10 Benefits of Using a Humidifier

Discover why you should have a humidifier in your home.

At some point during the winter, you may have sat down in your living room and thought, “Why is it so dry in here?” You might have a dry nose, sore throat, or feel thirsty no matter how much water you drink.

Cold weather and low humidity can dry out the air in your home. During winter and dry months, the humidity in your home may drop as low as 10%. The ideal humidity range is between 30% and 60%. You can test how moist your air is with a hygrometer.

To add more moisture to your home’s air, you can use a humidifier. Humidifiers spread mist into your air to make it more humid. They do this by shooting a vapor into the air and circulating it through the area.

There are so many advantages to using humidifiers in your home, especially during the winter months. Learn about 10 of the biggest benefits they offer with Blain’s Farm & Fleet.

1. Hydrates Dry Skin and Hair

Dry air is very bad for your hair and skin, as it pulls moisture out of them. Your skin may start getting flaky or cracked, and it might feel itchy. You also might have chapped lips and get bloody noses more often. And your hair may look dull and frail.

Not only can dry skin be irritating, but it could actually have negative long-term effects. If your air is too dry, your skin could start aging faster than it normally would.

However, if you start using a humidifier, you should see these negative effects of dry skin and hair go away. The more moisture there is in the air, the more moisturized your skin and hair will be. Humidifiers will help your skin feel more smooth and look more glowy than before.

2. Relieves Common Cold Symptoms

All those annoying symptoms that come with common colds, such as sinus problems, sore throats, and coughs, can be relieved with the use of a humidifier. And if your air is dry, you may be experiencing these symptoms even though you might not necessarily be sick.

Relieves Sinus Problems

Dry air can irritate your nasal passages. A humidifier will help soothe them. Plus, if you’re getting a stuffy nose often, having more moisture in your air will help thin out the mucus, therefore allowing you to breathe more easily. This will also help cure sinus headaches.

Relieves Coughs

Dry air can also trigger you to cough more often. Using a humidifier will help soothe your upper respiratory muscles, and you’ll have less of an urge to cough.

Relieves Sore Throats

Another thing dry air is known for is giving people sore throats. If you’re continuously waking up with a sore throat, your home needs more humidity. A humidifier will help rehydrate your throat and provide relief to your vocal chords.

If you are sick, using a humidifier should help lessen your symptoms. And in return, will allow you to recover much faster.

3. Helps Prevent Colds and the Flu

Studies have found that some cold and flu-causing bacteria travels better in dry air. This means that if your air contains more moisture, it could make it harder for germs, such as the ones that cause the influenza virus, to spread.

So if you’re using a humidifier, you might not get sick as often.

4. Helps With Allergies

Similar to how moisture in the air lessens cold symptoms, it can also help reduce asthma and allergy symptoms.

Humidifiers can help soothe your nose and throat, which will provide you relief if you suffer from a dry, scratchy throat or runny nose due to allergies.

Similarly, if you experience dry eyes often, using a humidifier to put more moisture in your home’s air should help greatly.

5. Reduces Utility Bills

Once you start regularly using a humidifier in your home, you can expect to start saving energy and see your heating bill go down, too.

Humid air feels warmer than dry air at the same temperature. So if you start using a humidifier, you shouldn’t have to turn your heat up as high as you normally would to achieve the same level of comfort.

6. Improves Sleep Quality

Dry air can make it uncomfortable and/or difficult for some people to sleep. This is especially true if you’re experiencing congestion and can’t breathe easily.

However, since humidifiers can help with sinus congestion, you may notice that you’re able to sleep better once you start using one.

Plus, if you or your partner snores due to congestion, a humidifier can help loosen the mucus that’s blocking your nasal passages, and maybe even put an end to the snoring altogether.

7. Good for Houseplants

Humans aren’t the only ones who need moisture in the air! Plants benefit greatly from it, too. Most houseplants originate from humid climates, and they can get dried out from air that’s not moist enough.

Having wet soil isn’t always enough. If your houseplants have droopy or shriveled leaves, they’re thirsty for higher humidity levels. Your plants will thrive and be much happier with more moisture in the air.

8. Controls Static Electricity

If you notice you’re getting shocked more often or have extra-staticky hair or sweaters, it’s because your air is in need of more humidity. Once you start using a humidifier, you should start experiencing that static electricity much less.

9. Protects Furniture and Floors

The furniture in your home may also be paying a price if your air is too dry. Wood floors and furniture pieces can crack or split if there’s not enough moisture in the air. Keep them in the best possible condition for a long time by using a humidifier to add more moisture to your home.

10. Improves Air Quality

Overall, dry air just isn’t healthy for humans. If your indoor air is too dry, consider investing in a humidifier for your home. Your skin will thank you, and you’ll feel sick a lot less often.

You can find the best humidifier for your home with our humidifier buying guide.

For more guides like this one, check out our Home Maintenance Blog.