Combat Flu Season with a Humidifier

An often overlooked appliance, humidifiers are versatile tools that can have a range of benefits. While most people are keen to lower the humidity levels in their homes, a humidifier can help to boost indoor comfort, reduce heating costs, and even stay healthy during flu season.

• What is a humidifier?
• When and where a humidifier can be used?
• How to humidify a room?
• The pros and cons of a humidifier?
• The best places to put your humidifier
• Why do I sleep better with a humidifier?
• Does a humidifier help with a cough?
• How do humidifiers for cold and flu work?
• Tips for choosing and using a humidifier for cold and flu

What Is a Humidifier?

To put it simply, a humidifier is a machine that releases water vapour into the air to increase the humidity of a space.

There are 4 different types of humidifier depending on what you want it to do and your budget: cold mist, warm mist, ultrasonic, and UV.

To learn more about humidifiers, including what a humidifier does and how they work, check out our article here.

When and Where a Humidifier Can Be Used?

Generally, a humidifier can be used anywhere at any time. However, you’ll want to take some things into account.

What is the humidity in your room already? You want the levels in your home to be around 30-50%.

Is it a small room? What is the ventilation like? An excess of water vapour in the air can build up and cause issues like damp and mould. These can be damaging to your home and your health. Your chosen humidifier should have recommendations on the room size that it is most suitable for.

Does your room have a plug socket? Even the most generous of cable will typically only be around 1.5m long, and many manufacturers warranties are void if you use an extension cable.

How to Humidify a Room?

While it may seem simple, just fill your humidifier with water and plug it in, to safely make the most of your humidifier there are some steps that should be overlooked.

1. Before first use, at regular intervals during its use, and after any time in storage you should clean the parts of your humidifier with water and vinegar or dish soap. This prevents any contaminants from being dispersed into the air along with your water vapour.
2. Use distilled water to further prevent breathing in airborne contaminants.
3. Keep interior doors open to maintain a good airflow.
4. Don’t over humidify! If your humidifier doesn’t have a built in hygrometer, you should purchase one and keep an eye on the levels in your home. Turn off and stop using your humidifier if levels in your home exceed 60%.
5. Be careful using warm mist humidifiers around children, as they can cause burns.

The Pros and Cons of a Humidifier?

The Best Places to Put Your Humidifier

A good quality humidifier should be able to evenly distribute water vapour throughout the room from any location. That being said, a central, elevated surface such as a table or countertop would be ideal, and it should be kept well away from electrical sockets.

Why Do I Sleep Better with a Humidifier?

When we sleep, our nasal passages and throat dry out because our body produces less saliva. It is why you can wake up with a dry mouth and blocked nose, especially in winter. A humidifier in the room while you sleep counteracts this effect, creating a comfortable atmosphere to keep you asleep for longer.

Does a Humidifier Help with a Cough?

Yes! Like the point above, humidifiers can help to moisturise your nose, throat, and lungs. This can provide relief from scratchy irritation, as well as loosen mucus.

Humidifiers are so effective at helping a cough that people with chronic lung conditions can be prescribed a machine called a ‘nebuliser’ which helps them to breathe in water vapours (sometimes enhanced with medicine).

How Do Humidifiers for Cold and Flu Work?

Unfortunately, there is no treatment that can help to shorten the length of time that you are ill with a cold or flu, it just has to run its course. Medicines like chesty cough syrup or paracetamol simply help to manage your symptoms.

Well, a humidifier works in the same way. It is a drug free way to manage the symptoms of your illness until your body can fight it off.

Tips for Choosing and Using a Humidifier for Cold and Flu

If you are looking for a humidifier to simply disperse water to help you fight your illness, then a cold water humidifier is an excellent choice.

If, however, you’re looking for an effective way to disperse medicine into the air like Vicks® or Calpol®, a warm air humidifier is a better option.