When I was growing upward, information technology was the sound of my begetter filling the humidifier downwardly the hall that woke me each morning. The cascading whoosh every bit the bucket of water tilted into the tank was a comforting abiding. My parents believed in the humidifier. "It's why you lot don't get colds," my mother would say with conviction. All the same experts say that while humidifiers offer certain health benefits, they tin can also cause problems, particularly for people with asthma and other breathing disorders.

A humidifier's chore is straightforward: to heave the h2o content of air. Different types practice this job in dissimilar ways: Ultrasonic and impeller (as well known equally absurd mist) humidifiers shoot a plume of tiny water droplets into the air. Evaporative models blow air through a moistened wick, filter, or belt. Steam vaporizers release steam. And warm-mist humidifiers, a variation on steam models, cool the steam somewhat before releasing it.

Equally it turns out, at that place's no bear witness that humidifiers help forestall colds or other respiratory infections. (It was probably my parents' insistence on manus washing that kept me relatively sniffle-free.) If you do get a respiratory infection, however, a humidifier tin ease your symptoms by keeping mucus moist and then y'all tin miscarry it more than easily, says Stanley Goldstein, Physician, a Rockville Centre, NY, allergist and a spokesman for the American University of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Using i tin can also help keep your nose, throat, and lips from feeling dry and uncomfortable.By the same token, a humidifier can keep your pare from drying out and itching, says Jerome Litt, Md, an assistant professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University. Moisture tin can be very soothing if y'all have psoriasis and the accompanying thick, scaly patches. And while information technology won't forbid wrinkles--alas, besides much to ask--a humidifier can brand your skin await younger if you also use a moisturizer.

More From Prevention

preview for Prevention Watch Next

The downside: With overly enthusiastic use, humidity can ascent as well loftier, promoting the growth of mold and dust mites, both common allergens, says Norman Edelman, Doctor, consultant to the American Lung Association. If y'all accept asthma, excessive humidity can irritate your breathing passages, as can the hot or warm mist from evaporative and steam humidifiers.[pagebreak]Slipshod humidifier maintenance causes the about trouble. If you don't clean your humidifier properly, bacteria and mold tin proliferate in the h2o. This can be especially hazardous with ultrasonic and impeller models--the types that shoot a mist of water into the air--considering the mist will disperse that bacteria and mold. If yous breathe them in, yous tin develop respiratory troubles ranging from flulike symptoms to a chronic pneumonia-like status dubbed "humidifier lung." Smokers and those with respiratory disorders are nearly vulnerable.

Here are the keys to finding happiness with a humidifier.

Buy the Right I

Consider these iii factors:

Type If someone in your household has asthma, cull something other than a steam humidifier. Ditto if you have small children, since this blazon of humidifier can cause serious burns.Size and modePortable humidifiers are pocket-size and can ordinarily humidify just a unmarried room. Console humidifiers are enclosed in cabinets and may cover multiple rooms or a whole house.

Central humidifiers are built in to a dwelling's heating and air-conditioning organization and are designed to humidify the entire place. Console and primal varieties are always evaporative.

PricePlug-in portables start at around $45. Consoles go for about $120 and upwardly. A cardinal humidifier will toll considerably more depending on the size of your home and where yous live. Expect to pay a few thousand dollars.

Run It Right

Here'due south what that means:

Utilize It SparinglyTurn it on just when your peel, olfactory organ, lips, or pharynx are dry, or when yous demand relief from a cold or related symptoms, says Edelman.

MonitorIf your humidifier has a congenital-in "humidistat," set information technology at 30 to 50 per centum to forestall an overdose of wet. If it doesn't, purchase a device called a hygrometer (about $20 at hardware stores). If the punch edges across 50 percent, turn down the humidifier'southward output book, or use it less frequently.

Make clean Oft and Thoroughly If You lot Have...

A portable humidifier:Dump out erstwhile water, and make full with fresh daily. Make clean the humidifier at least weekly, post-obit the manufacturer's instructions. Remember to scrub away any crusty mineral buildup, chosen scale, which is a breeding ground for bacteria. (Using distilled water can help reduce scale buildup, and some humidifiers come with filters designed to do the same.)

A console or central humidifier:Considering these are evaporative types, leaner and mold are less of a problem. However, yous still need to follow cleaning instructions carefully.

Other Options

Uncomfortable with a winter cold, and don't want to bother with a humidifier? Try these solutions:

Saline Nasal SprayBuy it at the drugstore, and spritz some into each nostril, following package directions, to aid keep fungus moist.

A Steamy RoomStep into the bathroom, shut the door, and run a hot shower for 10 minutes. Don't get into the shower; rather, stand nearby and breathe deeply.

The Cheapest and Simplest Put a pan of h2o in each room, and allow the water to evaporate. Change h2o daily, and wash the pan weekly.