When it’s freezing cold outside, we tend to opt for a desert-like climate in our homes and offices — with sticky, warm, and dry air. For many people, this causes scratchy throats and watery eyes. But the health effects of air that is too dry can extend to immune system disorders, and it can cause our skin to suffer and even allow flu viruses to survive for longer. Follow our advice to effectively protect yourself from these and other undesired side effects…
Our body feels its best when the air reaches a water vapour saturation of 40 to 60 percent. If it falls below this level, the situation can quickly become critical: The fine cilia inside our noses stick together, so that their natural protective and cleaning functions are no longer guaranteed. The immune system releases more substances that can trigger and perpetuate inflammatory processes. Flu viruses remain active for longer, and once the mucous membrane in the nose and throat is affected, it’s easier for these viruses to enter the body. And last but not least, our skin suffers in winter. If it is exposed to particularly dry air for a long time, its natural barrier function is destroyed and it becomes much more prone to irritation, redness and inflammation.
Our tips can help you avoid very dry air at home and stay healthy through the winter.
Monitor humidity at home and in the office
Humidity is best measured using an instrument called a hygrometer. An indoor hygrometer like the Trotec BZ05 reliably indicates humidity, and is available to purchase from us for just a few euro. Once humidity falls below 40 percent, it’s your last chance to act, because the humidity value should always be higher than this. Not much higher than 60 percent, though, as this promotes mould growth because lots of moisture settles on the cold sections of walls.
Increase humidity with plants and water bowls
Indoor plants like spider plants, African hemp or umbrella palm are particularly effective at increasing humidity. Plants release around 98% of the water that they absorb back into the room. Just by adding three larger plants, you can increase the humidity in a 30 m2 room to the ideal value of 40 – 60%. Papyrus plants are ideal for this: Up to two litres of water evaporate from a 1.5 m plant every day.
Or you can hang humidifiers filled with water from radiators or place a bowl of water on the heater. Earthenware containers are most suitable for this, as they evaporate extra water through their outer shell. The overall evaporation capacity of these small containers is not very high however, and the effect is therefore minimal. Additionally, you must ensure that the containers are cleaned regularly, because warm water is an ideal breeding ground for microbes. These microbes usually don’t end up in the air we breathe, but they are unhygienic.
Be sure to use professional electric humidifiers
There are different devices to choose from when it comes to electric humidifiers, such as evaporators, air washers, nebulisers and vaporisers. When choosing a suitable device, energy consumption and susceptibility to microbes should be deciding factors.
- Evaporators, like the B 25 E and the B 400 from Trotec for example, release moisture into the ambient air via filter mats or plates, on which water is evaporated on a large scale. Microbes stay in the device. One advantage is that the devices consume comparatively less energy and there is no risk of the room becoming overly humid.
- Air washers, such as the AW 10 S and the AW 20 S with HEPA filters from Trotec, moisten the air using the cold evaporation method. Both devices wash the air thoroughly and therefore filter out animal hair, house dust and pollen as well as unpleasant odours.
- For hygiene reasons, nebulisers, which spray water in very small droplets, must be cleaned particularly carefully and the water must be kept free of microbes, as the fine mist can enter the lungs.
- Steam humidifiers, on the other hand, heat the water either using the immersion principle or via electrodes until it evaporates — so sterility is already built in to the design concept. These devices consume a lot of energy in comparison and also run the risk of over-humidifying. It is also necessary to take extra care with certain vaporisers to avoid scalding yourself on the hot vapour emitted.
Trust in the professional experience of market leader Trotec
Especially at this cold time of year, the hygrostat-controlled ComfortAir series Trotec humidifiers and air washers provide optimal humidity regulation and clean air indoors. These devices are suited to all home and office environments thanks to their timeless design, they require minimal maintenance and are available at an attractive price.
This humidifier is a visual highlight of the evaporator class and retains optimal air moisture in rooms of up to 24 m2. It works using a honeycomb filter. The dry air is drawn through this filter, enriched with moisture and then released back into the room as humid air at one of four selectable fan levels. This is a blessing for babies and children, who react very sensitively to dry air because their skin and noses dry out more quickly and their airways are more vulnerable.
This humidifier combines high-performance evaporation with economical long-term operation. Its hygrostat-controlled humidity regulation is supplemented by a rotating vaporisation fibre which also cleans the air. Pleasantly low levels of operating noise and energy consumption make the device even more impressive.
The low-maintenance 3-in-1 comfort device for humidification and purification. The air washer cleans and humidifies the air in the room without filter mats. Furthermore, the air washer binds together pollen, animal hair, house dust and even unpleasant odours thanks to the integrated plasma function. The low-maintenance device is easy to open for filling and cleaning.
As a 3-in-1 comfort device with combination sensor and HEPA filter, this air washer provides optimal humidity and air quality at all times. The device is also therefore perfectly suited to allergy sufferers: Thanks to the optional HEPA Filter, not only house dust, pollen and animal hair are removed from the air – but also even the smallest dirt particles like fine dust, allergens or mould spores can be reliably removed by this air washer.
Trotec ComfortAir Series – optimally regulated humidity
Learn more about all the advantages offered to you by Trotec air quality management system with thermohygrometers, and Trotec humidifiers and air washers. And you can also take advantage of our current offer prices:
- The BZ05 indoor thermohygrometer now only £12.03, reduced from £18.53,
- B 25 E Humidifier reduced to just £41.77 from £83.59,
- B 400 Humidifier now only £185.81, reduced from £278.72,
- The AW 10 S air washer reduced to just £185.79 from £278.73 ,
- The AW 20 S Air Washer now only £371.65, reduced from £464.58,
incl. VAT. – now in the Trotec Shop!
