What Does a Humidifier Do?

What Does a Humidifier Do?

Humidifiers increase the moisture of indoor air. The difference between a humidifier and a vaporizer is that a humidifier puts out cool mist, while a vaporizer releases hot steam.
This article explains the types, advantages, and disadvantages of humidifiers, including using one when you are sick or for your sleeping environment.

Purpose of a Humidifier

Some signs you may need a humidifier include congestion or throat irritation due to dry air, allergies, or an infection.
Humidifiers are beneficial because they increase the moisture in your home, helping eliminate dry air that can exacerbate symptoms like a stuffy nose.1

For the Air

Since humidifiers put moisture into the air, the direct purpose of a humidifier is to improve air quality. Some signs of dry air quality include:
• Constantly feeling thirsty: People working in drier rooms have more indications of dehydration.3
• You get nosebleeds: Dry air can lead to nosebleeds by drying out nasal passages and making their blood vessels more fragile.4
• Your throat is sore, dry, or you have a tickle in your throat: Studies have found that higher indoor humidity levels had lower odds of people reporting throat dryness or irritation.5
• You have dry skin or lips: Studies have found that low humidity contributes to reduced skin barrier function and increased risk of mechanical stress.6
• You feel stressed: A 2020 study found that workers in offices with adequate humidity levels experienced 25% less stress than those who worked in drier offices.7
• Your asthma symptoms are worse: Dry air can trigger airway narrowing.8
If you notice these symptoms, it could be because your indoor air is dry.

When You’re Sick

When you are sick—especially with an upper respiratory infection like the flu, COVID-19, or a cold—a humidifier can help increase air moisture so that the associated symptoms are lessened.
Further, studies have found that reduced humidity levels are associated with flu outbreaks in temperate climates and that humidifier use reduced flu-positive samples compared to control rooms.9 Therefore, humidifiers may also potentially reduce the chance of infection.
Other Strategies to Use When Ill
In addition to using a humidifier, other steps you can take to treat the flu and other respiratory viruses include:
• Get plenty of rest.
• Avoid smoking or vaping and secondhand smoke.
• Drink lots of water.
• Use a saltwater gargle or suck on lozenges for a sore throat.
• See a healthcare provider for symptoms that worsen or cause concern.

For Sleep

When you sleep, you go for long periods without drinking water and may sleep with your mouth open, leading to a dried-out throat. When the air in your bedroom is too dry, you may have trouble sleeping.10
Using heated humidity in a CPAP may reduce nose and throat dryness while using the machine.11

Comparing Humidifier Types

There are several types of humidifiers. These include:
• Cool mist: These emit room-temperature moisture into the air. These require regular, careful cleaning to avoid mineral and bacterial buildup.
• Vaporizer (warm mist): Warm mist vaporizers heat water and disperse steam into the air. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), vaporizers can cause nasal passages to swell and make breathing difficult.13 They also pose a risk of burns, so avoid using them with kids.
• Humidifier/air purifier combo: These devices combine air purifier technology with humidifier technology. They may be especially useful for those with allergies and asthma.
• Whole-house humidifier: While most humidifiers are portable units that you can move from room to room, some devices can be installed with your heating and cooling (HVAC) system to disperse humidity throughout your home.

Humidifier Downsides: When Are They Unsafe?

As long as humidifiers are appropriately cared for, they usually do not pose a problem. However, in some circumstances, humidifiers can make you sick or cause injuries.

Watch out for the following situations:

• Illness from breathing in dirty mist: Flu-like symptoms and serious infection may occur. This risk is higher for sensitive people, like those with asthma or allergies.14
• Toxic chemicals: If you use cleaning agents on the machine, you might breathe in toxic vapors when they get into the air.15
• Steam burns: Injury is possible when using warm mist humidifiers because they use heated water.
To avoid these risks, clean your humidifier often, use distilled water, don’t use chemicals to clean the device, and use cool-mist varieties.

Summary

Humidifiers may help people breathe easier when they have dry indoor air, have allergies or asthma, or are sick. However, humidifiers can pose a health risk when not properly cared for. Cleaning your humidifier regularly and avoiding warm-mist varieties can help you avoid humidifier-related risks.