The cold season ushers in unwelcome health challenges and decreased moisture levels in the air; a good humidifier can resolve this. If you’re buying for the first time, you should not underrate the process. What you choose will significantly impact the functionality level of the humidifier.

Before we learn about people’s common mistakes when buying a humidifier, let us look at the difference between a humidifier and a diffuser. The reason is that some people confuse between the two and buy a diffuser while they need a humidifier.

Difference between a Humidifier and a Diffuser

A diffuser and a humidifier omits different types of vapors. A humidifier performs the primary task of turning water into mist and releasing it into the air to increase its moisture content. On the other hand, a diffuser is used to diffuse essential oils in aromatherapy.

However, some humidifiers may have a small chamber where you can put a few drops of essential oils, but you cannot mix oil and water in a humidifier tank.

The following are common mistakes made when choosing a humidifier:

1. Buying the wrong type.

This is a mistake fueled by a lack of research and foresight. Essentially, humidifiers are available in two types. One type provides a warm mist, and the other one provides a cool mist.

Each type has unique advantages and specifications to suit different situations. For example, if your home has children and asthmatics, you should avoid the warm mist humidifier.

There are other things to consider when buying a humidifier; ask around before you buy. Ask your physician or an expert for recommendations. Do your research to avoid doing more harm and spending a lot on something that will not be helpful to you.

2. Choosing one without a humidistat and a hygrometer.

Having too little moisture in your home is bad, and this is what you are trying to avert, and excess moisture is also bad. It would be helpful if you had a balance by having the humidifier produce the right amount of moisture. If you buy a humidifier without a humidistat and a hygrometer, you will take the responsibility of balancing the amount of moisture released.

But, buying a humidifier with both is advantageous as it controls the moisture content and humidity. Although such a humidifier is costly, it is worth every penny.

3. Buying one with the wrong capacity.

Humidifiers are made in consideration of room sizes. When buying a humidifier, you should know the size of the room to place it in. a small capacity humidifier will not be effective in a big room. On the other hand, using a high-capacity humidifier in a small room will cause a condensation build-up.

Furthermore, there will be electricity wastage and energy needed to clean the condensation formed. Also, excess moisture allows for the growth of fungi and bacteria. So, you should know your room size to determine the humidifier capacity to buy.

4. Energy consumption and Noise.

When choosing a humidifier, noise level and energy consumption are two important operational things to consider. You should buy a humidifier with a low noise level for night use, preferably one with an average of 30 decibels in noise levels, which is close to a whisper sound. Some humidifiers can be regulated by adjusting the fan speed to reduce or increase the noise level.

Also, buy a humidifier that will not increase your energy consumption.

5. Failure to consider smart features.

Modern humidifiers have smart features that make your life easy. Smart features include child lock, hygrometer, auto-shutoff, night mode, smart memory, timer, mobile support, and remote control.

Child lock prevents children from interfering with humidifier settings. So, even if your child plays with the humidifier buttons, they will not change any settings.

Auto-shutoff prevents humidifier malfunction when on an empty water tank. It also shuts off the hygrometer when you achieve your desired humidity levels to prevent air over-saturation.

The remote control allows changing of humidifier settings without leaving the couch. You can also do the same through smart speaker support and a mobile app. the timer allows you to run the humidifier at particular hours of the day to reduce energy consumption.

The night mode features turn-off lights on the unit and sets it at the lowest noise level for night use. Humidifiers with the smart memory feature restart with the last settings available before powering off due to a power outage or intentionally.

6. Not cleaning the humidifier regularly.

If you do not clean your humidifier regularly, you will be inviting bacteria, fungus, and other microorganisms to grow and multiply. These microorganisms cause respiratory problems, skin irritations, and other health complications.

To clean your humidifier, use a solution of vinegar and water. Swab the inside of the tank with a cotton ball dipped in the vinegar and water solution. Use a soft cloth to clean the outside of the tank.

For the humidifier filter, soak it in the vinegar and water solution for about 30 minutes then rinse it off with water. Allow the filter to air-dry before using it again.

Buy the right humidifier

While buying a humidifier, also consider the cost. The more advanced a humidifier, the costlier it will be. So, find a balance between price and features.