Humidifiers can relieve dry sinuses, bloody noses and cracked lips by adding moisture to your home’s air. However, a humidifier can also bring some problems. Especially in winter, raising indoor humidity can make your skin itchy and flaky. Additionally, if not properly regulated, humidifiers can cause bacteria or mold to grow in your house. Supreme Air Duct Cleaning can get rid of trapped mold in your air ducts.
Mold
Dry air can wreak havoc on homes and businesses, especially in winter. It can cause everything from cracking wood floors to the build-up of static electricity, which jolts your hair and zaps electronics. And it can also irritate the throat and nose, leading to coughing, sneezing, runny eyes, and itchy skin. Humidifiers help to alleviate these issues by adding moisture to the air. Consider an air duct cleaning service performed by Supreme Air Duct Cleaning Ankeny if you suffer from these problems.
But the moisture can create problems of its own if the humidifier is not cleaned and maintained regularly. Humidifiers need to be emptied and dried daily, and the water needs to be replaced or sterilized to prevent mold growth. If these steps aren’t taken, the spores from the mold can spread throughout the home and exacerbate respiratory problems.
There are several types of humidifiers available on the market, ranging from mist to steam and ultrasonic models. The most efficient are steam units, which use hot or cold steam to add moisture to the air and require both a water supply line and electricity. However, they are also the most expensive and can cause damage to ducts with too much heat or steam.
The risk of a mold problem can be reduced by using a humidifier with a built-in hygrometer to monitor indoor humidity levels. It is also important to keep the humidifier’s internal surface free of debris and minerals by cleaning it daily. Using a distilled white vinegar (4-6%) and hydrogen peroxide (3%) solution is an effective way to clean and disinfect the interior surface of humidifiers.
Another way to reduce the risk of mold is to ensure that all ducts are fully sealed and that there are no leaks. This can be done by contacting a professional HVAC technician.
A humidifier is a great tool for keeping your home comfortable during the winter months, but it’s important to know the pros and cons of each model before choosing one for your home. Air duct cleaning humidifiers can be great for keeping the humidity balanced, but they can create problems if they are not properly used or maintained. Contact Supreme Air Duct Cleaning for more information.
Bacteria
Humidifiers are often used to relieve skin irritation, dry cough and sinus congestion. They can also help make breathing easier during cold or flu season, when germs are more likely to circulate in drier air. The trouble is that bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms thrive in humidifiers. They grow in the water reservoir, the humidifier as a whole and on any surface that encounters moist air. These organisms then become airborne and circulate throughout the house, contaminating your indoor space.
Many types of humidifiers exist, from evaporative to steam and central models. Regardless of the type you choose, the humidifier needs to be cleaned regularly. The water reservoir, especially if left unattended for an extended period of time, becomes the perfect breeding ground for these organisms. They can then be circulated throughout the house by your HVAC system, affecting everyone in the home. Air Duct Cleaning is recommended if you use a humidifier to ensure a healthy and safe home. Contact Supreme Air Duct Cleaning Ankeny for a free quote.
A slew of symptoms can result from an overabundance of moisture in the air, including cracked lips, sneezing and irritated nose or throat. The fungus that causes hives can also thrive in these conditions, and a humidifier can exacerbate the problem by pumping this allergen into your living space.
When used to combat dry air, a humidifier can cause your body to produce more mucus than usual. This thickens the phlegm that is created when you breathe and can block your nasal passages. The problem is that it’s difficult to clear your sinuses of the accumulated phlegm when mucus is thick and can lead to more irritated nasal passages. Humidifiers, by adding moisture to the air, can help thin out this phlegm and make it easier for your respiratory system to clear it away.
Another benefit of a humidifier is that it can improve your sleep and help you breathe better. Snoring typically results from constricted airways, and a humidifier can add enough moisture to your airways to reduce the friction that causes snoring. Humidifiers can also ease the symptoms of COPD, such as breathing difficulty and a chronic cough. The key is to use a humidifier that’s designed for the specific symptoms you have.
Allergens
Humidifiers are often touted as health heroes that do everything from moistening dry lips and skin to easing sinus passages and loosening congestion. However, they can also cause problems. The air in homes and offices is full of bacteria, fungus, pollen, dust, pet dander and other microscopic life forms, called allergens. These microorganisms can cause allergy and asthma symptoms when they are inhaled by humans. These microorganisms thrive in moist environments, and humidifiers can cause them to flourish and even increase their numbers in your home or office. In addition, a humidifier can make your indoor air dustier, and the spores of common allergens like dust mites can then be inhaled by people who are sensitive to them.
In fact, humidity can be a major contributor to allergies. According to the EPA, relative humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent are ideal for homes. High humidity makes it easier for common allergens like dust mites, mildew and mold to grow. And when the humidity in a room is high, allergens can spread to other rooms through return vents and doorways.
Adding moisture to the air in your home can help reduce some allergens, but you should monitor your humidity and keep it below 50 percent. To do this, use a hygrometer, which is available at many electronic and hardware stores.
If you have a forced-air system with return vents in each room, you should consider keeping the return vent closed in rooms where a humidifier is used to avoid a large difference in humidity between rooms. Alternatively, you can use a portable humidifier to add moisture only in the room where it is being used.
There are a variety of humidifiers on the market, including cool mist, warm mist and ultrasonic units. Cool and warm mist units produce a fine water mist that cools down in the humidifier and then flows into the home. These units require regular cleaning to prevent bacterial growth and contamination. They can also produce mineral dust and can be noisy. The simplest units, a humidifier that uses a wick filter to absorb moisture from the air, can be more difficult to clean and can lead to a higher risk of bacterial infection. Call Supreme Air Duct Cleaning to get your air ducts cleaned and checked for mold growth. At Supreme Air Duct Cleaning, we use high grade, professional equipment to get rid of the dust and debris in your ducts. It is time for you to start breathing cleaner air! Give us a call today.
Condensation
Humidifiers create condensation in some cases, especially if they’re left unattended for extended periods of time. This can result in the build-up of mold, mildew and other microorganisms that can cause health problems. If these organisms encounter your skin, they can irritate it and cause other unpleasant symptoms. Calling Supreme Air Duct Cleaning for more information on our air duct cleaning service is a good idea if you suffer from allergies and use humidifiers.
Depending on the type of humidifier, you can find ways to prevent this from happening. For example, steam vaporizers that cool the water a little before sending it out into the air prevent the formation of condensation on the hot water surface. Another way to avoid condensation is to keep the humidifier away from cold surfaces such as windows and mirrors, which can cause it to form on them.
You can also clean your humidifier regularly to prevent bacteria from growing in it, such as by emptying the water tank daily and disinfecting it when you’re not using it. You can also purchase a hygrometer to test the humidity level in your home, as this will help you determine whether it’s too low or too high.
A humidifier can offer a slew of benefits, from helping alleviate dry skin and chapped lips to relieving irritated noses and throats and preventing wood floors from cracking. It can even ease breathing in the winter, when chilly indoor air can make it difficult for mucus membranes to work as they should.
In addition, humidifiers can reduce static and protect delicate items, such as museum paintings, from damage. Many experts recommend keeping the relative humidity in your home at 50%, as this will minimize static and make it harder for viruses and bacteria to spread.
Most humidifiers work by pumping moisture into the air, either by blowing heated air over a moist pad or generating steam. They can be portable or whole-house units that connect to your home’s existing ductwork and distribute the resulting moisture throughout the entire house. In general, whole-house systems require less maintenance than portable models and have much longer lifetimes. They can be more expensive, however, as they may require a professional installation to be properly integrated into your home’s heating and cooling system.
Ultimately, you should consider an air duct cleaning service if you use a humidifier and suffer from allergies.Supreme Air Duct Cleaning recommends getting your air duct cleaned every 5-10 years. Visit our website or give us a call for a free quote.