All humidifiers, according to the principle of their operation, are divided into ultrasonic models and steam devices. Users often wonder about the advisability of purchasing an expensive and in need of constant care device operating on ultrasound. You will need to familiarize yourself with the features of this product and the effect it has on family members.
The need for humidifiers
Excessively dry air, like dust accumulating over time, negatively affects the health of apartment residents and their young children. If you have an ultrasonic or steam humidifier, you can forget about various troubles and viral diseases for a long time. The natural humidity of the air, which is maintained at the required level for a long time, has a positive effect on health.
When choosing the right model, it is important to consider that in addition to humidification, this device is capable of:
- settle dust microparticles;
- clean the air from the street from harmful bacteria;
- flavor it.
The listed advantages allow you to save the health of not only small children, but also newborns.
Principle of operation and device
The principle of operation of the ultrasonic humidifier:
- Water from the tank is fed to a special plate vibrating at a high frequency, characteristic of ultrasound.
- Due to high-frequency vibrations, the liquid turns into a finely dispersed water suspension.
- The air flow generated by the built-in fan directs the mist to the humidified area, where it is transformed into steam.
The vapors formed in this way resemble clouds of fog gradually spreading throughout the entire serviced space.
Since the human ear is not adapted to the perception of sounds in the ultrasonic range, such devices are perceived by users as completely silent. When the device is turned on, a person will be able to hear the slight noise of a miniature fan operating.
The moisture obtained as a result of membrane vibrations is picked up by the air flow and enters the room through a special spray nozzle. The latter is designed so that the mist from the vapors penetrates into the most distant corners of the room.
Features of using an ultrasonic humidifier
Since the water used as a source of moisture most often contains salt impurities dissolved in it, during evaporation they settle on the surrounding objects in the form of a white coating. In addition, they accumulate on the inner surfaces of the device itself and clog the filter element present in it. To protect the inside of the device from destruction and not damage the carbon filter, it is recommended to use only purified (distilled or bottled) water for refueling.
The features and advantages of using ultrasonic humidifying devices include:
- ease of maintenance (to turn them on, just plug the plug into the socket and press the "Start" button);
- complete noiselessness of work;
- high speed of humidification;
- the possibility of increasing the humidity indicator up to 90%.
An insignificant disadvantage of this type of humidifier is the formation of white plaque on surrounding objects and surfaces after prolonged operation of the device.
Benefit and harm
To create a comfortable microclimate in a house or apartment, an appropriate level of humidity is required. If this requirement is violated, the inhabitants of the dwelling may be weak and unwell. Too humid or very dry air affects not only the human condition, but also the objects surrounding him in the room.
How is the device useful?
Steam and ultrasonic humidifiers normalize heat exchange processes in city apartments and country houses. This has a beneficial effect on the tone of adults and kids. More heat accumulates in the baby's body. If dry air prevails in the rooms, the child's body loses moisture, which leads to a noticeable thickening of the blood and disruption of the functioning of the body. Speaking about the undesirable or very bad consequences of a low level of humidity in the house, one should not forget about the respiratory organs, with which problems are also possible.
The humidifying device reduces the risk of spreading acute respiratory infections and eliminates the likelihood of developing otitis media, bronchitis and other diseases. In addition, it prevents the multiplication of allergens and the appearance of exacerbations in people dependent on this disease. In general, the effect of the device has a beneficial effect on the skin condition of adults and children.
Moisturizing helps older people who, after 60-70 years old, have dry skin, accompanied by unpleasant "senile" itching. Also, the general well-being and mood of all people living in the house improves.
Humidification has a beneficial effect on the furniture available in the apartment or house, which in this case is not subject to drying out and cracking. The same can be said about domestic plants, the development of which is noticeably accelerated in conditions of normal humidity.
Potential harm
When describing the beneficial properties of humidifiers, one should not overlook the harm that can be done to a person due to improper handling. A positive effect is possible only with strictly standardized air humidification, which does not exceed the permissible limit. Violation of this requirement leads to the following undesirable consequences:
- deterioration in the general well-being of residents;
- the appearance of pathogenic fungi and bacteria in the air and on things;
- rapid wear and tear of surrounding things made of natural materials;
- the development of the disease in plants.
When the air becomes too humid, its average temperature drops sharply.
How to prevent harmful action
All of these troubles can be avoided by proper handling of the humidifier, the order of which is given in the instructions. This requires:
- constantly monitor the level of humidity in the room;
- monitor the condition of the internal surfaces of the humidifier;
- periodically change the cleaning filters.
If all these recommendations are followed, the device will last a very long time, the harmful effects from it will be minimized.
Differences between ultrasonic and steam humidifiers
In the case of a steam appliance, air humidification occurs by bringing the poured liquid to the boiling point. The resulting steam comes out through special openings and spreads throughout the room.
The peculiarity and disadvantage of this method is that the steam comes out of the device very hot, which does not exclude the possibility of burns. For this reason, the operating instructions for steam products specifically mention the danger of approaching the working openings.Particular attention is paid to young children who can be seriously injured.
A steam humidifier is considered more efficient when maximum humidity is required. This opportunity is convenient for owners of premises where the hostess breeds a large number of tropical plants. In this type of appliance, the evaporation water is not passed through the filters, which simplifies their maintenance and reduces the cost.
Ultrasonic analogs of a steam device are distinguished by the fact that a special plate vibrating at a high frequency is responsible for the formation of a "foggy cloud" in them. The fumes emanating from the appliance are at normal temperature and do not pose a threat to others. Therefore, ultrasonic humidifiers are completely safe in comparison with steam humidifiers. In addition, they are distinguished by significant performance and can be used in large apartments.
Selection Tips
When choosing a suitable model of a humidifier, it is customary to be guided by the parameters of the device, which are of particular importance during its operation:
- unit performance;
- the power of the humidifying device;
- the level of noise it creates.
The performance is selected depending on the area that the device will have to serve. The practice of using ultrasonic devices has shown that for rooms up to 30 m2 a productivity from 300 to 400 ml / hour is considered sufficient. More productive devices are capable of handling up to 70 m2 living space, which corresponds to an average-sized two-room apartment. This indicator for such devices reaches 500-600 ml / hour.
The power of the purchased product is directly related to its performance, which forces the user to select them through a given ratio. The correctness of this choice will allow you to save on the purchased model (it is unreasonable to overpay for excess power and performance). The following pattern is also observed: the more options a particular model has, the higher its power indicator should be. At the same time, the energy consumed from the network and the cost of paying for it increases.
When assessing the noise level of the purchased device, it should be borne in mind that in winter it sometimes works for hours. If this indicator does not meet the requirements of sanitary standards, you can forget about the comfort of staying in the room. Therefore, you should choose a device whose noise characteristics are extremely low and amount to no more than 25 dB.
Service
Regardless of the type, cost and functionality, air humidifying devices need timely care. In some models of ultrasonic humidifiers, filters have to be changed every 3 months. Also, service involves the following mandatory procedures:
- washing the device body under running water at least once a week;
- cleaning the container from salt deposits as the surfaces become dirty;
- complete disinfection of the device, carried out at least once a month.
To clean humidifiers, special chemicals are used, which are expensive, but they do an excellent job of their task. However, to remove contamination, it is allowed to use conventional means, for example, an aqueous solution of laundry soap.
