Humidifiers Explained And Great Buying Tips

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Thursday, 24 July 2008

Home / Health

By:John Morris

Humidifiers add moisture to dry air thus relieving discomforts such as dryness throat, nose, skin and lips. Studies however show that excess moisture may aid in the growth of bacteria and micro organisms like dust mites and molds in the household. Cool mist humidifiers, as studied by the Environmental Protection Agency, can scatter such micro organisms into the air from their water tanks. Therefore it is advised that regular cleaning and care plus using distilled water instead of mineral water are essential to limit this problem. Note that warm mist humidifiers or steam vaporizer has been studied not to scatter large amounts of inorganic substances.

1. Humidifier Care And Maitenance

- Unplug the unit and clear out the tank and remove with a dry cloth all wet surfaces and refill with water having low mineral content to prevent bacterial build up and scattering of minerals to the air. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instruction in water changing in a console humidifier.
- Do not humidify when humidity levels exceed fifty percent, since high humidity can encourage biological organisms to grow in the house. When water condenses or consolidates on the walls, windows or the glass of picture frame, transfer the humidifier or lessen its usage.
- Keep the area around the humidifier dry, not damp. If dampness does occur, from time to time turn the output volume down.
- Always follow the instructions in the manufacturer’s manual concerning the maintenance and materials that are to be replaced, making sure that you only use materials that are recommended by the manufacturer.
- Every after each humidifying session, clean the humidifier according to the manual’s instruction. When the item is to be stored, store it in a dry room, making certain that all parts are wiped dry and throw away all used filters, demineralization cartridges or cassettes. Likewise after storage and before use, clean all parts and make sure that it is dust free.
- If for some reason you suspect that you are having respiratory problems in which you think is associated with your humidifier, even if all care and maintenance is strictly followed, stop using your humidifier at once and have an appointment with doctor for check up.

2. Humidifier Benefits

- Provides a soothing warm mist
- Kills bacteria
- Relieves sore throats and opens nasal passages
- Alleviates other cold and flu symptoms
- Cleans air of dust and harmful particles
- Relatively quiet

3. Downsides

- Needs cleaning
- Occasionally needs replacement of new filters
- Needs to be refilled often
- Takes 30 minutes to reach desired humidity
- Some water tanks difficult to fill

4. Humidifier Troubleshooting:

Q. Why is the water not being used?

- Filter has not been absorbing water. Wait for fifteen minutes before turning the unit on
- Mineral build up in the tray. Unit needs to be cleaned
- The filter needs replacement. Buy a new filter

Q. Why is water leaking from the tank?

- Missing rubber tank ring
- Tank ring not properly positioned
- Cap needs to be positioned securely
- Small crack in tank possible

Q. Why is the filter brown in color?

- The filter is very dirty and needs to be changed.

Q. Why is the refill light flashing?

- Empty water tank. Refill it with water
- The unit is not able to reset after a water refill. Turn the knob to reset and follow manual’s resetting instruction
- The tray is full of scale build up. Remove the tray, brush tray with warm soapy water and rinse

Article Source: http://www.dailynewarticles.com

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