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Air Purifier vs. Humidifier: What’s the Difference?

October 11, 2022

It’s estimated that Canadians spend a total of 90% of their time indoors. Showing that people are going to mostly be breathing in the air that is inside.

There have been many reports showing just how bad indoor air quality can be for our health. Being mostly due to air pollutants and stuffy air that we are continually breathing all day.

Air quality is something that is progressively becoming more of an issue for people. Especially as so many spend the majority of their lives indoors without fresh air.

This is why many people wonder about an air purifier vs humidifier and what is the better option. Both have become more popular as people are trying to have cleaner air indoors.

Keep reading to find out more about air quality and the differences between humidifiers and air purifiers.

What Is the Difference Between Air Purifiers and Humidifiers?

If you are considering buying a humidifier or air purifier, you should know the differences. Though they are often compared to each other, these are two different things.

An air purifier helps to purify the air by removing things in the air and making it cleaner. An air purifier is not going to add moisture to the air as a humidifier would.

A humidifier’s design is to create water into a mist that’s extracted into the air. Humidifiers are often used to help with areas of dry air that can be irritating to your sinuses.

Though a humidifier is not going to clean the air as an air purifier would. They are both very beneficial in their own ways, but they do not do the same thing.

Air purifiers are the better option if you want clean air that has fewer pollutants and allergens. A humidifier is better for dry air conditions that need more moisture.

Because of these differences, these things should be used depending on what you are wanting.

What Is an Air Purifier?

Air purifiers are made with filters inside of the device designed to trap particles from the air. An air purifier sucks in air and circulates it through this filter.

Pollutants and irritants are then trapped in the filter as the air circulates and is put out. This process helps the air quality by removing things that could be irritating to you.

There are all kinds of pollutants and allergens in the air that we are breathing in all day. These are often particles too tiny to see, but they are all around us.

Air purifiers help by removing these particles from the air, providing cleaner air to breathe. These purifiers can even be used to help with mold and bad orders in the home.

Most households and workplaces could benefit from having an air purifier in place. It will not entirely clean the air, but it can help significantly.

This is something that is especially helpful during allergy seasons. An air purifier can help to extract allergens and create fewer irritants that you are breathing in.

What Is a Humidifier?

A humidifier is a machine that is very different from an air purifier. It does not purify the air in any way as it does not extract particles or filter the air.

A humidifier is filled with water that it boils and turns into water vapor. The water vapor is then released into the air, filling it with tiny water particles.

Humidifiers do this to help in adding moisture to areas of dry air. Dry air can be very irritating and can cause a number of health concerns.

Many people choose to use humidifiers throughout the year in their homes. Many places have dry air between the use of AC and heating systems, which create dry air.

Although humidifiers don’t necessarily improve the air quality, it can feel like they do. They create air that is more comfortable to breathe and won’t be nearly as irritating or harsh.

They are especially useful during winter when people have their heating systems going all day. This dries out the air terribly, making a humidifier very necessary.

Air Purifier Vs Humidifier for Your Health

When it comes to deciding between an air purifier vs humidifier, this is often due to health concerns. Most people use these machines for personal health reasons.

These machines are designed to help with health concerns that come from the air. This is because air quality is gradually getting worse and that includes indoor air.

There is no way to avoid spending time indoors and breathing indoor air. But there are ways to counteract how bad indoor air can be for your health.

You can use both air purifiers and humidifiers in this way to help your health. They provide different benefits but are both good options depending on your concerns.

Allergies

When it comes to allergies, both humidifiers and air purifiers can be beneficial. Air purifiers help to extract pollutants and allergens that can be messing with you.

They will help to remove these particles that are causing allergies and making them more severe. This can be a huge help and reduce the allergies that you get each year.

When it comes to humidifiers, they help in a different way. Humidifiers won’t extract allergens from the air, but they can reduce allergy symptoms.

Allergies are often made worse by dry air that dries out your sinuses and causes irritation. Dry air can impact your allergies and make them much worse than they would otherwise be.

A humidifier puts moisture out into the air, counteracting the dryness that is irritating. This is why it is often recommended to use a humidifier if you’re having sinus issues.

Seasonal Illnesses

Seasonal illness can also be affected when using an air purifier or a humidifier. In this instance, a humidifier is often considered to be the better option.

A humidifier can help with sinus issues and congestion that you might have. It can help to soothe inflammation and reduce discomfort while you are sick.

You can also use an air purifier to help suck out allergens and other particles from the air. This won’t help to cure you of your sickness, but it can improve how you feel.

Clean air is better than polluted air, so an air purifier is always a good idea. Plus, some seasonal illnesses could be prevented by reducing indoor pollutants.

Air Purifier Vs Humidifier for Babies

Many people want to improve the air quality for their baby but don’t know how. Both of these machines can be a great way to do this for your baby’s health.

Humidifiers are more commonly used but shouldn’t be used in excess. Too much moisture can cause mold or bacteria growth in your home.

If this happens, your baby could develop asthma or allergies due to breathing these things in. This is also something that can negatively impact adults.

As a rule of thumb, your home’s humidity shouldn’t go over 60%. This is a comfortable percentage that makes the air easy to breathe and non-irritating.

You can also use an air purifier for your baby if you worry about the air quality. These machines can remove allergens and particles that could irritate a baby’s sinuses.

Like adults, these are both great options if your baby is sick or congested. They won’t cure any illness, but they can help your baby to feel more comfortable.

Can a Humidifier and Air Purifier be Used Together?

When deciding between an air purifier vs humidifier, you may wonder if they can be used together. The answer to this is that they can be used together in your home.

Because they serve different purposes, they can be used in combination to help with air quality. A purifier can help to clean air while the humidifier combats dry air.

They can even be used in the same room if you want to improve your indoor air quality. Though it is often recommended to not keep them too close to each other.

The moisture from the humidifier could be pulled into the air purifier, causing issues. The moisture can block the purifier’s filter, causing it to not work as well.

Using both machines is a great option when the air is the driest and filled with irritating allergens.

Differences Between Air Purifiers and Humidifiers

Deciding between an air purifier vs humidifier is something that people often thinking about. With the quality of indoor air is so poor, these are popular options for people’s homes.

They are both responsible for different things, despite being compared to each other. This is why you should consider which option is best for your home.

Do you want to buy a humidifier or an air purifier for your home? Contact us today at Filter Queen to see all of our humidifier and air purifier options.

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