The Differences Between an Air Purifier and Humidifier : What You Need to Know

When it comes to ensuring a clean and safe household for your family, then you may want to consider investing in a machine that helps clean the air and keeps it away from allergens that trigger your allergies. Two of the recommended ones would be air purifiers and humidifiers, both known to help with your household’s air.

But what exactly do both these gadgets do and which is better? Learning about the differences between an air purifier and humidifier are vast, and you’ll be surprised by the fact that both have various functions that make each other unique.

That’s why I did my research to see how these gadgets work and what is best for various households.

Are you also wondering what these differences are and which is suitable for your household? Then read on as I talk about the differences between an air purifier and humidifier!

What Is An Air Purifier?

For starters, what is an air purifier in the first place?

These are appliances which help in removing air pollutants around the room it’s installed in. Used in both homes and offices, air purifiers have HEPA filters, which are the ones that help clean and purify air circulated.

HEPA is short for High-Efficiency Particulate Air, a kind of air filter which purifies air through trapping particles. It’s known to remove about 99.9% of dust and air impurities, including mold, pollen, dust mites, and air pollen.

Air purifiers can be bought anywhere and are especially beneficial for those who have respiratory conditions.

The Benefits Of An Air Purifier

Now that you know what an air purifier is, what good does it do for your home or office? Air purifiers have a host of benefits to offer, such as:

1. Removes Pet Dander 70

While having a pet is amazing, they end up shedding a ton of fur that vacuuming alone can’t fix. They also end up bringing pet odor, urine stains, or even skin dander, which can cause allergies in the family.

With an air purifier, it will eliminate the allergens your pet unintentionally emits, freshening the room and relieves those itchy eyes allergic people suffer from. It also helps reduce asthma that’s triggered by pet dander.

2. Fewer Cases of Allergies

Whether you have guests over or children, there are times where people get triggered by an asthma attack or suffer from other allergic reactions. The culprit? Your home’s air!

This is because there are pollen particles, particularly in the spring, which would cause eye irritation or asthma. Also, mold spores may be found in bathrooms, which result in breathing difficulties, as well as dust mites found in your home that can cause skin allergies.

With an air purifier, you are able to reduce most air pollutants to reduce any allergic reactions or respiratory illnesses.

3. Keep Bacteria and Odor Away

Last but not the least, having an air purifier will be able to keep the odors away, which is beneficial for those who cool or have neighbors who do. It gets rid of pungent smells from vegetables or fragrances from cooking and food preparation. Not only that, but it also helps reduce the smoke from cigarettes!

Furthermore, air purifiers would reduce dangerous bacteria and viruses found on your household surfaces. That way, this prevents the risk of serious illnesses that are caused by air pollutants.

What Is a Humidifier?

We’re knowledgeable about the air purifier, but how about the humidifier? What do these do?

While there are different types of humidifiers available, their main function is to increase humidity in the air. Basically, it works to have moisture return to the air in your home. It does this through emitting water vapor in a space, which can help families and offices in many ways.

Humidifiers are best used during the cold weather, because of the dry air which can cause cold-weather ailments. With that being said, one may not need a humidifier during the warm weather as there is more humidity unless you live in desert-like conditions that don’t have any humidity in the air!

The Benefits of A Humidifier

A humidifier has a host of health benefits for those who live in areas low in humidity, particularly during the winter season or extremely hot and dry weather! You are able to reap the following advantages

1. Better Skin and Healthier Plants

Because cold and dry air would sap moisture away from your skin, it would cause a series of skin problems such as dullness or dryness. With a humidifier, it helps maintain the flowing and vibrant look, preventing any damaging effects.

It can also save your houseplants form the dry winter air, keeping soil moisturized. As a result, your plants work well to remove toxins in the air, which is beneficial for you too!

2. Reduce Infections and Quickens Healing Times

We all have those dry noses during the winter, even if we don’t suffer from colds! With a humidifier, it reduces the dry nose and enhances your immune system.

Furthermore, using a humidifier can also reduce any risk of infections, as the bacteria won’t be able to travel well in the moist air. This helps keep you and the entire household healthy and away from any winter fever.

3. Protects Wood Furnishings

Did you know that dry air can damage your wood furniture and doors or moldings? It would actually cause wood to crack and split, which is an expensive issue that can cost a lot of time and money from repairing. A humidifier would preserve your wood’s integrity, maintaining the beauty and quality of your wood furnishings for many years more.

4. Improved Sleep and No Dry Voice

If you and your partner snore more during cold nights, it’s mostly because your sinus or throat is dry. With a moist environment, you’ll feel warm and comfortable, which reduces snoring and has you sleep straight. Plus, you can wake up without that dry throat in the morning from breathing all that moisture-less air. It reduces your risk of waking up with sinus infections and a dry throat.

The Differences Between An Air Purifier and Humidifier

Now that we’ve tackled the meanings and benefits an air purifier and humidifier has to offer, what are the main differences between both? There are two primary things to take note of:

1. When You Need It

A humidifier is best used for either winter or very dry seasons when there isn’t any moisture in the air. It’s also best to use for those who are sensitive to dry air. An air purifier is best used at any time, as it would clean out your home from air pollutants that cause different respiratory problems.

2. Its Primary Functions

An air purifier would clean and the air from any pollutants or impurities which would cause respiratory problems. It helps with the cleanliness of your air.

Whereas with a humidifier, it would help add moisture back to dry air, which helps in dry air or heat that can cause skin issues or sinus problems.

Which Is Better For Your Home?

So, which one will you need for your home or office? This will depend on when and what you need it for!

In the end, this will totally depend on where you are based on and what you or your household are prone to.

If you live in a dry climate and suffer from dry skin, breakouts, sinus issues, or snoring and dry throats, then you may need a humidifier.

However, if you are more susceptible to asthma, live in closed spaces where the odor is evident, or have different allergies from the air, then an air purifier is best.

You can also find an air purifier and humidifier combination units if you live in a dry climate and need to reduce air impurities!

Wrapping It Up

And there you have it! While air purifiers and humidifiers seem quite similar, they have differences that make it essential for specific types of households. That’s why it’s important to do your research so you know what to invest in to get your money’s worth.

I hope that this article on the differences between an air purifier and humidifier gave you an idea of what you should get for your home. So don’t wait any longer and look into getting either a quality air purifier or humidifier now!

If you had any questions or want to share your tips and experiences on investing in air purifiers and humidifiers, then comment below. Your thoughts are much appreciated.