Many people have used an air purifier or a humidifier at some time in their lives, but most have never used them both together. This has led them to wonder whether air purifiers and humidifiers can be used together or not. Well, not to worry, we’re here to answer that question and inform you about both devices so that you can make the better choice: using them separately or using them together.
All You Need to Know About Air Purifiers
First, let’s start with what we know. An air purifier sanitizes the air, including pollutants, allergens, and toxins. Air purifiers usually consist of multiple filters and a fan that sucks in and circulates air. As air moves through the filter, pollutants and particles are captured, and the clean air is pushed back into the living space.
Benefits of Using Air Purifiers
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- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 12 people has asthma. HEPA filters capture pollutants like pet sheddings, pollen, and dust mites which irritate asthmatic people’s airways and cause difficulty in breathing.
- Gases like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide make their way into homes from outside traffic. Research from the National Library of Medicine shows that exposure to these gases increases the risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s. Your home atmosphere can also be polluted with toxins from cleaning agents like ammonia, chlorine, and phthalates. Air purifiers with activated carbon can cleanse these harmful gases and chemical contaminants and keep you healthy and safe.
- Some chemicals such as gasoline, benzene, and formaldehyde break down at room temperature, causing an outgassing odor. This can cause nausea shortness of breath, and even affect your thinking abilities. Air purifiers with HEPA and activated carbon filters effectively trap these gases, reducing pollutants in the indoor environment.
All You Need to Know About Humidifiers
Humidifiers are devices that release water vapor or steam in the air to increase moisture levels. This can be helpful in various ways.
Benefits of Using Humidifiers
Humidifiers can be beneficial for treating dryness of the skin, nose, throat, and lips. They can also calm down some of the symptoms caused by the flu or common cold. Here are some other benefits of using humidifiers:
Humidifiers can help people who experience:
- Irritated Eyes
- Allergies
- Bloody Noses
- Sinus Headaches
The authors of one study noted that humidifiers reduce the risk of catching the flu. After adding the influenza virus to the air with a simulated cough, researchers found that humidity levels above 40 percent quickly deactivated virus particles, thus reducing their infectious quality.
Adding humidity to the air can also get more moisture into the airways, making a cough more fruitful. A fruitful cough releases trapped or sticky phlegm.
Increasing the amount of moisture in the air can reduce snoring. If the air is dry, a person’s airways are likely to be insufficiently lubricated, making snoring worse.
Some people note that their hair become brittle, lips, skin become dry in the winter. Using a humidifier to add moisture to the indoor air may help to reduce dry, cracked skin.
Moisture from a humidifier can also be helpful around the home. Any moisture-loving houseplants become more vibrant, and wood floors and furniture last longer. Humidity can also help prevent the wallpaper from chipping and static electricity from building up.
Lastly, humid air can feel warmer than dry air, which helps people save money on utility bills in the winters.
Using Them Together
The differences between humidifiers and air purifiersare stark and vast. Plus, air purifier filters are designed to work in broad humidity ranges, ensuring that the extra moisture in the air won’t damage the filter. Also, purifiers don’t filter out water vapors meaning that your air filters won’t work against your humidifier by dehumidifying the atmosphere.
The Bottom Line
The answer to your question is yes. You can use a humidifier and an air purifier simultaneously because the two have entirely different functions! Plus, they don’t interfere with each other either, so you’re good to go. The air purifier is for people who need a clean environment, while the humidifier is for those who want to maintain humidity levels. However, if you believe you need a solution for both, there are air purifier and humidifier combination devices available that give you the performance of both in one appliance!
