No one likes being sick, especially the congested, stuffy feeling that you get when you're coming down with a cold. Coughing. Sneezing. Can't Breathe Clearly. Modern advances such as humidifiers and vaporizers have been shown to effectively relieve a multitude of common cold symptoms. But what exactly is a humidifier? How does it differ from a vaporizer? We know you want to get well as soon as possible, but let's first explore the differences in humidifiers vs. vaporizers:
What is a humidifier?
The most basic definition is that humidifiers are electrical devices used to release extra moisture into a room. You will find several different types on the market from personal humidifiers to whole house humidifiers. Many of the uncomfortable symptoms related to the common cold, as well as sinus congestion, can be alleviated through the use of these devices which restore ideal humidity levels to indoor environments. Restoring ideal moisture levels is extremely important during the Winter months when air is typically drier.
You will find two major kinds of humidifiers on the market - warm mist and cool mist - both of which are self-explanatory according to their names. Cool mist humidifiers use cool water and create a fine mist which is distributed throughout the room. Warm mist humidifiers are typically equipped with a heating element to allow water to evaporate into the air. When the humidifier is operating, you can often see the tiny, translucent water vapor being expelled into the air in your home or office.
What is a vaporizer?
Vaporizers are a bit different from humidifiers - both of which expel moisture into a room to increase humidity to an ideal level. The biggest difference between the two is that vaporizers actually boil the water before releasing into the air. Therefore, the water vapor that is expelled into the air often resembles steam. The reason why someone may choose a vaporizer is because of the threat of spreading bacteria into the air. The boiling action of the vaporizer is believed to kill any bacteria or mold that may accumulate in the water tank or basin.
Some experts claim that there is no real advantage to buying a vaporizer over a humidifier. Because both of these machines work through allowing water to sit in a tank, there is always a risk of undue bacteria, mildew, or mold growth. Both vaporizers and humidifiers need to be cleaned at regular intervals to prevent the harmful effects of bacteria growth. In fact, many experts recommend replacing the water everyday, especially if these machines are used around babies, children, or the elderly. These individuals are usually most susceptible to weakened immune systems and you do not want to introduce additional health problems to your loved one that is already feeling miserable from cold symptoms.
To answer the original question of whether humidifiers or vaporizers are best for fighting colds, this review suggests that they both work equally well. If you have children, please opt on the side of safety by buying a humidifier. You want to minimize any chance that an accident may occur by coming in contact with boiling water from vaporizers.
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