what is better air washing or ultrasonic humidifierA few decades ago, only a wealthy part of the population could afford plastic windows and air conditioners, and today they are in the usual use of many Russians, and some users cannot imagine life without these improvements. Most recently, none of the readers had a clue what an air washer or humidifier is for a home, and now consumers are scrupulously choosing the right model from a fairly wide range.

Many users are wondering which of these devices is better, but not a single expert can answer them, because these are different products - they must be considered separately from each other, first you need to understand the features of the work, what additional functions they have to create favorable atmosphere inside the city apartment. Here about this, as well as the individual advantages and disadvantages of each device will be discussed in our article.

Features of humidification and purification of air

Humidity in the apartment should not be lower than 50 and not higher than 75%, otherwise the walls and furniture will begin to warm. Each device has its own individual nuances, so before purchasing, you need to familiarize yourself with them to decide whether it suits you or not.

Humidifiers

They are produced in three types, differ only in the principle of work, the size of the cultivated area and productivity. We will not describe the work and design, but dwell only on the positive as well as negative qualities of each option.

Traditional

Pros:

  1. Do not heat the liquid.
  2. The air is saturated with as much moisture as necessary at the current temperature.
  3. No precipitation on furniture and floor.
  4. Water can be poured from the tap, and not specially purified.
  5. They can process rooms up to 45 square meters. m

Minuses:

  • low productivity;
  • water needs to be changed frequently;
  • flush discs periodically.
  • Ultrasonic

    Pros:

    1. Silent work.
    2. Great performance.
    3. The presence of a built-in hygrometer to check the result of work.
    4. Low consumption of electric energy.

    Minuses:

    • use only purified and soft water, the best results with distillate.

    Steam

    Pros:

    1. High intensity and hygienic processing, because high temperature steam is used.
    2. No filter elements.
    3. No whitish coating on the interior.

    Minuses:

    • condensation;
    • scale is formed on the heater;
    • high consumption of electricity and water.

    Before you buy a humidifier for the home, you must clearly determine the tasks that he must solve.

    Air washers

    Air washers have these features:

    1. Types of control - mechanical, electronic and touch, the second option is considered the most functional, and the third - experts consider unreliable, because in practice there are quite frequent failures.
    2. Cultivated area. Each model is designed to handle a certain area of ​​the premises, depending on the power. For efficient processing, you need to choose a power slightly larger than necessary: ​​for example, you have a room of 20 square meters. m., and you need to purchase a product designed for 25-30 square meters. m
    3. Water tank. The size of the tank affects the size of the device, the best option is a capacity of 7 liters, water is enough for a day at a flow rate of 300 ml / hour.
    4. The presence of various modes, as a rule, there are at least two of them - day and night, in which the consumption of water and electricity is reduced.
    5. Aromatization.Only more expensive models are supplied with a separate compartment; for budget options, flavored oils can be added to the liquid bath.

    These unique products, unlike household humidifiers, operate on the principle of hydraulic filtration, when dry air masses from a room are washed with water in a special, so-called dispersion rehabilitation zone. After treatment, humidified air returns.

    Why do we need products, how do they differ

    As soon as the heating season begins, the air in city apartments becomes excessively dry, and this negatively affects the health of residents. Natural ventilation helps poorly, because frosty air does not moisten the room, but rather exacerbates the negative situation. Therefore, you need products such as humidifiers and air purifiers, and which one is best for use in an apartment is up to you.

    What are the consequences for us from dry indoor air:

    1. People who are constantly in rooms with low humidity have frequent headaches, drowsiness, and rapid fatigue and dry skin are observed.
    2. Working at a computer for more than 4 hours in an unventilated room contributes to red-eye syndrome, which causes a sharp deterioration in visual acuity.
    3. In dry air, a suspension of the smallest dust is formed, which those present are forced to breathe - the risk of developing allergies, as well as many diseases of the upper respiratory tract, is increased.
    4. People forced to work in such an unfavorable climate: for example, workers in archives and bookstores in libraries, are more likely than others to respiratory infections.

    If you are for a healthy lifestyle, then do everything in your power to ensure that the microclimate in your home is favorable, especially for the younger generation.

    Advantages and disadvantages

    Let's start with the positive qualities of ultrasonic humidifiers:

    1. The use of appliances in everyday life is absolutely safe even for children, not to mention adults - many kids really like to play with water fog emanating from the spray.
    2. Devices operate quite quietly and do not interfere with others, and a quiet gurgle contributes to the rapid fall asleep of fidgets.
    3. The model range has a wide range of samples with a different set of functions, so you can choose the best combination for yourself.
    4. The stylish and beautiful design of the products contributes to their harmonious entry into any interior, especially for models with the backlight of a water tank and emerging water fog.
    5. The presence of a built-in hygrostat allows users to periodically check the efficiency of the device or transfer the product to stand-alone operation.
    6. High efficiency and small dimensions allow you to move it from room to room to create the optimal microclimate in the apartment.
    7. The devices consume a bit of electricity, so consumers are not at risk of raising utility bills.
    8. The kit includes an ionizing rod for additional purification from viruses and various microbes.

    Minuses:

    • for the equipment to work stably and for a long time, it is necessary to fill in only purified and soft water, the distilled liquid works best;
    • if you use tap water, the product will work less than the appointed time, and a whitish coating of salt deposits will appear on the interior surfaces;
    • pre-filters require periodic cleaning and replacement, which is associated with the expenditure of personal time and considerable financial investments.

    Now, in a similar sequence, we will talk about air washing.

    Pros:

    1. Perfectly filters extraneous inclusions of 10 microns in size, but passes in front of microallergens and microbes.
    2. Some skeptics claim that such products contribute to the formation of excess moisture, but no harm has been recorded from the use of products in domestic conditions with proper operation.
    3. They process a large area due to forced air intake.
    4. The water in the tank is not heated, so it is impossible to get a burn during operation and maintenance of the device.
    5. Products do not provoke a whitish coating on the surface of the furniture or floor.

    air wash against humidifier

    Disadvantages:

    • continuous work is needed for high-quality humidification of the air: if you turn off the product, then the percentage of humidity decreases quite quickly;
    • the developed design does not allow the device to catch allergens, as well as foreign particles less than 10-12 microns;
    • high-quality fine filters are installed, which must be changed, which entails additional costs.

    Each type has its advantages and disadvantages, but with prolonged use, the former always overlap the latter, and as a result, users get a comfortable microclimate. Finally, to conclude what is better to use in everyday life - washing the air or its rival in the fight for the cleanliness of the air masses surrounding us - an ultrasonic humidifier is very difficult due to the difference in the principle of operation.

    What to choose

    We sequentially examined each of the compared products, and the verdict is as follows: if you need a humidifier for a small room, for example, in a children's bedroom, then the ultrasonic model is the ideal option without a doubt. And in the case of moistening the entire apartment with an improved layout, an air wash is suitable for you, because it takes up a lot of space and is specially designed for large areas and can effectively serve up to 100 square meters. meters.

    Household ultrasonic humidifiers are designed for efficient operation in rooms with an area of ​​not more than 50 square meters. m, there are products covering an area of ​​80 square meters. m, but these are already climate complexes, and they cost much more. Each user selects a product to his taste and according to financial opportunities, we only impartially state the facts.