my questions is about humidifiers. When would you use a cold air vrs. warm air? I like the warm air one cuz I am always cold, its nice to have extra warm humidity in the air, but for colds, etc for my little one what would you recommend?
cool mist.. I know it sounds strange, but the warm mist can make a cough worse, also bacteria grow in warm moist areas and they have to be cleaned out more regularly than cool mist.
Hope this helps.
The only time I break out the humidifier is when my daughter has a cold and she's congested. I use the warm air option because she always gets sick in cold weather and a hot steamy room filled with the pungent sent of vicks vapo medicine always makes her breathing less labored. My humidifier doesn't even have a cold option but I would guess the time to use it would be in the dry summer heat in order to add moisture to a room but not extra warmth. That's just a guess though. I have no idea for sure, it's just how I would use it because it makes sense to me.
When I have a cold I take a hot steamy shower to break up my congestion so I suppose the theory is the same with humidifiers.
EDIT: I just looked up cold air vs warm air humidifiers and the mayo clinic says, "For their safety, always use cool-mist humidifiers for children. Hot water or steam from a warm-mist humidifier or steam vaporizer can burn a child if he or she gets too close."
We've never had a problem because when she was too little to know better we put it out of reach and the cord behind furniture so there was no way for her to pull it on herself or stand in front of the hot steam to burn herself. It's no different than having a space heater in the room. "Don't touch, it's hot and will burn you." Is enough of a warning to her now that she understands such things.
My Dr always recommends the cool mist humidifier.
I've always had the whole house humidifier which mounts to the furnace. Ours broke last year.....& for the first time in years, I did NOT have to use my inhaler. Imagine that!
We were diligent with cleaning the unit....so mold/bacteria was not the issue. Can't wait to see how this winter goes.....
Once the unit broke, we supplemented with kettles of water on our woodstove insert....worked wonders.
I've always had cool mist recommended for my child.
Our pediatricians have all recommended the cool mist over the warm.
My children's doctors have said cold air humidifiers are best, but I can't remember why!
Put Vick's on your little one's feet too - that'll help.
I believe the ENT said that the warm mist humidifiers dry out your nasal passages so therefore the cool mist are preferred.
At one time we used to have a warm mist humidifier. When we ran it in the winter time, the warm mist would mix with the cold exterior wall and caused a mold/mildew problem which I would have to clean with bleach.
There are two kinds of cool mist humifiers. The fan driven will make you feel cold(er). There is also an ultrasonic kind which won't cause this.
