Humidifiers Operate Better Using Filtered, Purified Water

To breathe clean air, use clean water in the humidifiers

Household humidifiers are usually used to mitigate and alleviate the aggravating conditions of dry skin, dry lips, dry nose, and dry throat of people living in arid climates or a dry indoor environment. Humidifiers also add moisture to the relatively dry air to lessen the problems caused by winter heating—such as static electricity, detaching and peeling wallpaper and paint, and cracks in furniture. In arid climates, humidifiers can definitely make life more comfortable.

For Your Health, It Is Essential to Use Filtered, Purified Water in Humidifiers

Regardless of the type of humidifiers you currently use or plan to purchase, it is very important that you use only filtered, purified water in the humidifiers to protect your health and your family's health. It is also essential to clean the water-containing reservoir or tank frequently to ensure that there are no molds, bacteria, and other microorganisms growing and proliferating in the reservoir. Microorganisms can proliferate in containers that have not been cleaned and they will get propagated to the entire room or house along with fine water droplets. Additionally, when there is high mineral content in tap water or well water, the minerals will get projected out to the room or house along with water mist. Hence, for people with sensitive respiratory systems and various types of airborne allergies, breathing dust-filled (mineral-laden) air may not be good for their respiratory system and health in the long run. For the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, it is not good to breathe volatile chemicals and other allergens if they fill the humidifier's water reservoir with chemically contaminated water (such as well water or groundwater water polluted with hydrocarbons and pesticides). Volatile chemical compounds will get projected along with fine water droplets, causing health problems in the long term.

To Prolong the Life of Humidifiers, Use Filtered, Purified Water

Using filtered, purified water also has an added benefit of prolonging the life of humidifiers. Humidifiers—especially the impeller or ultrasonic types—project minerals in tap water or well water with high mineral content into the air. While people may breathe in the dust and see a layer of white dust on the surfaces in the vicinity of the humidifier, minerals in tap water may lead to crusty deposits, or scale buildup, in humidifiers. Scale can be a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms. But scale also causes clogging and shortens the life of humidifiers. Hence, it is important to use filtered and purified water, which has its minerals filtered out during the filtration process, in the humidifiers. If consumers feel that filtered water is more expensive than tap water, then they should consider the alternative, of having to replace a humidifier more frequently due to clogging and crusty deposits. Buying a new humidifier is definitely more costly than using filtered water.

We recommend that regardless of the type of humidifier you currently use or plan to purchase in the near future, use only filtered, purified water to fill the reservoir or water-storage container. Also, clean the reservoir frequently. Remember, with humidifiers, if you want to breathe clean air, use clean water.