It’s winter and the air in your home is very dry. You have a chronic, hacky cough and bronchial congestion. The only relief you feel is when you’re in the shower. Your doctor tells you to get a humidifier but when you get to the store you have no idea what to do. You stand there in an aisle surrounded by vaporizers and humidifiers of all shapes and sizes. They all look the same so you grab the box that’s on sale for $19.99 and come home with a vaporizer. Two weeks later and you’re feeling only slightly better. The stupid thing doesn’t work and you’re wondering why.
The first thing you need to know is that humidifiers and vaporizers work on different principles. They look the same on the outside but they operate differently. Both add moisture into the air, but a vaporizer dispenses warm steam by boiling water. A humidifier works by breaking up cold water particles and dispersing a cool mist into the air. To make matters more confusing, manufacturers have recently started making cool mist vaporizers, which don’t heat water to make steam and actually belong to the class of humidifiers.
Most doctors usually suggest humidifiers for adults because they provide more relief to people with bronchial congestion and chronic dry cough. One drawback of a vaporizer, especially if you have small children or pets, is the possibility of being burned by boiling water if the unit is accidentally bumped and overturned.
If you buy a humidifier, you need to read and follow the instructions about keeping it clean. Because it creates humidity without boiling water you run the risk of bacteria building up in the sitting water. If the unit isn’t cleaned that bacteria can enter the air. If you are using the humidifier on a daily basis, you should pour out yesterday’s water, dry the unit and refill the reservoir with clean, fresh water. Most manufacturers suggest you clean the unit with white vinegar or bleach every few days.
Both humidifiers and vaporizers, if used daily, can increase the chances of developing mold and mildew in your house. Just keep an eye out for brownish/black marks on your ceiling and on walls behind furniture. Make sure your home is well ventilated to prevent mold and mildew buildup and turn the unit off if you notice that your windows are glazing over with moisture. Another problem that can occur with the daily use of vaporizers or humidifiers, is that homes with higher humidity provide a perfect breeding ground for dust mites. This, in turn, can make people with dust allergies feel worse.
Which is better – a vaporizer or humidifier? Ultimately, the choice is up to you. My doctor recommended a humidifier, and was very specific saying “cool mist –don’t buy a warm steam”. I purchased a Vick’s cool mist humidifier with an air cleaning filter that removes dust, pollen and odors and I’ve been using it all winter. My nagging dry cough is gone and so are my nasal allergies.
