The purpose of a humidifier is to put moisture back into the air. It may be used when living in a warm or cold, dry climate. According to the I Allergy website, humidifiers can help "alleviate symptoms of dry air, such as sinus headaches, dry skin, sneezing and coughing," as well as itchy eyes, cracked lips, sore scratchy throats, nose bleeds and sinus infections. The cool mist humidifier is also the safest humidifier on the market. It does not use heat or boil water, and therefore does not run the risk of accidental burning or scalding.
Types and Methods
Cool mist humidifiers can raise the humidity level back to 25 to 55 percent and make for easier breathing. There are a couple of cool mist humidifiers that use different methods for humidifying and they each have their own benefits. An evaporative humidifier uses a fan to blow air over a saturated wick filter blowing the moisture into the air. The filters trap the minerals in the water, releasing a cleaner, purer mist into the air. The ultrasonic cool mist humidifier uses high-frequency sound waves and vibrations to propel water into the air, which, according to the I Allergy website, is an ultra-fine vapor mist that resembles fog.
Size and Efficiency
Cool mist humidifiers come in both small and large sizes. A small size, known as a tabletop, can humidify one room. A large size, known as a console, can humidify an entire house. According to the Allergy Be Gone website, the cool mist humidifier is more effective in larger areas. The small size humidifiers make it easy for carrying, filling and cleaning. The Consumer Search website states that "Evaporative humidifiers are among the most energy efficient." The cool mist ultrasonic humidifier is a small tabletop humidifier that is also energy efficient. The I Allergy website calls it "ultra quiet, near silent operation."
Cleanliness
According to the I Allergy website, "a cool mist evaporative humidifier adds moisture into the air using the principles of natural evaporation, which is the cleanest method of humidification." While most cool mist humidifiers need to have the filter replaced, some models come with wick filters that can be cleaned. The use of filters helps to capture microorganisms and minerals from the water and ensures they are not being dispersed into the air. The ultrasonic humidifier uses demineralization cartridges, and although not 100 percent effective, it helps to trap the minerals in the water before evaporating it into the air.
