Proven tips for using a humidifier

When it comes to comfort, air temperature and relative humidity are closely related. Check out these helpful tips for understanding how and when to use a humidifier to make your household more comfortable.

Most people are comfortable when the temperature is between 20° and 25°C(65° and 75° F) and the relative humidity is between 30 and 65 percent. This is why it often makes sense to use humidifiers in the summer in warm dry climates, and during cold periods in areas with dry winters. In either case, you gain significant comfort for a small price.

If you have forced-air heating, a humidifier can be attached to the system and will add moisture to your home as it heats. A power humidifier, which sprays mist into the air stream, works better than a passive-type unit. If you don't have forced-air heating but don't like the idea of carrying buckets of water every day, consider installing an automatic unit, which is fed by tubes connected to your plumbing.

All humidifiers increase the relative humidity in the house. But they differ significantly in appearance, operation, cost and maintenance requirements. You can choose portable units, or have one central unit installed in the ductwork of a forced-air heating and cooling system.

• Evaporative humidifiers are least expensive. They rely on a rotating drum or belt to deliver moisture that is dispersed by a fan.
• Ultrasonic humidifiers contain a nebulizer that produces mist with high-frequency vibration.
• Warm-mist humidifiers, which are the safest, boil water in a chamber, then cool the steam by mixing it with air.

You must add water to a humidifier to keep it operating properly. How much water you need and how often you need to add it depend on the unit and how often it is used. Humidifiers are equipped with a switch that turns the unit off when it runs out of water. Even if the unit is running, though, it may not humidify properly if the water level is too low.

• Always turn the humidifier off before removing the tank for refilling.
• If you get your water from a well or live in an area with hard water, you will get less mineral buildup if you use bottled distilled water in the humidifier rather than tap water.

The filter in a humidifier reduces mineral deposits and discourages the growth and spread of bacteria, mold and fungi.

• Sometimes evaporative humidifiers contain disposable floating filters that wick water toward the fan.
• Ultrasonic humidifiers may contain replaceable mineral filters housed in a cartridge.
• Clean or replace any filter as often as the manufacturer suggests.
• Replace moisture pads in furnace-mounted humidifiers every year.

There you go -- keep these helpful hints in  mind when using a humidifier and your home will be fresh and comfortable.