Household air humidifier - which is better to choose and what to look for

Household air humidifiers are classified as "climatic" and not as well known as most household appliances. But in some cases, they are needed in the house, especially if someone from the family has a painful reaction to insufficient moisture( unfortunately, not everyone can tolerate excessively dry air).Humidifiers are designed to maintain it at the required level in any enclosed space( separate room).

In this sense, they are devices for individual use and absolutely do not interfere with all other household members. By definition of specialists, it is acceptable for a person to have a moisture level ranging from 35 to 65%( depending on the temperature in the room).But if in the house this indicator is understated, then the air humidifier is really necessary, and for all, and first of all it concerns the children.

By the way, many plants are also very sensitive to humidity in the room. If there are problems with their normal development, then perhaps the reason is the lack of moisture content in the air.

Such devices are mobile, do not require special installation and can be placed in any part of the building, as during operation they( depending on the model) do not interfere with anyone( the level of noises is practically not perceived by the human hearing aid).Control of the switching on / off of the humidifier is automatic and the only thing that is required is a connection to the power grid and timely replenishment of water supplies.

According to the engineering solution implemented in the device design, all such products are divided into 3 groups. Without going into the technical nuances of functioning( someone is not interested, and some may not understand), we will only consider the general principle of their work and some features.

There is no sense in listing all the advantages and disadvantages of humidifiers, as manufacturers constantly improve their models, improving their characteristics, adding new "services".The general review will give an idea of which model to prefer.

Types of humidifiers

Ultrasonic

Such devices are considered to be the most effective. The principle of operation can be described as follows: water is being loaded - water "dust" enters the room. But with all their merits, such humidifiers have a significant "minus" - they are very demanding on the quality of the water being poured.

If there is an excessive presence of various chemical compounds( salts), they will fall out as a sediment on everything in the room, including, and on the floor, walls, ceiling. For someone who does not want to regularly clean a whitish coating from a damp cloth with all the items, you will have to change the cleaning filter as often as possible. The periodicity depends on the chemical composition of the liquid, so the replacement can be carried out on average once every 2 to 4 weeks. Another option is to pour distilled water.

Steam

These are not very different( according to the principle of operation) from many electronic / household appliances - steamers, kettles, steamers. From the name it is clear that such humidifiers saturate the ambient air in pairs.

The following "pluses" can be noted:

the air in the room is saturated with moisture rather quickly;
steam humidifiers are the first in performance among analogues;
is a greater limit of humidity control, so it is perfect for winter garden, greenhouse and so on;
if the package contains special nozzles, then the device can be used as an inhaler;
does not have to change cartridges - they simply do not.

According to the owners, with their task, these humidifiers are doing quite well, but with the disadvantages, it's not so simple:

to get steam, you need to boil water. Consequently, the energy consumption level is quite high. Given the constant increase in tariffs, operation is also somewhat costly;
heating elements in the process of work can fail, so you have to buy new ones;
as with other similar devices, scale appears on the inner surface of the tank over time. What is this problem, nobody needs to explain;
as the liquid is brought to the boiling point, then such humidifiers require not only accurate handling, but also the correct choice of the installation site. First of all - with the aim to exclude free access to the children's appliance. Yes, and the noise emitted by the device during the boiling of the liquid is well audible.

Humidifiers of "cold" type

These humidifiers are sometimes called "cold steam" devices, "traditional".The principle of their operation is based on the natural evaporation of the liquid, and the intensity of the process is regulated by the speed of the built-in fan.

Advantages of

Humidification of premises is excluded, as the process proceeds naturally.
En / consumption - the minimum( no more than 15 W), only for the fan.

Cons

Dimensions somewhat larger than those of other types of humidifiers.
You also need to periodically reset the filter.
They are not able to provide more than 55 -60% humidity.
Noises( up to 40 dB) when switched on at night are unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. And in the daytime, not everyone will like this.

There are devices that have, along with others( air purification, ionization, aromatization), and the function of humidification. They are also called "harvesters", "climatic machines".But they are characterized as a more complex design, and an expanded list of maintenance activities. It is clear that the price for them is much higher.

As practice shows, for household use, the functions of moistening and cleansing are most in demand. Therefore, it is much more expedient to purchase 2 different models. One will saturate the air with moisture, and the other will clear it of dust.

The cost of

It is difficult to name even the average value, because the price depends on many factors: the manufacturer, the design, the principle of operation, the volume of the liquid container and so on. The cost of the cheapest humidifiers starts from 1 550 rubles, but the most popular ultrasonic models for less than 4,500 - 5,000 rubles are not sold.

What to look for

Capacity of the tank. For an ordinary living room, not more than 5 liters.
Presence of hygrostat. In some cheap humidifiers it is not, therefore it is necessary to buy additionally. Therefore, you need to focus on the total cost of such a "set", and not only on the price list of the humidifier itself. But if the type of the device with "cold steam" is chosen, then the hygrostat to such models is not needed by definition.
Performance. If the humidifier is selected for installation in any part of the house, the dimensions of the largest of the rooms in which it is to be used should be taken into account.
Additional functions and automation. The question to ask is whether they are all necessary? Any "service" only increases the cost of the device, but whether it really is needed, everyone evaluates himself.

It should be noted one more point in choosing a humidifier model - operating costs. This is rarely thought of, and then it turns out that its cartridge serves not more than a few weeks, its cost is impressive, and you can buy only at 1 point of the city, where else to go and go. There may be a lot of options, but you still need to evaluate all the difficulties that you will have to face later.

It remains to add and technical support of the product. The warranty period, who will help after its completion, how things are with the purchase of spare parts and so on. This also requires a separate clarification.