You can not go wrong with a humidifier. It will work wonders when tackling dry skin, chappy lips, and stuffy noses.
But, if you do not use the device properly, you will be calling for maintenance issues.
And when it comes to using it, the first thing that can pop up in your head is what type of water do you use in a humidifier?
The humidifier will work perfectly fine with both tap water and distilled water. However, when it comes to using tap water, you need to consider the mineral content. If that is high, the device can start to malfunction.
But what will happen when you use tap water with a high mineral content? Also, why do people recommend distilled water over tap water? Let’s find out!
Why Should You Rely on Distilled Water for Humidifiers?
The best type of water for humidifiers is distilled water.
But before you know why you should use it over other types of water, you must understand what exactly distilled water is.
This type of water goes through a treatment where it loses all the bacteria, minerals, and other particles that generally remain in the water.
But what kind of treatment does the water go through?
Boiling! However, that does not mean you can just make your own distilled water by putting it on top of the stove.
The thing is, during the boiling process, all the water is evaporated.
When the water turns into steam, it will leave behind all the minerals and particles.
You will need to collect this steam and then cool it down. That will initiate the condensation process.
After the condensation process, the water that you will get left with is distilled water.
With that said, let us look at what makes distilled water the best kind of water for humidifiers-
Distilled Water Will Keep Your Humidifier Clean
As you know, distilled water contains no minerals, particles, or bacteria. You will not find minerals such as magnesium, sodium, and calcium inside this type of water.
And these types of minerals are well-known for causing issues in the humidifier.
So, when you use distilled water, you will not need to worry about the water dirtying up your humidifier. That means there will be no need to do frequent cleaning.
Distilled Water Can Prevent the Growth of Mold
One of the reasons why many prefer not to use humidifiers is because they can increase the chances of mold growth inside the home.
Well, with distilled water, things take a different turn. This type of water is less likely to have mold spores inside it.
Therefore, when you use distilled water for your humidifier, you are significantly reducing the chances of mold colonies growing around the humidifier and inside it.
You Will Improve the Quality of the Indoor Air By Using Distilled Water
With distilled water, the chances of you finding humidifier dust are zero.
How so?
Well, humidifier dust, which is white, is basically the minerals inside the water. And as you know, distilled water does not have any mineral content.
The device will not create humidifier dust if you use distilled water.
Furthermore, as the distilled water does not contain any bacteria or other pollutants inside, you can significantly enhance the quality of air with it.
Why You Should Not Use Tap Water in the Humidifier?
Although it is not recommended, you can still use tap water in the humidifier.
The device will work fine, and you will get all the benefits it can bring to the table. However, there are complications with using tap water.
You can face these issues –
Tap Water in Humidifiers Generally Leaves White Residues
Over time, you will notice white residue on the surfaces near the device. This white powder, as mentioned earlier, is nothing but the minerals that are in the tap water.
Usually, it is calcium. But how does the white powder form? Well, to understand that, you need to know the working mechanism of the humidifiers.
In short, humidifiers heat up the water and then disperse it when the steam is cool.
During this heating and cooling process, the mineral present in the water turns into a white powder. And this powder then gets disbursed with the water vapor.
That said, the white powder that humidifiers produce is not generally harmful. But you will need to do frequent cleaning around the device, which can be a little inconvenient.
The Mineral Content Can Cause the Formation of Pink Mold
Humidifiers are known to cause mold problems. However, that statement only remains valid when using tap water to run them.
The mineral and bacteria that remain in such type of water are the culprits. For that reason, using distilled water is a much better option.
Tap Water in Humidifiers Can Make You Face Health Complications
One of the health issues that relate to humidifiers is Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.
Otherwise known as humidifier lung, it is a rare condition that happens due to breathing the air from a humidifier that is actively expelling bacteria around.
This condition is less likely to happen right after you start using the humidifier with tap water.
Humidifiers generally spray out bacteria when you leave them uncleaned for a good while.
And when you use tap water, you need to carry out the cleaning process pretty frequently.
Can You Make Distilled Water at Home?
Distilled water requires a special process: heat up the water, collect its steam, and then condense it down.
And you can definitely make water that will be pretty close to distilled water. Just follow these steps –
Get Yourself a Glass Bowl, Some Ice, and a Large Pot
Although there are other methods of making distilled water, the glass bowl method is the easiest.
Nonetheless, the first step for this method would be to get a pot.
And then, get yourself a glass bowl small enough to fit inside the pot. Also, you will need a pack of ice.
Prepare the Setup
After getting all the things, make the glass bowl sit inside the pot. It should be sitting flat. But if it does not, you can use a small cooling rack to make it stay settled.
Pour Water Inside the Pot and Boil It
Put some water inside the pot and cover it up with the lid. Do not put the lid on in a regular manner.
Instead, you will need to invert it and put some ice cubes on top of the lid.
Let the Bowl Collect Condensed Water
As the water boils, steam will form. This steam will hit the lid and condense due to the ice.
The glass bowl should collect all the condensed water that drops down from the lid.
And this condensed water is basically the distilled water that you need for the humidifier.
Read More: When And How To Put Salt In A Humidifier?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What kind of water is best for a humidifier?
Distilled water is the best type of water for humidifiers. It does not have any minerals, pollutants, or bacteria in it. For that reason, the device will let out clean air.
2. What can I use instead of distilled water in my humidifier?
You can use reverse osmosis water instead of distilled water. Generally, reverse osmosis water is 98 percent free from dissolved impurities. So, it will be highly safe for use in humidifiers.
3. Do you use hot or cold water in a humidifier?
You can use both warm and cold water. However, by using warm water, you can speed up the process. The device will be capable of creating the mist quickly.
Final Words
So, what type of water do you use in a humidifier?In short, you will get the best results if you use distilled water.
Yes, you can also use tap water, but it is known to cause a lot of problems.
Therefore, if you can not get distilled water, you can rely on reverse RO water. That will be safe too!
Last Updated on June 23, 2023
