
The ultrasonic air humidifier at the consumption of 30-50 W can give out the necessary 0,5 kg / h. You can buy such a device at a price of about 1-10 thousand rubles.
In steam humidifiers, the productivity can vary from an average (0.3 kg / h) to a very high (1 kg / h and more). Typically, the performance directly depends on the power consumption: the steam generator can consume up to 300-600 watts.
About 0.1-0.3 kg / h (at a power of 20-50 W) gives a traditional air humidifier. Buy it at a price lower than that of an ultrasonic humidifier; it is unlikely to work – the devices are in approximately the same price category.
Air washes are usually more expensive than traditional humidifiers. At the same time, they have low power consumption (around 10 W), but not the highest output – about 0.2-0.3 kg / h.
This is a brief overview of air humidifiers. Which is better: ultrasonic, steam or traditional – you decide. In any case, whatever type of device you choose, remember that the optimum humidity is only part of a healthy microclimate. The ideal combination of appliances for the cold season – it is supplied ventilation and a humidifier, working in pairs.
ARE THERE ANY MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS?
From a medical point of view, the method of moistening does not affect health in any way, since the evaporating element in the working humidifier affects only water. For example, in an ultrasonic humidifier, the ultrasound does not go beyond the body of the device. If the equipment is defective or defective, then it can cause harm to a person. The “leakage” of ultrasound can be determined by the behavior of cats whose hearing is working in a different range so that they hear ultrasound.
Also, we have already said above that you should regularly clean the water tank. If this is not done, over time the device can turn into a hotbed of microorganisms, including pathogens of various diseases.
RESULTS: WHAT YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO
For a person, it’s not the humidifier that matters, but the humidity level in the room. Relative air humidity should be from 50 to 70%. The use of a humidifier makes sense only when the concentration of water in the air becomes lower than this norm. At a relative humidity of 30% and a temperature of 20-24 ° C, it must evaporate around the clock at least 0.3 kg / h.
