GREENSBORO, N.C. — With drier winter air plus cold and flu season coming, a humidifier can help your family sleep more comfortably, and help with dry skin, allergies, and more.
"In a nursery or child’s room, you want to make sure things are really safe. So Consumer Reports recommends that you get a cool-mist humidifier. A warm-mist unit, which heats water, has the potential to scald if there’s an accident," said Tobie Stanger, Consumer Reports.
CR tests humidifiers in a climate-controlled chamber, running them overnight and keeping track of how many gallons of water each device emits per square foot. But while moist air can help alleviate congestion and dry skin, overly humid air can lead to the growth of mold and bacteria.
Ideally, you want a relative humidity between 30 and 50 percent inside your home.
The recommended Levoit Dual 200S Smart for smaller rooms has a built-in humidistat and shuts off when the humidity reaches a desired level.
If your humidifier doesn’t have a humidistat, you can measure the humidity yourself with a tool called a hygrometer. It’s available for less than $10.
The $30 Aqua Oasis AO-101 is sold without a humidistat. For bigger rooms, 300 to 500 square feet, the Lasko UH200 is a smart buy.
HOW OFTEN YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR HUMIDIFIER
And finally, a humidifier that isn’t cleaned well can spur the growth of potentially harmful mold and bacteria, which could make you or your baby sick. Consumer Reports recommends rinsing and drying the tank thoroughly every day and sanitizing the unit with vinegar once a week.
CR says to position your humidifier on a flat level surface, raised at least 2 feet above the floor. This allows more moisture to dissipate into the air.
