5 Types of House Humidifier

If you are looking for a house humidifier for your home, it is important to consider all of the different options available. While all humidifiers may seem to be the same at first glance, the truth is that there are many different kinds, all with their own unique features which provide them with unique advantages and disadvantages. To make the best choice, you will have to consider your individual needs and see which humidifier meets them best. What follows should help you to decide on the type of house humidifier that is right for you.

Vaporizer

Vaporizers are a very cheap and simple type of humidifier. They add humidity to a room by simply heating water until it boils, then allowing the steam to escape. This makes them very reliable and straightforward. Additionally, it ensures the water the vaporizer releases is sterile, as it has been boiled. However, this particular system for increasing humidity also has a few drawbacks.

Steam is hot. Direct exposure to steam that has just left a vaporizer can cause burns. Additionally, vaporizers use more electrical power than many other types of humidifiers, as heating water to the boiling point takes a lot of energy.

Warm Mist

Warm mist type humidifiers are quite similar to vaporizers. They share many of the same advantages and disadvantages. However, they have one feature that vaporizers do not. Instead of releasing hot steam, these humidifiers cool the moisture they release slightly before releasing it, to avoid potential burns from exposure to steam. This causes them to be slightly more complicated—and therefore expensive—than vaporizers. However, they share the high power consumption and sterile moisture that vaporizers are known for.

Evaporation Wick

Evaporation wick type humidifiers work on an entirely different principle than warm mist humidifiers and vaporizers. Instead of heating water until it becomes steam, evaporation wick humidifiers use a two step process. First, the humidifier draws a small amount of water into its cloth or foam wick. Next, the humidifier's fan sends a current of air past the wick. This causes the water to evaporate out of the wick, be carried away on the stream of air, and enter the surrounding air as moisture. Now that the wick is less wet, it absorbs more water and the process begins again. By repeating this process, evaporation wicks can efficiently add moisture to a room.

This type of house humidifier uses much less electricity than humidifiers that heat water. It also tends to do a good job of keeping the amount of humidity in your home at a steady level. This is because making water evaporate is harder if more moisture is in the air. As the air becomes more humid, the evaporation wick becomes less active.

However, the fan that allows the humidifier to do its job does make noise, which can be a problem in some cases.

Ultrasonic

Ultrasonic humidifiers use sound waves to turn water into mist. They are extremely quiet and use little energy.

Impeller

Impellers are another type of humidifier that does not rely on heat. Instead, impellers use a rapidly rotating disc to throw drops of water onto a diffuser, which separates them further and releases them into the air. Impellers have all of the advantages of an evaporation wick, and do not make as much noise.