The use of a humidifier is able to maintain the humidity of the air. Nevertheless, you have toppay attention to the rules of use humidifier so that benefitshisfor health can be obtained.
A humidifier is an air humidifier that works by spraying water vapor into the air. Using a humidifier not only keeps the air moist, but can also help deal with irritation triggered by dry air, such as dry skin, chapped lips, runny nose, and sore throat.
However, keep in mind that excessive use of a humidifier can actually worsen respiratory problems.
Understanding the Benefits of a Humidifier
The use of a humidifier is able to maintain the humidity of the air so that it brings various health benefits, such as:
1. Prevent sore throat
A sore throat can occur when the humidity level in the room is very low. A humidifier can relieve this condition by increasing the humidity of the air in the room, thereby speeding up the healing of a sore throat and preventing it from recurring.
2. Moisturizing the skin and chapped lips
Using a humidifier can help prevent dry skin and chapped lips, especially if you spend a lot of time in air-conditioned rooms. The reason is, the use of air conditioning for a long time can make the air dry so that it reduces the moisture of the skin and lips.
3. Prevent or reduce the risk of eye irritation
Dust and foreign particles can disperse very quickly when the air is dry, making it easy to irritate the surface of the eye. By using a humidifier, the humidity of the air can be maintained so that it can reduce the spread of dust particles in the air that trigger eye irritation.
4. Relieves flu and cough
Colds and coughs can get worse if you're in a dry environment, so using a humidifier can help relieve colds and coughs. Not only that, a humidifier is also useful in relieving discomfort due to allergy symptoms that often attack the respiratory tract.
5. Prevent nosebleeds and sore throat
Air that is too dry can also trigger nosebleeds, so using a humidifier can help prevent and treat this condition. In addition, the use of this air humidifier can also prevent you from strep throat caused by viral and bacterial infections.
6. Prevent transmission COVID-19
The use of a humidifier is believed to help prevent transmission of the Corona virus because COVID-19 transmission will be easier in cold and dry weather. However, the effectiveness of the humidifier in this regard still needs further research.
Ideally, indoor humidity should be between 30 and 50 percent. Humidity that is too low can cause the skin to become dry and irritate the respiratory tract.
However, humidity that is too high is also not good, because it can cause the room air to become stuffy and trigger the growth of mold, bacteria, and mites.
Disadvantages of Humidifier
Some types of humidifiers are not equipped with a humidity meter, such as humidistat or hygrometer. This makes you need to manually check the humidity in the room so that the humidity is maintained.
If the air in the room is too humid, the growth of bacteria and fungi can increase and damage the structure of the building.
In addition, some types of humidifiers produce a loud noise when starting to work. However, you can replace it with a quieter ultrasonic model.
Behind the advantages of a humidifier, there are also negative impacts that you need to be aware of if this tool is not kept clean, namely:
Trigger pgrowth of bacteria and fungi
The humidifier should be cleaned regularly. If you are lazy to clean it, you risk getting respiratory infections caused by bacteria and fungi.
Trigger allergy recurrence
A dirty humidifier can actually contaminate the air in the room, so it can cause a recurrence of allergy and asthma symptoms. Therefore, clean the humidifier regularly in the right way.
Tips for Cleaning the Humidifier
In cleaning the humidifier, the following are things to consider:
1. Clean the humidifier every 3once a day
Clean the humidifier tank section of mineral deposits using a hydrogen peroxide solution. It is recommended that you regularly clean the humidifier tank every 3 days so that the growth of mold and bacteria is inhibited.
2. Always rinse the tank after cleaning
Make it a habit to rinse the tank with clean water after cleaning. This is done so that no harmful chemicals enter the tank.
3. Change the air humidifier regularly
Before you replace the air humidifier, you should empty the humidifier tank first. Then dry the inside of the tank and refill it with clean water. It's a good idea to change the humidifier water every day.
4. Use distilled or demineralized water
It is recommended that you replace the humidifier with distilled (demineralized) water. This aims to reduce mineral dust that is also released into the air. In addition, cleaning the tank using distilled water is also beneficial in reducing mineral deposits that trigger bacterial growth.
The use of a humidifier in a room that has a low humidity level is very beneficial. However, if you have a history of certain respiratory diseases, such as asthma, it is advisable to consult a doctor first before installing a humidifier in your room.