Difference Between Humidifier vs Air Purifier: Which One Should You Pick?

How do you know which is the right choice for you, a humidifier vs an air purifier for the issues about the air quality inside your home?

First of all, we need to understand how the humidifier and the air purifier work differently.
And what is the purpose of both these devices?

Both the humidifier and the air purifier enhance the internal quality of air in your home. Here we tell you the purpose of both the humidifier and the air purifier and how you can use both these devices to get rid of your problems. If you face the issue of low humidity in your home then you must need a humidifier of the best quality that resolves your problem. On the other hand, If you want to remove allergens and dust mites from the air then you have to add an air purifier that makes the air allergens-free. 

Comparison Between Humidifier and Air Purifier:

Here we will discuss the comparison between humidifier and air purifier in order to understand the difference between their working and characteristics. Through this comparison chart, you can quickly recognize the humidifier vs. air purifier listed below.

Features	Humidifier	Air Purifier
Objective	It enhances the moisture level of the atmosphere.	It gives you clean air by filtering the dust particles present in the air.
Removes	Removing the dryness from the air.	Removes airborne dust mites, pet dander, allergens, pollen, and tiny fragments.
Advantages	Best for people who have respiratory issues. And also effective for asthma patients.	The best option for Asthma and Allergy sufferers.
Humidity	Increases the humidity level between 40% to 60%.	No increase in humidity level.

How do Humidifiers and Air Purifiers Affect Your Health?

Humidifiers and Air purifiers have a huge impact on our health as they both enhance the quality of internal air for breathing. So, in order to know which one is more favorable and helpful for you. We need to understand the difference between them for solving health issues.

Air purifiers will take off the tiny fragments like dander, pollens, immune trigger substances, and allergens from the air with the help of a sequence of filters present in them. Air Purifiers are the best choice for those who are suffering from asthma and several allergies that are easily irritated by the tiny substances that remain in the air for a long time. Some of the purifiers also take off harmful and unsafe fluctuating Organic Compounds that are present in many products of our daily use. 

Humidifiers reduce the dryness from the atmosphere and provide you with an actual amount of moisture level that keeps you hydrated. As we need a humidity level between 40% to 60% for an essential humid environment that is only provided by a humidifier of the best quality. The use of a humidifier does not take off or remove any allergens or particles from the air as it just gives you moisture.

Humidifiers are not only beneficial to us but also for the proper growth of plants. Using a humidifier can help you in getting relief from diseases like colds, coughs, and congestion. As you may be experiencing a variety of allergies like itchy eyes, runny nose, and dryness of nasal passages due to low humidity. Therefore, you will need a humidifier that will provide you with moisture so that you can easily get rid of these allergies.

In addition, if you have a problem with snoring while sleeping, you must install a humidifier in your bedroom. Because low humidity is the main cause of snoring when the nasal passages become dry. The use of a humidifier can also help you a lot, especially in winter when the air is too dry due to the excessive usage of heaters.

What is a Humidifier?

A humidifier is a gadget through which you can get plenty of moisture that keeps you hydrated. The use of a humidifier also removes dryness from the environment by giving you moisture. Humidifiers are a boon for those who are living in arid areas as dry air causes many problems. Due to low humidity, your houseplants will not be able to grow properly as they need a sufficient amount of moisture for their growth. At low humidity, plants’ growth will be affected and they will fade.

Low humidity also has a huge effect on you and your kids. Nosebleeds are one of the main issues for people living in dry places due to low moisture levels. So, by using a humidifier you can easily get rid of many problems. Its use also gives you temporary relief from colds, coughs, congestion, allergies, and flu symptoms.

What is an Air Purifier?

An Air Purifier is a gadget through which you can get clean air as it removes all allergens, tiny fragments, and substances by using filters. Air purifiers use fans and filters for the removal of particles from the air around you. As we know that the air around us is not clean and is polluted with a number of substances. Therefore, for better health, we must install air purifiers in our homes.

The allergens present in the air are extremely dangerous for people who are sufferers of asthma. Asthma patients are easily irritated by the tiny particles present in the atmosphere. Some people have allergies to the pollen and dust mites that stay in the air and cause a lot of inconvenience for them. So, using an air purifier can help you a lot with a variety of allergies. Unlike a humidifier, the air purifier does not increase the moisture level, it only removes particles from the air. 

How does a Humidifier work?

Humidifiers mostly work in two ways, such as a warm mist system and a cool-mist system to provide moisture. In the warm mist system, the humidifier uses a heating substance for boiling the water. And then converts it into water vapors for providing you with mist. On the other hand, In a cool-mist system humidifier uses a fan for its work and then gives you a cool mist.

However, the cool mist system is generally more efficient than the warm mist system. As there is a risk of burns in the warm mist system. Therefore, if you have children and pets, the warm mist system is a bit dangerous. Humidifiers with Cool mist systems are generally louder in their work compared to warm mist systems. Warm mist systems consume more energy and are often more costly than cool mist models.

How does an Air Purifier work?

An Air Purifier works with the help of fans and filters to provide you with clean air for breathing. This works opposite to the humidifier as humidifiers give off moisture through the mist by expelling the vapors out. While the air purifier has the capability to draw the air inside it and then pass the air through filters. Then gives you clean air for breathing.

The working of an air purifier depends primarily on the quality of its filters. There are many different types of filters that you can use in an air purifier. If the quality of the filter is excellent then it will increase its efficiency of the filter. 

Humidifier Types:

There are several types of humidifiers through which you can choose according to your needs and preferences. These are warm mist, cool mist, evaporative, impeller, and ultrasonic.

In the warm mist humidifiers, you will get warm mist as it boils the water and converts it into water vapors in the form of mist. A cool-mist humidifier gives you cool mist with a chilling effect as it uses a fan through which it gives you mist. An evaporative humidifier has a wicks filter through which it passes the vapors and provides you with mist. This process is the same as the ancient process of evaporation.

An impeller humidifier has a rotating disk through which water converts into vapors and with the help of a fan is thrown out into the room. An ultrasonic humidifier is an advanced form of humidifier which has a vibrating diaphragm that converts the water into small droplets and then the fan throws the vapors into the room.

Air Purifier Types:

There are also a number of types of air purifiers through which you can get clean air. These are HEPA, ultrasonic, activated carbon, ionic, electronic, air-to-air exchangers, and central.

The HEPA Air Purifiers use a filter to remove the small particles from the environment. Ultraviolet Air Purifiers use ultraviolet light for killing all the bacteria present in the environment. Some of the air purifiers with HEPA filters use activated carbon for removing allergens and dust particles.

The ionic air purifiers release negative ions in the atmosphere that attach with the positive ions such as airborne particles and they get larger. Then they easily come out of the air into the purifier. The electronic air purifier works on the same principle as an ionic purifier but it uses static electricity for its operation.

The air-to-air exchanger regulates the flow of air throughout your home and provides you with clean air. The central air purifier is attached to your home’s HVAC setup. In this way, the whole air supply to your home will be clean at the same time.

Advantages of a Humidifier:

There are a lot of advantages you get when you use a humidifier. Using a humidifier is not only beneficial for humans but also for houseplants. Your houseplants will need a moisture level between 40% to 60% for their proper growth. Enough humidity level enhances the growth of your plants and prevents them from looking dull. Humidifiers reduce dryness from the atmosphere and keep you hydrated, especially in winter.

With the help of a humidifier, you will get temporary relief from many diseases. If you have problems of allergies such as runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing, a humidifier can be helpful for you to get moisture. Those who are suffering from bloody noses get a lot of comfort through the use of a humidifier. The essential amount of humidity also protects your household furniture and floor from cracking due to low humidity. 

Due to the required moisture level, you can also get relief from the problem of snoring during sleeping. You can also use a humidifier as a diffuser at the same time as the humidifier also has an aromatherapy tray for adding essential oils.

Advantages of an Air Purifier:

Using an air purifier gives you a lot of advantages that have a huge impact on your health. As we know that everything is polluted these days even the air is highly contaminated with dust particles. This polluted air is a nuisance, especially for asthma sufferers. Therefore with the help of an air purifier, you can get clean air for breathing. If you have asthma and allergic patients, you must have an air purifier in your home.

People with feeble and weak immune systems also get a lot of advantages from air purifiers. If your allergies are triggered by tiny particles and dust mites, an air purifier will help you a lot to get rid of them. Nowadays, when COVID has spread everywhere, everyone wants clean and germ-free air around them. That’s why adding an air purifier will give you clean air as well as hygiene. 

Drawbacks of a Humidifier:

Everything in the world has its advantages and disadvantages. Here we have some of the disadvantages of humidifiers that we should be aware of when using them.

The first downside to using a humidifier is that it requires a lot of maintenance for its proper work. If you do not maintain the humidifier well, it will affect its efficiency. 

Second, some humidifiers make very loud noises during their operation. This will create a lot of inconvenience during sleep. 

The third disadvantage is that there is a risk of mold and bacteria growth inside the tank when you do not clean the humidifier properly. This will greatly affect the quality of your humidifier.

The fourth drawback of humidifiers is that sometimes they provide you with more than the required level of moisture. Which is not good for you and your children.

Drawbacks of an Air Purifier:

An Air Purifier also has some drawbacks that we have to consider while using it.

The first disadvantage is that the maintenance of an air purifier is too costly and maintenance is very necessary for its better performance. 

Another downside is that air purifiers consume a lot of energy for their operation and if you install it in your homes you have to pay more energy bills than usual.

The third and main disadvantage is that some air purifiers provide you with clean air for you to breathe. But release ozone into the atmosphere which pollutes the outside air.

How can you use a Humidifier Cautiously:

You can use a humidifier cautiously by maintaining it properly and cleaning it regularly. When you maintain a humidifier well the risk of mold growth inside the tank will be reduced. Which enhances the ability to work a humidifier. If your tank has mold and bacteria, the humidifier will throw it out with moisture which is not good for you.

Moreover, if you have a warm mist model, you have to be careful when using it near your children and pets. Because of the heating element in warm mist models, there is a risk of burning. When cleaning this type of model, let it cool completely after closing and then wash it with soapy water. 

How can you use an Air Purifier Cautiously:

You can safely use an air purifier when you maintain it properly in the proper way. For this purpose, you have to replace the filter frequently and clean the unit once every six months. If you do not maintain the air purifier properly, it will not purify the air completely and dust particles are likely to re-enter the air. So, you will not get pure and clean air for breathing and it will also affect the efficiency of your purifier. 

Besides that, before buying the air purifier, you should carefully choose the correct unit for your home. Because some purifiers release ozone into the atmosphere, which is very dangerous to you and your health. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing an air purifier.

Maintenance of a Humidifier:

The maintenance of a humidifier is an important step towards its better performance.

If you want your humidifier to work properly and perfectly then you should maintain it on a regular basis. Its regular maintenance increases its efficiency of working and it gives an actual amount of moisture. If you have a warm mist model then you must be careful during its cleaning. After turning off the humidifier, let it cool down well and then wash it properly with an equal mixture of vinegar and water or with only bleach. But avoid using these both things together for cleaning, this will be dangerous.

Some humidifiers have no automatic shut-off option when running out of water, so never leave the humidifier on with low water otherwise it will damage. For better efficiency, always try to use distilled or filtered water for filling the tank because hard water or tap water contains a lot of minerals that increase the risk of mold or bacteria growth inside the tank. Therefore, when you pay attention to cleaning the humidifier, it will give you the perfect amount of humidity you want.

Maintenance of an Air Purifier:

If you maintain your air purifier well and properly, it will give you extraordinary results in its working. When you give your air purifier proper maintenance, its efficiency of working increases and it provides you with clean air. For its maintenance, you should change its filters on time and the quality of filters should be excellent for better performance of the air purifier.  When you clean your air purifier, always plug it out to avoid shocks or accidents.

However, if you live in an area where pollution is very high, you may need to pay a bit more attention to the replacements of filters.  When the air is highly polluted and you want to replace the filters more frequently, you will also clean the whole model once after every six months.  If the air is not very polluted then you can change the filter every month but in the opposite environment, you can change the filter every one weak.

Using Both Together:

You can also use a humidifier and air purifier together at the same time in your home. By using these two devices together you can enjoy the advantages of both a humidifier and an air purifier at the same time. There is no risk in using these two devices together in an identical bedroom. 

But before you install both of these devices in your home, you may need to consult the HVAC experts. They are specialists in air conditioning and ventilation departments, so they can better suggest to you how to install both of these together. Since both of these devices are costly, you need to take more precautions so that the wiring and working should be accurate. In this way, you can get the benefit of desired moisture with clean air at the same time.

What you should use Between a Humidifier and an Air Purifier:

Which of these two a humidifier and an air purifier you want to choose totally depends on your needs. If you want to use both devices at the same time because you live in a place where the air is polluted and very dry. When you need moisture as well as clean air at the same time, you can easily use both together.

However, if you only have the problem of low moisture and dryness, you need to add a humidifier for the desired humidity. On the other hand, when you have a problem with allergens, dust mites, and polluted air, you will need an air purifier that will provide you with clean air for breathing.

FAQs About Humidifier vs Air Purifier:

Final Verdict About Humidifier and Air Purifier:

I have told you everything about humidifiers and air purifiers with all their features, advantages, and disadvantages. Now it’s entirely up to you and your preferences regarding which one you want for your home. However, both of these devices have many positive impacts on you and your children’s health in many ways and both enhance the internal quality of air in your homes.

With the help of both these devices, you can give your family members a healthy environment. You can use the humidifier and air purifier together to reap the benefits of both. If you like more useful products like this you can check out our website.