Dry air at home – how to humidify it during the heating season?

Dry air is a problem in many homes and apartments, especially during the heating season. How to deal with this troublesome condition? It all depends on the extent of the problem.

Dry air: why is it so troublesome?

Dry air at home is definitely not good for the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the proper level of air humidity in the rooms we stay in. The problem intensifies during the heating period when apartments are constantly heated. The heating of air in rooms causes its drying.

Bad influence of dry air on health

In order to control humidity levels, one should first of all equip oneself with a hygrometer or a weather station showing air humidity levels. According to the recommendations, the correct humidity level is between 40-60% and the temperature should not exceed 22 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately, these parameters are often different in our homes and workplaces. Frequent changes in temperature and humidity adversely affect the mucous membranes, which become dry and thus more susceptible to all types of infections (poor condition of the mucous membranes makes it easier for pathogenic microorganisms to enter the body). This condition is also very unfavourable for allergy sufferers in whom dry air increases unpleasant symptoms, such as runny nose, cough or itchy eyes

Traditional methods of home air humidification

The problem of dry air at home is not new. In the past, people used to cope with this problem by placing wet towels on radiators. This is the easiest way to humidify the air in rooms with radiators. You can also get special containers to hang on the radiator, into which you pour water. Under the influence of temperature, water evaporates, eliminating the problem of dry air . However, you need to remember to constantly replenish the liquid in the container. However, it is obvious that such traditional methods will only work in situations where the level of humidity is only slightly different from the norm.

Devices for humidifying air at home

When the level of humidity in our apartment is very low, home methods of raising it may not be effective enough. Then you should consider getting professional air humidification equipment. There are many electric humidifiers on the market. How to choose the right one? It is not that simple. Many devices on offer have too small reservoirs for their effect to be satisfactory. They cause water to condense on surrounding surfaces, thus damaging floors or furniture

What determines the type of air freshener?

When deciding on the choice of an air humidifier, several factors should be taken into account:

• thearea that the device is able to humidify – if you want to improve the air quality in a room of 20-25 m², then you need to check in the specifications of the device what area it is able to handle and whether it falls within our range;
• thevolume of the water tank – this is a key issue, which determines how long the device will be able to work on a single filling; it is also worth finding out whether it is necessary to use distilled water or whether you can, for example, buy water treatment filters for the device, which makes it easier to use (you can then directly pour in tap water)
• whether the device is ultrasonic – there are many air humidifiers on the market, however, some of them use ultrasonic technology to break down water molecules; this prevents liquids from condensing on the surfaces around the device, protecting them from damage;
• whether it has an air purification function – in stores with this type of equipment you will find multifunction units, which in addition to humidifying also offer air purification in the room, which is particularly important now, when the problem of smog is growing every year;
• whether you can dose essential oils – air humidifiers can also serve as a device for aromatherapy or replace the traditional air fresheners; however, they must have an appropriate container, into which we pour the oil – we never do it directly into the water tank, because it can lead to damage.