Today, the vast majority of people use a humidifier in their homes. Its main purpose is to improve the air quality in the room to normalize the state of human health. However, it is important to use the correct water for your humidifier. More about what kind of water to use in a humidifier you can read in this article.
What kind of water to use in the humidifier? Is it necessary to use distilled water in a humidifier?
Almost all humidifier manufacturers have one answer to the question, of what kind of water is better to use in a humidifier regularly.
They recommend using only distilled water. All distilled water that is on the market has excellent cleaning from bacteria and minerals.
This allows you to extend the life of the device, as well as improve the quality of the air in the room.
Thanks to distilled water, the humidifier is not wearing out, and no mold growth inside the humidifier’s tank. Also, distilled water helps to improve health.
It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on the purchase of ready-made distilled water. Several methods allow you to make distilled water at home using ordinary tap water.
It is advisable to use double distillation methods. It removes all harmful impurities, and the water in your humidifier can be safely used.
Is it necessary to use distilled water in a humidifier? So, it is recommended to fill the device with distilled water only. Otherwise, it won’t work properly.
Can purified water replace distilled water? The difference between distilled water and purified water lies in the purification process. However, both options are appropriate for filling the humidifier, as they are completely clean.
Can you use filtered water?
Today, technology is developing at a tremendous speed. Therefore, there are a huge number of different methods for water filtration on the market. It is appropriate to use reverse osmosis, which helps to purify water by 99%.
When used with a charcoal block filter, it helps to remove almost all contaminants from the water. In addition, it eliminates the contained heavy metals.
The ionization method is appropriate if you need to remove salt ions and other mineral components.
The ionization method is not suitable for removing bacteria, so it should be used in the rarest cases. The demineralization method helps to remove minerals, salts, and other harmful impurities. However, beneficial minerals are also removed.
If the bacteria and viruses are not eliminated, water purified by this method is not suitable for a humidifier, as it can spoil its operation.
Therefore, only filtered water in your humidifier that you purify by reverse suction or a carbon filter is suitable.
I also recommend reading: How much water should a dehumidifier collect in a day?
Can you use tap water?
It is allowed to pour ordinary tap water into the humidifier. However, it is better not to do this. As you know, tap water contains various mineral deposits and unwanted bacteria. Inside, the device heats up, so it is ideal as a breeding ground for bacteria.
With the accumulation of mineral buildup, mold begins to form, which can disrupt the functionality of the device.
If you use tap water in your humidifier, the device spreads negative components throughout the house. It can cause health problems.
The use of hard tap water is fraught with the formation of limescale. Hard water poses no threat to humans.
However, the white powder settles on various surfaces, so you have to do wet cleaning more often in the house. If tap water is used, the reservoir of the appliance becomes contaminated with slime and pink mold.
Can you use bottled water in a humidifier?
As you know, only high-quality bottled water goes on the market because this is monitored by the Food Safety Authority. This makes the water safe for humans.
Bottled water does not contain heavy mineral buildup or substances that contaminate it. That is why you can safely use it in the humidifier.
Almost all water is sold in plastic containers. This material releases a synthetic polymer into the water.
The synthetic polymer can cause health problems. However, it can degrade the performance of the humidifier. To fill the device, it is better to use water, which is sold in glass bottles. It is an environmentally friendly and safe material.
So, it is not the best solution to use bottled water. Even though it goes through a filtration process, some of the dissolved mineral components remain inside.
Often, manufacturers of such water write that it comes from a natural source. Despite this, it cannot be considered pure water.
Can you use boiled water?
Very often people boil tap water, believing that this is how they purify it. The boiling point can kill bacteria and microbes. In this case, all heavy metals remain in the water.
The content of zinc and fluorine in water is not excluded, which can worsen the state of health.
If you regularly fill the humidifier with boiled water, a lot of minerals and scale accumulate inside. Over time, the humidifier pollutes the air in the room, as it begins to release harmful substances.
It is impossible to get rid of all the chemical components in the composition of water by boiling. At the same time, there is a risk that the number of pollutants only increase.
After all, as it heats up, some of the water evaporates. Based on the foregoing, it is not recommended to use boiled water in a humidifier.
Which water is better to use: cold or hot water with water vapor?
To avoid breathing problems, as well as to treat a cold, you can fill the humidifier with hot water. This increases the amount of hot water vapor produced. However, first, you need to read the instructions for the device.
It should release water vapor. If this function is not available, the use of hot water may damage the appliance.
This is because hot water damages the tank, which is made of plastic. This may damage the mechanical and electrical parts and render the device unusable. Hot water breeds bacteria and mold.
Do not fill the container with hot water, as you risk getting burned when spilling water. It is advisable to use water at room temperature.
There are advanced models of humidifiers that can independently regulate the temperature of the supplied mist. It is better to choose devices that emit warm or ultrasonic cold fogs. The choice depends on your preferences.
How to make distilled water at home: popular methods
It is possible to create distilled water at home. There are several methods for doing this, which you can find below. To work, you need affordable and simple tools.
Glass bowl method
This is the most affordable method for doing it at home if you want to get rid of indoor air contamination by moisturizing it. To make it work, you need to prepare a large saucepan and a glass container. It must be small enough to fit inside the pan. You also need ice cubes. Step-by-step instruction:
- Fill a saucepan ½ full of water and place it on the stove.
- Place a glass bowl inside. Choose flat options. If there are none, you need to put a cooling rack under the glass bowl.
- Bring water to a boil. Flip the lid over and put some ice on top. This is necessary for the condensing effect.
- After boiling water, steam is formed, which is blocked by a lid cold from ice. This contributes to the formation of condensate flowing down. It accumulates in a small container. It is this water that can be used to fill the humidifier.
With a glass bottle
This is a fairly simple method, which is not difficult to perform at home. Prepare a glass bottle. It should have a curved neck. This prevents condensation from flowing back into the water. Step-by-step process:
- Fill one bottle with water, and attach another empty bottle to it using adhesive tape.
- Place the filled bottle in a saucepan filled with water. Another needs to be placed on the side of the pan.
- An ice pack must be attached to the wall of the hanging container. This is necessary for the formation of condensate.
- Bring the water in a saucepan to a boil. This heats the water in the bottle, after which it evaporates into another container. The vapor collides with the chilled container and begins to accumulate in the empty bottle. So you get the distilled water.
Rainwater method
You can also use rainwater for distillation. This method is less popular because it does not require boiling water. This is fraught with the fact that harmful impurities remain in the water.
For this to work, you should prepare a large container in which rainwater is collected. After two days, a precipitate forms at the bottom, and most of the water is distilled. As you know, rainwater is water that evaporates on its own, condenses, and turns into drops.
However, it is much easier to buy ready-made distilled water. It is inexpensive and saves you time. If there are children at home, self-distillation is appropriate, since simple and safe chemical and physical experiments can be carried out at home.
FAQ
When you purchase a humidifier for the first time, it may cause some questions. The answers to the most popular of them we describe below.
What can I use instead of distilled water in my humidifier?
If it is not possible to use distilled water, mineral water can be used. The distillation procedure is quite simple. It is necessary to heat the water so that it turns into steam.
Once it condenses into water, mineral residues remain.
Can you use regular water in a humidifier?
The tap water in most homes is clean because people put in charcoal filters. You can use tap water as a humidifier only in such cases. If there is no filter, the humidifier may fail over time. That is why untreated water should not be used.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is recommended to use only distilled pure water for the humidifier. It is not only safe for humans but also maintains the durability of the device. Other options may damage the device and lead to bacterial growth.
