What water to fill in a humidifier: ordinary or distilled? Instructions for use

The level of humidity in the air greatly affects your well-being. In the heating season, air currents from radiators and electric heaters mercilessly dry out dry air. It’s hard to be in such an atmosphere, breathing hard and almost impossible to work, agree? People with colds and allergies suffer even more, as the irritated mucous surface of the airways and eyes becomes very sensitive to air quality.

Fortunately, these problems can be solved with the help of an ergonomic humidifier, which quickly replenishes the amount of moisture lacking in the microclimate. However, like any equipment, this device requires responsible maintenance. High-quality and suitable water for the device will not only extend its service life, but also will favorably affect the health of households.

In this material we will tell you what kind of water to pour into an air humidifier, consider the varieties of this technique and the principles of its operation, and find out how to independently prepare an acceptable liquid for refueling at home.

Why is an indicator of humidity important?

Humidity is one of the key characteristics of indoor air quality. According to sanitary standards, an acceptable level of relative humidity in the room in the warm season is 30-60%, in the cold - 30-45%.

For children, doctors recommend raising this value to 50-60%, since a young developing organism is more sensitive to air parameters. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of using humidifier for baby.

To measure moisture indicators, a special device is used - a hygrometer. However, acquiring it for home use is not entirely advisable. A much more profitable purchase will be a wireless weather station, which, in addition to air temperature and atmospheric pressure, also shows the level of relative humidity. Advanced models display information not only about weather conditions outside the home, but also analyze the microclimate in the room itself

The level of air humidity quite clearly affects the state of the body:

1. Excessively dry air becomes a companion to prolonged respiratory illnesses.- A depleted mucous surface cannot resist a viral or bacterial infection. Therefore, the healing process is delayed, and undesirable symptoms in the form of a runny nose and cough are manifested even brighter.
2. Low humidity makes breathing difficult. Due to a lack of oxygen, dizziness and other ailments may occur. Focusing on working in such an atmosphere is extremely difficult.
3. Skin and hair are the first to suffer from dry air, losing their own moisture. The surface of the eyes is also drained, which makes the person uncomfortable.

Additionally, dry air can cause damage to wooden furniture, various decoration materials, musical instruments, and adversely affect indoor plants. During intensive operation of heating devices, the humidity level drops to at least 20%. To avoid these problems, you need to buy a suitable model of an air humidifier and pour quality water into it.

Methods for checking air humidity

The best way to check is to use hygrometer or weather stationreading information and indoors.

However, if such a technique is not available, you can approximately calculate the humidity level using the usual glasses of water.

The method of checking the level of humidity with the help of a glass will not give specific percentages. However, in this way, you can clearly find out if the microclimate in the room is quite wet

The glass cup must be filled with cold water and refrigerated so that the temperature of the liquid drops to about 3-5 degrees Celsius. After that, the capacity is installed in the room at the maximum possible distance from the radiators.

If the glass is covered with condensation, which dries within five minutes, the humidity in the room is considered low. About the average humidity says the preservation of condensate on the walls of the glass even after five minutes. If the glass is covered with small streams and drops, the humidity level in the room is increased, you do not need to buy an air humidifier.

Types of humidifiers and their functioning

Manufacturers offer extremely ergonomic and functional models that work on slightly different principles. What exactly needs to be poured into an air humidifier, fundamentally depends on the variety of technology. Now on the market there are several types of such devices.

View # 1 - steam humidifiers

Steam humidifiers evaporate water through natural heating processes. The liquid is brought to a boil and then converted to steam.

These are the most effective models, however, and they are not without certain drawbacks, among which are:

• high power consumption;
• the need to control the level of moisture.

However, some modifications can even be used as an inhaler if a special nozzle is provided in the kit.

The principle of operation of the steam humidifier is shown in the diagram above. A separate oil compartment may be provided in the design. This allows you to make the air not only more humid, but also fragrant.Additionally, some essential oils, such as tea tree, have antibacterial properties that can neutralize pathogens in the air

A significant advantage of such a humidifier is the low demand of the device for water quality, since any pure liquid is suitable for it: artesian, spring, demineralized or distilled. However, it is worth remembering that the generated steam will be inhaled by people, so you should not pour plain water from a common water supply into the humidifier.

View # 2 - Humidifiers

Traditional cold-type humidifiers require special cartridges that saturate the purged air with the necessary moisture. Such models are charged with liquid, which the built-in fan drives through the cleaning unit.

Cartridges are extremely prone to clogging, so they must use distilled water, devoid of any impurities.

The diagram shows a device of a cold type humidifier. In addition to the main components, the device can be equipped with an air ionizer, an additional antibacterial filter or even an ultraviolet lamp, which also fights against microorganisms

However, the cartridge still requires regular replacement: on average, it is updated at least once a quarter. If you do not use distillate, the cartridge will partially remove the impurities of salts of heavy metals and make the water softer, however, it will become unusable faster.

View # 3 - Ultrasonic Humidifiers

Ultrasonic models produce moisture due to mechanical vibrations on a special membrane. Water entering this unit is split into fine particles, which are carried away by the air flow generated by the fan. The process is carried out without heating, however, along with water, any impurities contained in the liquid are split into fractions.

Therefore, although the ultrasonic humidifier is extremely convenient and productive, the device remains the most sensitive to water quality. Only a distillate that does not contain minerals or unwanted metals is suitable for him.

The figure shows the structure of an ultrasonic humidifier. In addition to the membrane, the device may have additional cartridges and coarse water filters that increase the quality of the generated steam

The most primitive and undemanding to water remain spray humidifiers, which simply spray the smallest drops of water into the air. Any purified water is suitable for them, but do not forget about its characteristics, since microdrops will fall into the lungs.

Another type of humidifier is equipment with an air purification function. We talked more about humidifiers-cleaners in our next article.

Humidifier Water Requirements

As it becomes clear from the above, the degree of purification and demineralization of water suitable for a particular humidifier depends on its type. Most often, manufacturers indicate this information in the passport to the device or instructions.

However, if it is intended to inject ordinary bottled water into the device, it is worth remembering that its particles will enter the body almost unchanged. With poor fluid quality, this can cause health problems.

Water has a lot of indicators, but for the humidifier, the most significant is hardness.

There are two types of water hardness:

• temporary characterized by the presence of magnesium and carbonate salts;
• constant - the presence of non-carbonate, for example, chlorides or sulfates.

Water with high temporary hardness during boiling forms a carbonate salt precipitate. This is what we observe on the surface of pots and in electric kettles after prolonged use.

Scale on the dishes is the main indicator of excessively hard water.It’s definitely not worth using such a humidifier liquid.

The softness of water directly depends on the temporary hardness of the water. Constant hardness or liming already indicates the degree of mineralization of the liquid and characterizes its drinking qualities.

Partial reduction of temporary hardness can be done by boiling or freezing. Additionally, high temperatures will destroy viruses and pathogens. However, if demineralized water is needed for the humidifier, simple boiling will not help.

Water hardness is calculated in degrees of hardness ° W (° W = 1 mEq / l = 1/2 mol / m3):

• soft has indicators up to 2 ° W;
• medium hard - 2-10 ° W;
• tough - more than 10 ° W.

Normal hardness of water from a central source of water supply should not exceed 7 ° F, in some cases - 10 ° F. However, already at a level of 4-5 ° W, users will observe scale on dishes, a film on the surface of freshly brewed tea, stains on dishes, etc.

Therefore, categorical water should not be poured even into a humidifier, which provides for the use of non-distilled water. The best solution for any humidifier is distillate.

Features of the preparation of distillate

In order not to constantly buy distilled water for a household air humidifier, you can prepare it yourself. Such a distillate is suitable for all types of humidifiers and will be completely safe for households.

However, the process is quite lengthy and does not make it possible to get too much liquid at a time.

For distillation of water at home, it is not necessary to use a special apparatus. A pan with a concave lid is perfect for these purposes.

To begin with, water must be defended for 6-8 hours. During this time, volatile impurities, such as hydrogen sulfide and chlorine, will naturally be removed, and salts of heavy metals will sink to the bottom of the dishes used. It is this lower layer of liquid that must be carefully pumped out with a tube, removing about a third of the water.

After that, the water is ready for the distillation process, which is carried out in the following way:

1. In an enameled pan, the volume of which is twice the volume of the prepared liquid, pour the settled water.
2. Above the surface of the water, a lattice is fixed, on which a container for collecting distillate is installed.
3. The pan is covered with a concave lid, while the lid dome is directed towards the collection container.
4. After this, the evaporation process begins. After boiling, the water is converted into steam, which, settling on the surface of the lid, again turns into water and flows into a prepared container.

To speed up the distillation process, it is best to constantly cool the lid surface.

Ice is great for cooling the lid. After contact with a cold surface, steam is quickly converted to purified water

After cooking, distilled water must be cooled and frozen. Part of the liquid that does not freeze must be drained before use.

How to add water to the humidifier?

The humidifier is always filled with water according to the instructions for the device. If the documents for the equipment are lost, you can search for the necessary information on the network or on the official website of the manufacturer.

However, there are general principles for replacing water in the device, which should be observed by all owners:

1. Residual fluid in the tank must be completely drained.
2. The water tank is thoroughly cleaned and washed.
3. If present on the walls scale residue, it must be removed with a weak solution of vinegar.

Such measures make it possible to maintain the maximum cleanliness of the humidifier tank, on which the safety of the use of the device largely depends.

A contaminated filter must be replaced, as continued use of a clogged membrane is harmful to your health and could cause the device to malfunction.

If the container is not washed from contamination or mold, the humidifier should never be started. Spores and microorganisms from the humidifier can get into the air and provoke the occurrence of certain diseases.

Signs of using low-quality water

It is possible to understand that the water placed in the tank does not meet the requirements of the device by the following signs:

• the tank smells bad;
• the remains of the water have changed color or become cloudy;
• foci of mold or green bloom appeared on the walls;
• scale is present;
• An unaesthetic white coating appeared on the furniture in the room.

Traces of scale indicate an increased temporary hardness of water, which can be eliminated by preliminary boiling. Mold and greens indicate the presence of spores and bacteria in the water, which can be harmful to health. Plaque on furniture and other surfaces most often appears after the operation of ultrasonic humidifiers, during which, in addition to water, salts also break down.

All these facts indicate that the choice and preparation of water for the humidifier should be approached more responsibly.

How to humidify the air without a humidifier?

Ways to increase the humidity level in the room without using a special humidifier are quite primitive, but still remain quite effective. These methods are suitable for the user if the device suddenly became unusable.

Let's take a closer look at these methods, and also recommend that you familiarize yourself with ten most popular models among users, so that you can yourself choose a new humidifier to replace a broken one.

On a trip, when it’s inconvenient to take extra equipment with you, knowledge of folk methods for increasing humidity will also not be superfluous

To increase the level of humidity, you can simply fill the pan with water and, after boiling, remove the lid, leaving the liquid to boil over low heat. However, it is worth monitoring the water level in the tank in order to avoid fire hazard situations. To save gas, you can simply bring the water to a boil, and then leave the pan on the windowsill or table.

Placing water containers near heating appliances will also increase the humidity in the room. To increase the effectiveness of such natural moisturizers, choose cookware with a wide neck, as this will increase the area of ​​evaporation.

Drying things after washing directly in the room near the battery also increases humidity. However, it is worth remembering that clothes should be thoroughly rinsed from detergents, since their components will also get into the air and lungs during the evaporation process. Additionally, radiators can be covered with wet towels, which will also increase the relative humidity.

Favorably affect the level of humidity and indoor plants. The most famous and unpretentious of them is chlorophytum. This lush flower cleans the air and improves the microclimate.

Airing and wet cleaning are the key to strong immunity and a way to level the chances of getting a cold illness. The same obligatory measures improve the indoor indoor climate and increase humidity to the required standards.

An open door to the bathroom after taking a shower is another way to increase the humidity in the apartment. Vapors from the bathroom will move to other rooms, stabilizing dry air. More ways to humidify the air without a humidifier are described in next article.

However, it is worth remembering that all these artisanal methods of increasing humidity can play an unpleasant joke with health.If the humidifier evaporates high-quality purified water without undesirable impurities and pathogens, then in the above methods any bacteria or viruses, as well as salts of heavy metals, particles of chlorine and other harmful elements contained in ordinary water can get into the internal atmosphere of the house.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

TOP 7 best humidifiers formed by the author of the video below. The review describes the key characteristics of the models, their advantages and disadvantages:

The process of preparing distilled water using a pan and a lid is clearly shown by the creator of the following video:

The difference as a result of the operation of an ultrasonic humidifier filled with distilled and ordinary water was revealed by the author of the video below. Using a special device, the content of undesirable impurities was recorded using ordinary liquid and their low level when distillate was poured:

A humidifier is an almost indispensable device for the heating season, when the humidity level in the room drops to critically low values. Maintaining a favorable microclimate in housing will help to avoid a number of health problems, improve the general condition of the body and the performance of people. Therefore, it is so important to fill in the device’s reservoir with high-quality, properly prepared water, on which not only comfort, but also human well-being will depend.

What type of humidifier do you use and what kind of water are you pouring into the tank? Share your experience with the humidifier with other users. If you have questions or want to supplement the above material with useful information - leave your comments in a special block located below this publication.