You would like to use an air purifier and humidifier together in your house to have a healthy indoor air quality. Isn’t it? But you are confused because they do not have the same functionality. An air purifier purifies the air from pollutants, whereas a humidifier adds moisture to the air.
Sometimes, even ask yourself, “Can you use an air purifier and humidifier together?”
You can use an air purifier and humidifier together in your house, though both function differently. Humidifiers add moisture to the air and sometimes spread bacteria and mold through the wicks when uncleaned. Air purifier purifies this contaminated air and serves pollutant-free air to breathe. Eventually, both are working for a healthier environment in your house.
In this article, I will share when you can use both air purifiers and humidifiers in your home together. Not only that, the differences between them with all benefits. So, stay tuned till the end to make a unanimous decision before buying or using them altogether.
Can You Use An Air Purifier And Humidifier Together?
Yes, you can use an air purifier and humidifier together for all benefits at the same time. But you should choose both of them compatible with your room size. Air humidifiers release mist into the indoor air and this indoor air is refined by the air purifiers. The air purifier and humidifier combination are necessary for people with asthma, allergy, and for babies.
How Many Distances Should You Keep Between An Air Purifier And A Humidifier?
You should maintain at least 2 to 3 feet distance between an air purifier and a humidifier if you have to use them in the same room. Humidifier’s mist can clog the HEPA filter or activated carbon filter of the air purifier if they are placed close together.
My recommendation: You can place them at the opposite corner of the house, which will make sense.
When Do You Use An Air Purifier And Humidifier At The Same Time?
You should use them together in three seasons. Here you go –
Winter Season
In winter, the air becomes dryer than in summer. Besides, the house’s heating system makes the room air drier. So, you should use a humidifier in the winter season. Otherwise, you will suffer from skin and throat irritation, respiratory problem, high utility bill, furniture damages, etc.
Besides, in winter, the air becomes worse. Hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, dust, etc., are released from industry, making the air full of pollutants. You should use an air purifier to breathe healthy air in your house. Otherwise, you will suffer from diseases like silicosis, bronchitis, etc.
Spring Season
In spring, allergens are everywhere. Allergens cause hypersensitivity type-1. When you inhale pollen, it will cause asthma symptoms. Besides, you will suffer from other atopic diseases, nasal irritation, etc.
You must need an air purifier in your house to breathe pollen-free air. With an air purifier, you should also use a humidifier to ensure your indoor relative humidity is within 30 to 60 percent.
Over Humid Season
You might notice mold on the floor or window curtain after the rainy season. Mold can also grow in your humidifier if you do not clean and pour out tank water daily. The humidifier releases mist with mold too into the air.
To sum up, mold will be flinging around your room. So, you must use an air purifier to escape mold infection. Mold is nefarious for lungs infection.
Covid-19 Period
We know the virus is minute in size, and ultrafiltration is needed to separate it from the air. HEPA filter of air purifier traps coronavirus but not at all. So, to get rid of the pandemic again, you must use an air purifier in your house. On top of that, to ensure a soothing respiratory tract, you must use a humidifier together.
Air Purifier And Humidifier Differences?
Apart from the technical field, the main difference between an air purifier and a humidifier is that an air purifier removes dust, pollen, pet dander, allergens, etc., from the air. In contrast, a humidifier increases moisture in the air without any control over air quality.
The differences are given below in a table:
| Parameters | Air Purifier | Humidifier |
| Application | It traps and removes all air contaminants. | It adds moisture to the home air. |
| When to use | When air quality is poor. | When humidity is lower than 30%. |
| What it uses | It uses air and cleans this air. | It uses water to produce mist. |
| Removes | Dust, pollen, odor, pet dander, allergens, etc. | It removes dry air. |
| Types | Primarily, it is 7 types –
|
Primarily it is 5 types –
|
| Humidity | It is not applicable. | 30 to 60 percent. |
| How to work | It works with a filter and fan. | It works by boiling water up to the boiling temperature and producing mist out of water. |
| Seasonality
|
You can use it throughout the year. | Primarily used in winter. |
| Benefits | It is beneficial for people with asthma and other lungs problem. | It is helpful for people with congestion and skin and throat irritation. |
An Air Purifier Or Humidifier For Asthma
According to the study by the Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, air purification and clean air are essential for people with allergic respiratory disease. According to Mayo Clinic, humidity is essential for adults with allergies. It eases the breathing of children.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology warns about high humidity. In high humidity, there have dust, mold, and bacteria in the air. So, if you have an allergic symptom, you must clean the air first and then breathe.
So, you can use an air purifier and humidifier together in the same room from the above studies.
Air Purifiers Or Humidifiers For Babies
Babies need unpolluted and moist air for soothing breathing. Should you use an air purifier or humidifier for babies? It depends on the circumstance you are living in.
Let’s say if you are living in a dry air area, you must use a humidifier. Otherwise, kids can not breathe dry air efficiently. They will feel dyspnea.
On the other hand, if you live in a polluted area where different industries are located, you must use an air purifier. If you think your room humidity is optimum, but the air is polluted, you should use an air purifier and vice versa.
Note: You can measure your room humidity with a hygrometer. You can buy a hygrometer for less than $15, which is worth it.
Air Purifiers Or Humidifiers For Sinus
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the bony sinus cavity in our head. A cool-mist humidifier can alleviate and soothe the inflammation of the sinus.
According to Kiro7, polluted air can cause chronic sinusitis. So, it is better to follow prevention rather than cure. I suggest you use an air purifier first. If you are suffering from any sinus problem, it is okay.
What if you use an air purifier and suffer from acute or chronic sinusitis? You should use a humidifier. Finally, my takeaway is you should use an air purifier and humidifier for sinus problems.
An Air Purifier Or Humidifier For Cough
CDC recommends that humidity could improve coughing. When humidity is lower than standard, it causes a dry cough. MedicalNewsToday claims that high humidity causes coughing.
This study mentioned that matter, some other particular irritant gases, and mixed pollutant increases the chance of coughing and wheezing. So, you should first diagnose what the cause of coughing is. Then you should decide whether you use only an air purifier or humidifier or both.
Note: For measuring humidity, you can use a hygrometer. For measuring air pollutants, you can follow chromatography. You can read this pdf file to measure air pollution in your house.
Air Purifiers Or Humidifiers For Eczema
According to a study by Korean researchers, they said, reducing air pollutants can improve eczema symptoms. The national eczema association also suggests using plants in our houses to reduce air pollutants.
So, if you are suffering from eczema, you should use an air purifier or have plants in your house. Plants act as air purifiers.
Air Purifiers Or Humidifiers For Dust
There has no role for humidifiers in removing dust from the air. Instead, a humidifier can cause white dust in your house, depending on what water you use.
So, if you see dust in your home, you must use an air purifier immediately.
Does A Humidifier Affect Air Purifiers?
Neither a humidifier affects an air purifier, nor an air purifier affects a humidifier. Extra moisture does not damage an air purifier’s filter because the filter is designed to work on a wide range of humidity. However, if you use tap water in your humidifier, it will produce minerals along with the mist. The mineral then clogs the filter of the air purifier. It is wise to keep a 2 to 3 feet distance between them.
How To Use An Air Purifier And Humidifier Combo Safely
To use an air purifier and humidifier together safely in your home, you have to follow the following maintenance –
- Place them separately: I have already mentioned above that you should keep a 2-3 feet distance between an air purifier and humidifier. You can not place your humidifier close to your bed or baby. Do not place them close to any metal.
- Plug off immediately: In any shock or damage.
- Keep measuring humidity: You should not exceed the standard humidity level (60%). Excess humidity allows mold growth inside the house and humidifier too.
What Is The Best Air Purifier Humidifier Combo?
You must need an air purifier humidifier combo in your home because indoor air contains 2-5 times more contaminants than outdoor. The major benefit of buying a 2-in-1 device is that you do not need to pay for the separate device as well as an electricity bill. Here is my takeaway after the hour of research –
The best air purifier humidifier combo is the Sharp Plasmacluster KC-850UH. This combo is the best combo ever for balancing humidification and purification.
It has a purification filter which consists of a pre-filter, carbon, HEPA, and ion tech filtration system. The HEPA filter can trap 0.3-micron size pollutants so that you will be almost safe from all types of pollen in your house. It can trap bacteria like Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp.
This filter also traps bacteria that damage the epidermis. What is more? It can trap Penicillium and Aspergillus efficiently. The humidification filter has 5 years warranty which is enticing because most humidifier has only a one-year filter warranty.
The downside of this combo is that you have to frequently fill the water tank, as the water reservoir capacity is 0.96 gallons. Besides, it can cover 254 sq. ft area at 4.8 air changes per hour.
However, this combo comes with different models. You can pick what best fit you. The FXJ80UW model has a 2430 sq. ft coverage area, but it will cost you more. Its HEPA filter has 2 years warranty, whereas my picked combo has 5 years of warranty. It has no water supply and humidification sensor, whereas my picked combo has.
Final Two Cents
You can and must use an air purifier and humidifier together in your house at the same time based on the condition. It is okay if you want to have a separate air purifier and humidifier. You can use any of them when needed.
I might always recommend you go for a combo if you live in the winter most city. Because dry air lacks humidity and contains a higher degree of contaminants.
