Looking to find the best humidifier? There are many reasons that people purchase a humidifier. Whatever the reasons might be, a humidifier adds moisture to the air.

You should know the primary purpose of a humidifier, the different types of humidifiers, and which humidifier might be right for you.

Humidifier Purpose

A big reason today that people purchase humidifiers is for their newborn infants. Humidifiers help to moisturize the air, thus keeping tiny nasal passages moist to allow for better breathing.

A humidifier works even better than a fan because it puts water into the air. Many people with problems with their lungs benefit from sleeping with a humidifier also. One of the biggest benefits is to the sinuses and those who suffer from lung disorders.

A humidifier is not only for usage at night while you are sleeping. In the dry winter months the humidifier can keep a balance of moisture in the air to keep your skin and nasal passages from drying out too much.

Types of Humidifiers

The two different types are a cool mist humidifier and a warm mist humidifier.

A warm mist humidifier actually boils the water. In a cold room, the warm mist in the air is much easier to breathe for some people.

There are medications people put in their warm mist humidifiers also like Vicks VapoRub. Warm medicated mists help to clean out the sinuses and breathing passages. Doctors might prescribe a warm mist humidifier to be running in your home at all times.

Another good thing about a warm mist humidifier is that they are a little bit quieter than the cool mist humidifiers. You can buy a warm mist humidifier in a small portable unit.

You should use a humidifier if you suffer from your lips often being chapped; you have dry skin, sinus problems, dry cough, or trouble breathing. A humidifier can help with problems like this too.

Cool mist humidifiers work by placing water over a small wick that sprays up the mist vapor into the air. These can be used sort of like a mini-air conditioner in the summer months if you put ice water in the unit and use a fan to blow the cool vapor throughout the room.

Cool mist humidifiers help to ease chapped lips, dry cough, dry skin and sinus problems as well as breathing issues. Humidifiers also help to cut down with static electricity.

Humidifier Buying Advice

Things to consider when purchasing a unit:

Safety features

Noise levels. Consider the noise levels of the room. You will want a quieter one for sleeping quarters. Some models come with a silence switch.

Ease or difficulty in handling. Some are big and bulky and hard to carry, while others are portable and easy to move from room to room. If you plan to keep the unit in one place, a larger bulky one would be okay.

And of course the type and capacity of the humidifier. If you plan to run one more often you will want a large capacity so you won’t have to be filling it up constantly. Keep in mind the size in proportion to the size of the room.