Which Will Work Better for You: Air Purifier or Humidifier

Which Will Work Better for You: Air Purifier or Humidifier

An air purifier or a humidifier can affect the air that you breathe in your home, the benefits of either are unique. The type of healthy environment that you hope to achieve will determine which of the two will do a better job for you. They are two different types of machines that have very different purposes. If you understand the differences between the two, you will be better able to choose which one will help provide the end result that you want.

The Difference Between an Air Purifier and a Humidifier

The sole purpose of an air purifier is to clean the air by removing any pollutants that are present. It will achieve this purification by using a fan and a filter to draw air into the machine, push it through a filter, which in turn captures or traps any pollutants, and then the “cleaned” air is returned the back into the room. An air purifier does not add any moisture to the air, so it has no affect at all on indoor relative humidity.

A humidifier will not clean the air. Its purpose is to add moisture to the air by either introducing water vapor as steam, using ultrasonic technology to vibrate water droplets into the air, or by evaporation of water and using a fan and a wick to disburse the water into the air. You should always fill your humidifier with distilled water, that way you are not adding any minerals into the air.

In What Ways May These Two Machines Affect…

People That Suffer from Asthma/Allergies? – Air purifiers are designed to reduce allergens that are present in the air. If someone suffers from allergies or asthma, an air purifier will reduce pollutants like pet dander, dust mites, mold spores, and pollen. Pollutants like these, once airborne, can remain suspended in the air for hours and hours. By removing, or reducing, pollutants like these from the air, an air purifier will lessen an individual’s exposure to them. In turn, this will lessen the various pollutants impact on that individual’s health.

A humidifier will not affect the amount of allergens in the air, but it may help reduce the severity of symptoms they cause. By adding moisture to the air, a humidifier will help keep nasal and throat passages from drying out and becoming irritated.

The Severity of Common Colds and Respiratory Irritation – Most air purifiers can do nothing to help you once you have gotten a cold. Due to the size of many viruses, they may pass through the filter on the air purifier. That said, a purifier does remove many allergens, so using one will reduce your chances of getting sick in the first place.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a cool-mist humidifier can ease the symptoms of a cold or an irritated respiratory condition. It will not cure your cold but using one to increase humidity to acceptable levels and may affect the infectiousness of viruses, thus reduce you chances of getting a cold in the first place.

Dry Air – An air purifier does not add moisture to the air and thus, will do nothing to affect a home’s humidity levels. If you home has a problem with air that is too dry, an air purifier is not the answer.

The purpose of a humidifier is to add moisture to the air, so it will do a great job of increasing a home’s humidity and eliminating drier air. When the relative humidity is kept in the 30-50% range, nose and throat irritation is lessened. Care must be taken not to add too much moisture into the air. Doing that may make it possible for mold and viruses to flourish.

Which Works Better?

Circumstances will determine which of these machines will be the most beneficial to you. An air purifier removes allergens from the air and using one year round may be the way to go, especially if you or a member of you household has pre-existing conditions or is sensitive to things like mold and pollen. Breathing cleaner air is always a good thing.

A humidifier will keep the humidity level of your home from becoming too dry. If you have an infant or younger children in your home, a humidifier can help by keeping their air passages from shrinking due to dryness. Keeping humidity levels closer to the 50% range can also reduce the infectiousness of many viruses.

A word of warning concerning humidifiers: they must be kept clean. They should be wiped down and allowed to dry out on a regular basis to prevent mold from forming inside or on the surface of the humidifier.

Our Final Thoughts

An air purifier can be used year round, but you need to  replace or clean its filter(s) on schedule. A humidifier, on the other hand, may not be required 365 days a year. If you are experiencing feelings of nasal and throat irritation, you need to determine the reason why. It could be because of relative humidity or it could be because of a hidden mold problem.

Water Mold Fire Restoration can help you to determine the cause of your air quality problems, whether there is too much humidity, too little humidity, or maybe there is a mold problem that you are unaware of. Our technicians have the experience, and more importantly the investigative instruments, to search out and identify air quality issues in your home or business. If you would like a no cost, no obligation inspection of any potential air quality problem, contact us at 800-905-0277, or at help@watermoldfire.net.