Air washing or humidifier - which is better?

Recently, the demand for such fashionable and useful devices as sinks and humidifiers has increased significantly. The range of these devices is incredibly large, there are many models with their pros and cons, certain features, so it’s quite difficult for an ordinary person to understand this abundance. In addition, humidifiers and sinks have serious differences, despite the fact that they have the same purpose. Today we will try to figure out whether an air wash or a humidifier is better, guided by their basic properties, functional features and customer reviews.

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Features and varieties of humidifiers

Humidifier - a device that allows you to provide the necessary level of humidity, which is enough for a comfortable stay in the house. Unfortunately, in modern cities, humidity does not meet normal indicators, therefore, experts recommend using special equipment to increase or decrease it artificially. Before making the final decision that suits you best - a humidifier or a sink, which is better, you should understand what humidifiers are and get acquainted with their features.

Important! On the benefits of humidifiers, tips on choosing and describing the best models, read our article "Humidifier-air purifier".

Ultrasonic devices

Today it is the most popular type of humidifier. They work on this principle:

1. Under the influence of alternating current, the emitter vibrates with the frequency of ultrasound.
2. The water poured into the container under its influence is broken into small particles, then the fan pushes them out.

Issue Price:

• The steam produced by the humidifier is quite cold, so it is often called water fog. There are models in which the function of warm steam is present. Such devices can be inexpensive, but at the same time they effectively moisturize the air.
• In portable devices, there is no water tank, but there is a threaded connector into which an ordinary plastic bottle filled with water is screwed. Such models will be cheap.
• More expensive models are equipped with additional options: separation of steam on two sides, steam sterilization, the choice of the level of humidification. The built-in hygrometer allows the device to go into sleep mode when the desired humidity level is reached.
• The most expensive options have electronic displays, they display all the operating parameters.

The advantages of ultrasonic humidifiers:

• Noiselessness.
• Intensity.
• The ability to control and adjust the level of humidification.
• Profitability.

The disadvantages of such models:

• In the absence of a hygrostat and a hygrometer, the equipment often works in excess.
• Many models operate only on demineralized purified water. That is, you have to constantly buy bottled water, or use an additional filter to purify the water.
• Cover a small area. It is difficult to find a device for sale designed for 40-50 square meters.

Traditional humidifiers

These are devices that have a very simple device. Air through a fan is driven through a humid filter, then it comes out moistened.

Important! Often manufacturers equip them with filters with antibacterial compounds, ionizers, which are responsible for the saturation of air with negatively charged ions.

The benefits of natural devices:

• Devices are safe due to the fact that the steam does not heat up.
• Air cannot humidify excessively due to the lack of forced steam production. That is, air consumes as much steam as necessary.
• Low power consumption.
• The characteristic white coating does not form on the furniture, which, as a rule, occurs when ultrasonic devices are used.
• Do not require pouring purified filtered water.

The disadvantages of natural devices:

• Low level of performance.
• The fan is noticeably noisy, but a lot depends on the model.
• They need periodic filter changes, about once every 2-3 months.

Steam humidifiers

The name of the devices speaks for itself. The water inside the appliance is heated, the steam comes out and thus moisturizes the air. Water is heated with the help of heating elements or electrodes, but the meaning of their work does not change from this. But still, hydration occurs quickly, efficiently, efficiently. And this is a noteworthy option, if you are thinking, washing the air or a humidifier is better.

Advantages of steam models:

• Fast humidification. Such devices operate at full power, they raise the level of humidity much faster than traditional and steam “brothers”.
• High level of security. The steam coming out of the appliance does not overheat, so it is impossible to burn yourself. You can call dangerous only the first portion.
• Hygiene During heat treatment, many microorganisms are neutralized, the flask itself is sterilized, there are no filters, so nothing needs to be changed.
• Ambient temperature does not affect work efficiency.
• White coating does not remain on the surfaces.

Disadvantages of steam humidifiers:

• Although they do not leave a white coating, condensation forms on the furniture quite often due to too intense work.
• No hygrostat.
• Heating elements are covered with scale, which must be periodically removed.
• High water consumption, so appliances with large tanks are ignored.
• Due to the formation of scale, the device starts to make noise.

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Advantages and functional features of an air wash

Now let's see how the air wash differs from the humidifier in order to make the right decision. In addition to humidifying the air, these devices also purify it, provide a constant circulation of air masses, provide a natural level of humidity, and completely exclude overmoistening.

In fact, the sink is a hybrid of a traditional air purifier and humidifier, but it is considered more powerful, functional and less noisy. It works on the principle of a traditional device, without ultrasound and heating. Inside the case there is a drum with plastic rollers or discs, with a special antibacterial coating. During rotation, the discs fall by about a third into the water. The air from the room is driven into the housing by a fan.

Many people think that sinks are better than humidifiers, but to understand why this is so, it is necessary to consider their functionality in detail.

The function of cleansing and moisturizing

Consumers note that it becomes easy to breathe in the rooms where the sinks work. It happens simply because the air is washed, just like heavy rain nails dust to the ground, and breathing immediately is much easier. It is cleaned during the operation of the device: air masses pass through built-in filters, dust, dirt, pollen, and wool is trapped inside it.

Important! Dust is the cause of many diseases, and you need to fight it. In special reviews on our portal you can find more information about the origin of dust and how to deal with it:

• Where does the dust come from?
• Dust cleaner at home.

 

It is because of the moisture that the dirt becomes heavy, it ceases to soar, settles in a tank of liquid.

Important! The cleanliness of the device itself is ensured by dust settling and repeated passage of air through the filters; in fact, no budget humidifier has such an option. Thus, washing the air just makes it crystal clear, for people prone to allergies - this is a huge plus, so they use sinks.

With their help, home care is greatly simplified, because the dust deposited on things and in inaccessible places is completely captured by the device.

Recirculation function

The device evenly distributes humidified air in the room, while conventional humidifiers simply impregnate the space surrounding them with moisture. Manufacturers managed to achieve this effect by installing a special fan in the sink design.

Since it passes through itself all the air accumulated in the room, it is recommended to choose devices directly for a specific area of ​​the room. Thanks to this approach, the air will always be moist, clean, without a feeling of stagnation.

Important! High-quality models provide uniform hydration and effective moisture consumption. So, for example, with humidifiers it often happens that water decreases, but it does not feel moisturizing.

Natural moisturizing function

The sinks are designed to perfectly regulate and maintain the required humidity level. They do not have any special systems; regulation occurs in a natural way, close to natural phenomena.

In this case, the main feature of the air is used - it constantly tries to balance its state, so that the humidity is about 50%. This is the so-called relative indicator, it all depends on the air temperature: the higher the temperature, the hotter, the more water will be needed to stabilize the humidity indicator. Air masses passing through the device take the necessary amount of moisture, determining their ideal condition. That is, waterlogging is not allowed.

Important! In order to maintain efficient washing, it is sufficient to add water to the tank from time to time.

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Stock footage

Let’s summarize all of the above and still answer what’s better - air washing or an ultrasonic humidifier. Naturally, everyone chooses a device, taking into account their own capabilities and needs. Although the sinks are more expensive and large enough in size, they are significantly superior to humidifiers in their ability to moisturize, purify and spread air.