Although there are many types of humidifiers such as cold mist, hot mist, evaporative, ultrasonic, etc., people are more curious about the cold mist type. And, that’s why many people ask,” does a cold mist humidifier make the room cold?”
Well, simply put, a cool-mist humidifier does not make the room cold (it only humidifies the room). But, it seems a bit counterintuitive, right? Well, you’re not alone. A lot of people think this way.
This is why, in this discussion, we have provided a scientific and detailed explanation of how cold mist humidifiers work. And, in the process, we have broken down if a cool-mist humidifier indeed cools down the room or not. So, without any more words wasted, let’s get on it right away!
“Cold” Mist Humidifier: What Is It?
The word “cool” can be interpreted differently depending on where we’re using it. For example, a “cold” temperature in the weather means something different from a “cold” personality. So, it is fair to understand that just because something is labeled as “cool”, doesn’t mean it will actually be very low in temperature.
Now, when we use the term “cool-mist humidifier”, you need to understand that it doesn’t actually mean that the mist is very cold in terms of temperature. Rather, it just means that the vapor coming out of the humidifier is not warm or hot. But, how does vapor not be warm or hot? Well, to understand that, you need to know how the 2 types of cool mist humidifiers work (described below):
Using Ultrasonic Waves:
In a cool-mist ultrasonic humidifier, there is an electronic device that creates ultrasonic sound and high vibration in the water. As a result of the vibration, the water molecules get turned into vapor and get mixed in the atmosphere. Now, because humans cannot hear ultrasonic sounds, this humidifier works very quietly.
The thing about this type of humidifier is that they don’t have any filter to filter out water. As a result, their manufacturing cost is very low. So, they’re not very expensive. Furthermore, people feel much safer using this kind of humidifier because they don’t produce hot steam.
However, the only bad aspect about this type of humidifier is that it doesn’t filter out anything out of the water. Therefore, bacteria can get dispersed into the atmosphere (if the water is not filtered before being poured into the humidifier).
Evaporative Type:
Evaporative cool mist humidifiers use a dedicated wick filter to absorb the molecules of water. Then, a fan rotates very fast to flow air through that filter. As a result, a cool-mist of vapor comes out of the humidifier. That, in turn, increases the humidity of the air.
The good thing about using this type of humidifier is that these are very durable and safe. But, the downside of this type of humidifier is that this creates quite a bit of noise (because of the fan). Furthermore, it’s a hassle to routinely replace the wick filter in this type of humidifier.
Why Are They Called Cool Mist Humidifiers?
The main reason for using the label “cool” for the cool mist humidifiers is not because they create cold mists. But, it is because this type of humidifier does not create any hot mist.
Furthermore, since hot mist humidifiers are called “hot” because they give off hot mists, it is convenient to call this type of humidifier “cool-mist humidifier” (because they do not give off hot mist).
Moreover, another good reason for calling this type of humidifier “cool” is because the humidifier itself doesn’t get heated when it’s turned on. Even if you keep the humidifier turned on 24/7, a cool-mist humidifier will not get heated very often. So, it is justified to call this type of humidifier “cool mist” humidifiers.
Can A Cool Mist Humidifier Make My Room Temperature Cooler?
Although the name of cool mist humidifiers suggests that they have a cooling effect on the atmosphere, the truth is that they do not. As we have mentioned above, using a cool-mist humidifier will not decrease your room temperature. What’s more, using a humidifier will actually make you feel hot because humidifiers work to increase the humidity level of your home atmosphere.
As the atmosphere’s humidity level goes up, you might feel a bit less dried and even give off a bit of sweat because of the increased humidity. But, mind you, if you are sweating, it’s not because your humidifier has increased (or decreased) the temperature of your home’s atmosphere.
So, it is scientifically proven that humidifiers do not change the temperature of a room because they do not have any machine component to take away or provide heat into the atmosphere. So, there is no way that any kind of humidifier can be a cause of a temperature increase or decrease in your room.
Which Type Of Humidifier Should I Choose? Cool Or Hot Mist?
In comparison to hot mist humidifiers, we think it’s better to opt for cool mist humidifiers. It’s because of many features and advantages that only cool mist humidifiers can offer.
Advantages Of Cool Mist Humidifiers:
- First off, cool mist humidifiers do not create heat. That’s why they do not waste any energy. As a result, they are very energy efficient. Furthermore, since an evaporative cool mist humidifier uses a fan to disperse the vapor into the atmosphere, it can cover a larger distance than a hot mist humidifier.
- On top of that, because cool mist humidifiers do not involve boiling any water or increasing the temperature of the water, they impose less risk for children in the house. What’s more, cold mist humidifiers tend to be simpler than hot mist humidifiers in terms of machine construction. That’s why they are smaller in size and also are inexpensive (compared to hot mist humidifiers).
Disadvantages Of Cool Mist Humidifiers:
- A major disadvantage of using cool mist humidifiers is that this type of humidifier does not boil the water to make vapor out of it. As a result, any bacteria remaining in the water may survive and get dispersed into the atmosphere. This, later on, can cause mold and fungus accumulation on the furniture of the house.
- Furthermore, evaporative type cool mist humidifiers need a routine change in their wick filter. On the other hand, ultrasonic type cool mist humidifiers can create problems for pets such as dogs and cats (it’s because pets can hear ultrasonic sounds).
Now, considering all the pros and cons of using a cool-mist humidifier, we think you should opt for a cold mist humidifier rather than a hot mist type. In this regard, we recommend that you check out the PARIS RHÔNE 4L Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. It’s an ultrasonic humidifier with all the modern features packed into it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Dangerous To Use A Cool-Mist Humidifier?
No, absolutely not. In fact, cool mist humidifiers are the safest kind of humidifiers that there are. It’s because these humidifiers do not use direct heat to convert the water molecules into vapor molecules. As a result, without worrying about any unforeseen accidents, you can keep this type of humidifier on the side of your bed while you sleep.
If you have babies in your home, we especially recommend that you buy a cool-mist humidifier. It’s because hot mist humidifiers are a bit dangerous to use in those houses where there are children.
Can I Use A Cool-Mist Humidifier In Summer?
Yes, you definitely can. But, we doubt it would be needed in summer. As you may well know, in summer, the temperature is very high and the humidity level in the air is optimum. This is why we do not need a humidifying device to increase the relative humidity of the air.
But, in case you have a special condition where you require extra humidity even in summer, you should know that it is 100% safe to use cool mist temperature in summer.
Does A Cool-Mist Humidifier Emit Cold Air?
No, it’s very unlikely. Cool mist humidifiers are of 2 types: ultrasonic and evaporative. While it is normal to notice some cold air coming out of an evaporative type humidifier, it is very unlikely that ultrasonic humidifiers will provide any cold air whatsoever. It’s just because the mechanical construction of this type of humidifier forbids it.
Final Thoughts:
Lastly, I hope by now, it’s clear to you that a cool-mist humidifier has no ability to cool down your home atmosphere. In fact, the opposite can occur. You can feel a bit hot because of having a cool-mist humidifier turned ON in your home.
However, whichever type of humidifier you choose (cool mist or hot mist), we recommend that you use it following the manufacturer’s instructions. This way, you’ll be able to extract the longest lifetime out of the humidifier. At last, we wish you an amazing time with your humidifier.
