Air Humidifier vs Air Purifier – Which Is Best For You?

Are you wondering whether to get an air humidifier or an air purifier?

Well, you are not alone. Most homeowners face the same question. They try to weigh between an air humidifier and an air purifier.

However, air humidifiers and air purifiers are essential in a home, depending on your needs. They help to improve the quality of the indoor air that you breathe.

You can use the humidifier or the air purifier, and in some cases, you may need both. So, which one do you choose? What do they do, and are they the same?

The two appliances have different functions in improving the quality of your indoor air.

To better understand air purifiers versus humidifiers, let us look at what they are, and their functions.

Which is better between a humidifier or an air purifier?

To choose one between the two, you have to know as much as you can about the two appliances. You have to know how each works. You also have to know what each does.

Humidifying appliance

An air humidifier adds moisture to the air to change the humidity levels. It is useful when the home has dry air, especially during the winter.

You will know that the air in your home is dry when you get the following indications:

  • Flaky skin
  • Experience dehydration
  • Chapped lips
  • Dry cough
  • Sinus congestion
  • Asthma attacks
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Irritation in the nasal airways

You may also find the wood items starting to crack, and your wall paint starts chipping.

You can check the humidity levels in your home using a hygrometer. The recommended level is around 45%. If the level is below 30%, then the air is too dry. Above 50% means you have too much humidity.

Therefore, when the air humidity drops to below 40%, you should go for an air humidifier to add moisture to the air. The humidity helps to improve the skin condition, make breathing more comfortable, and reduce sore sinuses.

Air purifying appliances

An air purifier removes contaminants from your indoor air. Such include mold, dust, smoke, bacteria, pet dander, spores, odors, and pollen.

These contaminants aggravate and spread respiratory diseases that include asthma, sinusitis, respiratory tract damage, and pulmonary edema.

Therefore, if you start sneezing, your asthma is triggered, and you get rashes and allergies as well as breathing problems, just know you need an air purifier.

The presence of pollen, pet dander, or spores in the air can trigger asthmatic attacks. Bacteria and viruses can cause respiratory diseases.

While anyone can use and benefit from using an air purifier, asthmatics, children, and allergenic people get the most out of it.

Are purifiers better than humidifiers?

Are you in a situation where you can only buy one of the appliances? Maybe you don’t have enough money. Therefore, you want to know which is better, an air purifier or an air humidifier. Or you only want to buy one of these instead of having both.

Image of air purifier versus humidifier

Choosing one depends on your needs. You can’t say an air purifier is better when you are struggling with dry air in your home. Also, you wouldn’t say the humidifier is better when you are breathing contaminated air.

If you are to choose between the two appliances, go for the one that will address your needs. You can only say that the air purifier is better if the air in your home is contaminated.

Do you have allergies and don’t know whether to go for an air purifier or a humidifier for allergies? Allergies occur from air pollutants such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander, and mold spores. Therefore, you should invest in an air purifier to get rid of these contaminants.

Now, there are many suppliers of these appliances on the market. It is up to you to choose a high-quality brand that can serve you for a long time.

For instance, you could check out Dyson humidifiers vs. air purifiers. This company is known for its high-quality appliances.

Which one do I choose for asthma?

The presence of air contaminants can cause asthma attacks. On the other hand, dry air can aggravate asthmas.

Therefore, if you are prone to getting asthma attacks, you should invest in both the air purifier and the humidifier.

The purifier removes the irritants. The humidifier will moisturize the air to prevent the nasal passages from drying out and aggravating the asthma attacks.

In addition, you should note that excess moisture can cause asthma attacks from mold and dust mites. As such, make sure the moisture level is as recommended: above 35% and below 50%.

Air purifier vs humidifier for eczema

Eczema is a skin disease where skin patches are rough, cracked, red, itchy, and inflamed. The condition can flare up because of dry air, especially during the winter.

The solution is to humidify the air. When you add moisture to the air, you prevent the skin from drying up. A humidifier and other recommended ways of reducing eczema flare-ups can help reduce the symptoms.

An air purifying appliance cannot help much in reducing the symptoms of eczema.

Air humidifier vs. air dehumidifier vs. air purifier

Just as you thought things were now clear, we now toss a spanner into the works—a dehumidifier!

What is it, and which is better among air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers? All these appliances can sometimes confuse you.

Now you know about the air purifier and humidifier. Both are essential in making sure that your indoor air is of high quality.

A dehumidifier also has a vital role to play in ensuring your indoor air is clean.

A humidifier adds moisture to dry air. A dehumidifier does the opposite. It removes the moisture from the air. You cannot use both a humidifier and a dehumidifier at the same time.

You will need to use a dehumidifier if your home has high humidity. The humidity level in your home should not exceed 50%. You can tell there is high humidity when you find mold and condensed water on the walls.

High humidity is common during the summer. It is also present in the kitchen and bathroom, where a lot of water is used.

High levels of moisture in your indoor air cause mold. It also causes peeling paint, rotting wood, and respiratory problems. If you notice these, invest in a dehumidifier to get rid of the excess moisture.

Conclusion

If your budget allows it, get both the humidifier and air purifier if necessary since they complement one another very well.

Besides, one purifies the air, keeping it free of contaminants, using its advanced germ-capturing system. The other releases mist into the dry indoor air to raise the humidity.