Nowadays, no one can say they have healthy air inside their homes. Unless you live somewhere in the mountains or a remote countryside area with no factories, cars, or farms, you will likely feel the effects of polluted air. The worst part is that this air can dry, causing various side effects.
You will need an air purifier to make the air healthier to breathe. This unit will clean the air around you, removing potential contaminants. That being said, to make the air easier to breathe, you also need some humidity in the air, and an air humidifier can help you with that.
But can you use both of them? This might be one of your concerns, and in this article, we will explore the benefits of both humidifiers and air purifiers, along with the possibility of using both.
Benefits of Air Purifiers
Air purifiers can remove harmful contaminants from the air. So, if you decide to get an air purifier such as the Airfree model, you may be able to enjoy the following benefits:
-
They Neutralize Unpleasant Odors
Unpleasant odors inside the house can be caused by a variety of contaminants lingering in the air. These can be benzene, gasoline, formaldehyde, and more. When these contaminants get inside your home, room temperatures can cause them to break down and release unpleasant odors.
These chemicals, called VOCs (volatile organic compounds), are very common in paints, upholstered furniture, aerosol sprays, and even air fresheners. The tobacco smell is also unpleasant and may linger in the room for months after you stop smoking indoors.
These smells are not only bothersome to your nose but can also harm your health. High concentrations can lead to breathing issues, nausea, and even problems with your cognitive function. Plus, the more you are exposed to a specific odor, the more you become used to it. At some point, you stop noticing them altogether.
With an air purifier, you can filter out those compounds from the air and avoid unpleasant odors. Not only will this help your health, but it will also prevent your guests from crinkling their noses each time they enter your house.
-
They Reduce Allergens in the Air
Spring is a beautiful season, but when you start sneezing each time you open a window, it can’t be as satisfying anymore. Allergies can make your life quite difficult, regardless of their origin. Something as simple as dust or pet dander can trigger reactions that can be very annoying, even though they’re not necessarily life-threatening.
Air purifiers can catch contaminants as small as 0.3 microns, which is the size of the average allergen. By keeping them in your home, you should be able to clear the air and prevent any allergic triggers. This way, you should finally be able to feel comfortable in your own home.
-
They Filter Out Pet Dander and Dust
You love your pet, but when playing with them triggers an allergy or asthma reaction, you can’t help but feel heartbroken. There may be times when even being in the same room with them can trigger a response. The culprit is usually a pet dander, which gets into your nose and triggers a reaction.
Air purifiers can remove pet dander from the air, making it easier to be around your furry friends. If you’ve been concerned about an allergy to one of your pets, you no longer have to consider giving them away. You can simply try out an air purifier, as it can remove pet dander.
These units can also filter out dust from the air. Not only will this make the air around you much healthier to breathe, but it will lengthen the time between cleanings. Instead of dusting daily, air purifiers can help you get away with 2-3 days between dusting sessions.
-
They Improve Your Sleep
When the air around you is unhealthy to the point that it causes respiratory issues, sleep does not come easily. For instance, if you suffer from hay fever caused by outdoor allergens, a runny nose, or a sore throat can keep you awake for nights in a row. It’s difficult to catch your 8 hours of sleep if you keep waking up between coughing fits.
Air purifiers can help filter out these contaminants that bother your sleep. For instance, units such as the Airfree Babyair are completely silent when they run, and you can use them throughout the night to improve the quality of your sleep.
Benefits of Air Humidifiers
Now that you know what an air purifier can do for you, it is time to move on to the benefits of air humidifiers. Here are the advantages you can enjoy by installing one of these units in your home.
-
They Reduce Germ Spread
If there is one thing that we noticed about air purifiers is that they all tend to clean 99% of contaminants from the air – sometimes going as high as 99.99%. Brands can’t say that these units remove 100% of contaminants because, sometimes, small particles may survive. Left alone, escaped contaminants such as germs may multiply and wreak havoc in your house.
This is where humidifiers come in. Studies show that if the humidity in your home is lower than 23%, it allows germs to spread much easier than if you keep it at 43%. This happens because germs survive much better in dry conditions than in humid ones. So, by adding a humidifier to the mix, you keep matters under control.
-
They Relieve Asthma
Asthma is not only caused by allergens (although it does often act as a trigger). When the allergen enters your nose or throat, it will hit the deteriorated or dry tissue inside. The entire domino effect will lead to an allergic reaction.
To stop this from happening, you need to prevent your nose and throat from getting dry. This can be done by keeping a healthy humidity level in your room. If you are suffering from asthma, then a humidifier can help soothe your nose and throat.
Bear in mind that while too little humidity is bad for asthma, too much can be just as bad. Humidity levels over 50% can lead to the apparition of mold and mildew, which can also trigger asthma and allergic reactions.
-
They Can Alleviate Snoring
Are you keeping your partner awake at night with your snoring? Most of the time, snoring is caused by mucus that creates a “plug” around your airways. This prevents you from breathing properly, leading to the much-dreaded snoring sound.
To loosen that “plug,” you must find a way to liquefy the mucus forming in your nose. The best way to do that is to employ the use of liquids. If drinking water is not enough to thin out the mucus, then you may want to get an air humidifier.
Can Air Purifiers and Air Humidifiers Be Used Together?
Air purifiers and air humidifiers can easily be used together. Most health professionals recommend it, as it can offer even more benefits to indoor air quality. Air purifiers will filter the contaminants out of the air, whereas air humidifiers push humidity into the air. Each unit can do something that the other cannot, making the air much easier to breathe.
You should keep in mind that some air purifiers can lead to ozone release, and this can be quite harmful in high concentrations. It is very important to choose an air purifier that does not release ozone, as it may not work well with the air humidifier. So, make sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Should You Always Use Air Purifiers and Air Humidifiers Together?
There are times when you may not need to use both air humidifiers and purifiers simultaneously. For instance, the air tends to be more humid in summer than in winter. In that case, you may not need to use both of them – the air purifier alone may be just fine.
However, during the cold months, the air tends to be very dry. Your furnace may also draw out the humid air from your house in its attempt to heat it. This can lead to nasal irritation, sore throats that are not caused by colds, and dry skin.
An air humidifier can help reduce the effects of winter air on you. That being said, this does not mean that you should not use it during the warm season. Depending on how arid summers can get in your area, the air may also begin to feel dry. Healthy humidity levels should be somewhere around 30%-50%. If your home air falls below that, then you should use a humidifier.
Do You Always Need Air Purifiers?
Unlike air humidifiers that should be used based on the humidity levels around you, air purifiers can be used at all times. This is a general rule, especially if you live in a well-populated area. For instance, cities are highly polluted, and merely opening the window can bring various toxins in. If you live near a busy street, you may notice that you are getting an abnormal level of dust and car exhaust smells every day.
Your air is unsafe even if you live alone in a less-populated area. You may think the air is clean, but even a cabin in the dead of the mountains gets allergens. Dust may rise around you, pollen may come loose from the flowers, and insects may bring contaminants and allergens day and night. This is why air purifiers represent an essential addition, and you may increase their efficiency if you install an air humidifier as well.
The Bottom Line
In the end, both humidifiers and air purifiers are essential tools to help improve the quality of your indoor air. Used alone, they can be great – but used together, they can be highly efficient. Their combined action can help make the air around you easier to breathe, preventing potential respiratory problems.
For that to happen, you must choose the right air purifiers and humidifiers. Not only do they need to be practical, but they also have to fit the design of your home. If you are ready to take the next step towards cleaner air, feel free to browse our website for the best units.