By Amy Livingston on October 14, 2011 in
With cold and flu season on its way, you might be planning ahead by getting a flu shot or stocking up on cold remedies. Those shouldn't be the only weapons in your home-health arsenal though. A simple humidifier can make a huge difference in the war against viruses and germs. According to the editors of ConsumerReports.org, adding more humidity to the air in your home may provide relief from cold symptoms. A humidifier can also help prevent uncomfortable dryness of the nose throat, lips and skin, notes a 2004 article from Prevention magazine.
In fact, using a humidifier in the winter may even lower your chances of catching the flu in the first place as flu viruses can survive more easily in a dry environment, according to a 2009 study conducted at Oregon State University. "When absolute humidity is low, influenza virus survival is prolonged, and transmission rates go up," explains Jeffrey Shaman, one of the authors of the study. This partly explains why flu outbreaks tend to occur in the winter: "A typical summer day can have four times as much water vapor as a typical winter day--a difference that exists both indoors and outdoors," says Shaman.
However, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cautions that putting too much moisture into the air can contribute to the growth of dust mites and mold, two common indoor allergens. Air that is very humid can also irritate the breathing passages of people with asthma. A humidifier with a built-in humidistat can help you keep the humidity level in the ideal range: 30 to 50 percent.
If humidifiers aren't used properly, they can do more harm than good, warns the EPA. A cool-mist humidifier that doesn't use a filter, may disperse microorganisms into the air. Under normal circumstances, this problem does not pose a significant health risk so long as the humidifier is maintained properly. If the tank is not emptied daily, wiped dry and refilled with fresh water mold and bacteria can accumulate in the tank. Breathing mist that contains these pollutants can result in lung inflammation. Portable humidifiers need to be cleaned with vinegar every three days to remove mineral scale or film, which can also be a breeding ground for bacteria. Larger console humidifiers may not need to be cleaned as often; the product manual should tell you how often to do it and filters should also be changed according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
If you're in the market for a new humidifier, check out our updated humidifiers report for model suggestions. And remember, when winter ends give your humidifier one final cleaning, dry it thoroughly and store it in a dry place.