Humidifier and vaporizer are used in cooler climates to moisturize the air inside the house. There are times in a year when the air is dry and contains very little moisture. During these times, especially during winters, certain respiratory ailments tend to exacerbate as throat feels dry. If you have a toddler at home who has developed cough, he may feel very uncomfortable with dry air and may take more time to get well. The simple solution to this problem is installation of either a vaporizer or a humidifier to increase moisture content of air inside the home. There are differences between a humidifier and a vaporizer though they serve the same basic purpose. This article will highlight these differences to enable people to choose one of the two devices that suit their requirements better.
Humidifiers and vaporizers increase the moisture content of the air inside the home. Increased humidity helps in alleviating symptoms of allergy, cough, and cold. Dry air makes nasal passages dry making it difficult to breathe. When moisture is added to air, congestion in the nose gets loosened making it easier for the sick to breathe easily. Even doctors suggest that best humidity levels are around 45%-50%. When humidity goes below 30%, conditions become unbearable. To increase humidity, there are two options available, humidifiers and vaporizers. The major difference between these two is that whereas humidifiers release cool streams of air, vaporizers release steam inside after boiling water. From a medical point of view, there is basically no difference between a humidifier and a vaporizer as doctors say that both have beneficial effect on the health of those having respiratory problems.
In the case of humidifiers, as water is not boiled, it may introduce many types of germs and bacteria inside which may eventually harm sick person with a weak immune system. This problem is resolved in the case of vaporizers as water is boiled which kills all bacteria and germs. However, since boiling is involved, vaporizers consume more electricity than humidifiers.
Humidifiers create mist of water by using ultrasonic vibrations but cool mist is a breeding ground for many harmful bacteria and germs. Thus it becomes necessary to clean the devices periodically to safeguard the health of family members. Water in both humidifiers and vaporizers must be changed daily to avoid formation of bacteria. One advantage with vaporizers is that one can add medications in water to inhale medicated vapors for additional health benefit.
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In brief: • Low humidity in air inside home is a cause of concern as it may cause discomfort in breathing due to dry nasal passage. • Humidity can be increased using humidifiers and vaporizers • Humidifiers release cool mist of air using ultrasonic vibrations whereas vaporizers release vapors after boiling water. • Vaporizers prove to be costly as they consume more electricity • Vaporizers reduce the risk of germs as water is boiled before release • Both devices need to be cleaned periodically and water must be changed daily to safeguard health of family members.
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