The Difference Between Cool and Warm Mist Humidifiers

How is dry air bad for you?

Dry air is a result of the dropping temperature, as it forces air to lose its inherent ability to hold moisture. Winter’s arid climate can damage not only your furniture and household fixtures, but more importantly, it can dry up your sinuses and skin, causing infection of the former and inflammation of the latter. Of course, you shouldn’t despair as the simplest way to solve this is by humidifying your air.

Difference between Cool and Warm Mist Humidifiers

Humidifiers add moisture into the air by emitting water vapor, keeping things nice and hydrated. They come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors, but the main thing to differentiate them by is their emission. Both sufficiently humidify the air, and by the time the air reaches your lungs, assume the same temperature. But here are the essential differences between the two.

Cool Mist Humidifiers

There are generally two types of cool mist humidifiers:

• Evaporative Cool Mist Humidifiers – This type of cool mist humidifier uses an internal wick filter to absorb water while a small fan blows the air through this filter. This process evaporates the water, causing it to become an ultra-fine mist that spreads throughout your room. Because of how it functions, this type is the least likely to cause mold and mildew. Maintenance may be a bit of a hassle, as you must regularly replace the wick filter to avoid bacteria growth. 
• Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifiers – This kind uses ultrasonic vibration technology to transform water into an ultra-fine cool mist that is evenly and quietly distributed throughout the room. Cleaning and maintenance are very straightforward, requiring cleaning of the tank and internals only. 

Benefits

Cool mist humidifiers are the safest, especially if you have babies and kids because there are no burn risks. And because they use fans to evaporate water, it can provide a cooling effect to your room. This makes them ideal for most seasons, especially summertime when it can get significantly. They are also more energy-efficient, lacking the need to steam water. 

Disadvantages

Cool mist humidifiers are prone to bacterial growth if not maintained frequently and can be noisy because of the fans. 

Warm Mist Humidifiers

Warm mist humidifiers use a heating mechanism to boil water and create steam and may slightly raise the room’s ambient temperature through this. Because of this process, they are better at moisture saturation than cool mist ones.

Benefits

Steam has proven to be useful in cough and sinus blockage relief. In conjunction with medicated products, like essential oils, they can provide air pleasant for breathing. They’re also better at reducing bacteria and germs because the heat kills them. It’s the quieter of the two options and is suitable for winter, as it can slightly warm its environment. 

Disadvantages

The primary disadvantage is that warm mist humidifiers pose a burn hazard, especially to kids and pets. Warm mist humidifiers also consume more energy than cool mist ones because of its heating element. 

Which one is for you?

Both types are equally capable of humidifying your ambient environment, so both options should be attractive to you. Based on the benefits and disadvantages we’ve listed above, you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs.