Humidifiers

[ricklissaferrero]

Wanted to see what people's opinions are on using humidifiers. Do people use/like them? I know that there are different ones using warm mist or cool air. What brands/features do people prefer and where to buy?

Thanks!
Lissa Ferrero
(Denali 2 1/2 months)

[elizabethaw]

Here in Wisconsin, we use humidifiers throughout the winter because the air gets unbearably dry--and that's pre-baby! (Our first is due in late January.) The main problems I have here are mildew/mold inside the humidifier and hard water build-up. If you live in an area with soft water, you won't have a problem with the latter.

At the end of last winter, someone suggested using hydrogen peroxide in the water to prevent mold. (There are lots of commercial products for this purpose, but I've been concerned about breathing in the chemicals they contain.) It seemed to be working, but I didn't have long enough to give it a good try.

Now if you use a warm mist, you shouldn't have mold problems. The little vaporizors are cheap ($10), but they don't last long (at least here with the hard water they don't) and they contain really hot water--so you have to be very careful about tipping them over.

There are some really nice ultrasonic and higher-tech warm mist humidifiers, but I've always been too cheap to spring for one! One we have at work sprays white dust--but, again, that's due to our hard water.

So I haven't found anything that's perfect, but mold/bacteria growth is definitely something to watch out for. Also, you should probably find out what the humidity in your house actually is before you start adding more moisture. Too much humidity can encourage mold and other such bad stuff growing in the environment--making it an allergy and breathing problem risk as well.

Elizabeth

[jra]

I am in Wisconsin too and if I could use a humidifier I would. In our old house, I used a cool mist one and loved it. We had hard water, but I used vinegar to clean it once in a while and was sure to change to filter on a regular basis. That seemed to help with the "white dust" that Elizabeth was talking about. But now we have moved into a brand new house and the builder told us not to use any humidifiers since this house is much more efficient and moisture cannot escape. If you live in a newer house, you may want to look into this.

Jennifer

[elizabethaw]

It's important to get the humidity level just right--not too high or too low.

[entdoc]

We recommend that you purchase a cool mist humidifier as there have been safety problems with the warm or hot mist. Most babies do quite well with some added humidity in the wintertime.

Also, many of the ones that are added to central air systems in homes are not very effective.

[entdoc]

You should check your humidity level - it usually falls dramatically once your heating gets turned on (no matter how efficient your builder claims it is).

[morgan]

We are moving into a home in NH that has a central humidifier system. This is new for us so I'm curious as to why you don't think they work well...and how will I know if it is working well or not? We always have one going in the winter due to dryness...my skin kills me if I don't have one! Of course, ours broke at the end of the winter last year and I haven't replaced it...hadn't planned to, either, due to the central unit.

Our first baby is due in February and I'm curious if this central unit will be enough...

Thanks!

Morgan