In the United States, Asthma is a respiratory condition that affects one in thirteen people or around 25 million Americans. Asthma is also more prevalent in women than men, and it’s the leading chronic disease in children.
As you can appreciate, asthma is quite a common medical condition, and most people with it experience asthma attacks at least once in their lives. At home, people that have asthma can find their conditions get better (or worse) depending on humidity levels.
Why (and how) do humidity levels impact asthma?
Anyone with asthma, irrespective of severity, has to be mindful of the humidity levels in their homes.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal humidity level you should have in your home is between 30% and 50%. Anything outside of those ranges can potentially cause problems, particularly if you’re asthmatic.
Having the right humidity levels in your home is so crucial. High humidity can increase mold growth, plus it can increase dust mite and cockroach activity. Those three factors alone are proven to trigger asthma symptoms.
When you have low humidity levels in your home, you significantly decrease the chances of having allergic reactions and asthma attacks. But if they are too low, they could also cause breathing problems.
People who have asthma often find that having a humidifier or dehumidifier in their homes helps ease their symptoms. Here’s a detailed look at both options and their pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.
Humidifiers
Do you live in a location where humidity levels are quite low? And do you find that your asthma often symptoms worsen, especially during the colder months of the year? If the answer to both questions is yes, it could make sense to invest in a humidifier for asthma.
As the name suggests, humidifiers help boost humidity levels in your home. They are portable units, so you can move yours into any room at your leisure. Humidifiers are ideal if you live in a dry climate all year round, such as California or Texas.
You can also use a humidifier for asthma in your office, especially if the air conditioning controls are pre-set at really low levels.
- Pros of humidifiers
The obvious benefit of a humidifier is you can ensure your home has a comfortable minimum humidity level. Buying a humidifier for asthma will also lessen the likelihood of airborne viruses thriving in your home.
If you buy a humidifier for asthma, another advantage that you will enjoy is having lower heating costs during winter. Your body will feel warmer, and so you’ll make noticeable savings on your heating bills.
Air humidifiers come with a range of options depending on the model that you buy. For instance, some models have set pre-set controls you select, while others allow you to set desired humidity levels.
- Cons of humidifiers
Of course, there are some downsides you need to consider when opting for a humidifier for asthma. For a start, you need to clean them regularly - typically, every three days or so. Not adhering to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions could exasperate your asthma.
There’s also the noise factor to consider. The cheaper models on the market are usually the loudest, and it could cause you sleepless nights if you operate them when you go to bed. Ultrasonic models tend to be the quietest humidifiers on the market.
To use a humidifier, you have to fill it up with water regularly. Sometimes, using water from your faucet can cause a “white dust” mist to emit from the machine. However, the issue is resolvable by using distilled water.
When choosing a humidifier, you should ideally opt for a self-regulated model. Otherwise, it could produce too much moist air. It also makes sense to choose a model that has a timer for health and efficiency reasons.
Dehumidifiers
What happens if you live and work somewhere with medium to high humidity levels all year round? Surprisingly, Alaska is the state with the highest humidity levels in the United States. Other mostly-humid states include Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama.
To keep humidity levels down, you would need to use one or more dehumidifiers in your home or place of work. How do dehumidifiers work? In a nutshell, they remove water from the air by drawing it in, collecting it in a tank, and releasing processed air back in the room.
Most air conditioning systems, such as the portable and built-in types, dehumidify the air but cost a lot of money to install and operate. Dehumidifiers provide a cost-effective solution to that problem.
- Pros of dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are effective at removing moisture from the air and easing the symptoms that people with asthma experience in their lives. They’re also good at increasing comfort levels, making it easier to breathe and sleep.
Another advantage of dehumidifiers is they significantly lower the likelihood of mold growth in your home or office. As you know, mold can make a person’s asthma symptoms worse, especially during colder periods of the year.
The majority of dehumidifiers have a range of useful built-in features. For instance, digital readouts provide you with real-time humidity level information. They also come with safety features such as an automatic shut-off when the water collector is full.
And, as with humidifiers, many dehumidifiers allow you to set a timer that turns the machine off when a desired time or humidity level gets reached. One final advantage is you can buy dehumidifiers in a variety of sizes to suit your needs.
- Cons of dehumidifiers
As with humidifiers, there are some disadvantages to buying and using dehumidifiers. One of the biggest downsides is the cost of buying a dehumidifier. Mid-range models are typically just as expensive as portable air conditioners.
Dehumidifiers can also increase your electricity costs substantially if you use them for most of the day and evening.
Another disadvantage of using dehumidifiers is you’ll have to put up with the noise. Some units can be as loud as 50 decibels. That’s almost as loud as using a vacuum cleaner or the sound of moderate rainfall.
Last but not least, you need to regularly empty the collector tank in a dehumidifier. Most machines will alert you when the tank is full and will stop operating until you’ve drained the water.
Conclusion
You should consider a humidifier for asthma if you live in a climate where the humidity levels are mostly low all year round. And, if you live in a humid area, a dehumidifier is a good option for your needs.
Whichever type you get, make sure the machine is efficient, has a range of safety features, and won’t keep you awake if you operate it at night.
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