Humidification hazards

Humidification of indoor air can be done by sprinkling water, placing a basin, etc., but it is convenient to use a humidifier. Many families have bought humidifiers and kept them on 24 hours a day. However, it is pointed out that humidifiers will increase the possibility of respiratory diseases.

When the humidifier is in use, it must be cleaned regularly, otherwise the mold and other microorganisms in the humidifier will enter the air along with the vapor and then enter the human respiratory tract, which is prone to humidifier pneumonia. In addition, the humidity of the air is not as high as possible. In winter, the humidity that the human body feels more comfortable is about 50%. If the air humidity is too high, people will feel chest tightness and breathing difficulties, so moderate humidification is better.

For the indoor dry environment, many families use humidifiers. While people are enjoying the humid air, various indoor bacteria also grow and multiply in such an environment. These bacteria are the culprits that cause pneumonia and respiratory diseases.

This disease, called "humidifier pneumonia" by doctors, is similar to the common summer "air conditioning disease". It is caused by harmful microorganisms entering the human respiratory tract through the air and causing inflammation.

Various microorganisms floating in the air, scattered in dust and objects, once the temperature and humidity are appropriate, they will grow and reproduce quickly, and the elderly, children and other people with relatively weak resistance will inhale the bacteria. In addition to bacteria, the common microorganisms in the winter room include molds and actinomycetes, which can cause pneumonia or respiratory diseases, and the phlegm and cough caused by such diseases can also accelerate the spread of bacteria.

Remind users to pay attention to the following points when using:

1. Use air humidifiers with caution in patients with arthritis and diabetes. Humid air will aggravate arthritis and diabetes, so it is generally not recommended for such patients. If such patients really need to use a humidifier to reduce the occurrence of some respiratory complications, they should discuss and communicate with a specialist to determine the appropriate humidity to stabilize the condition of the original disease.

2. Clean the humidifier regularly according to the instructions of the manual. If the humidifier itself is not hygienic, germs will float in the air along with the water vapor, which will also cause harm to human health.

3. Do not directly add tap water to the humidifier. Because the tap water contains a variety of minerals, it will damage the evaporator of the humidifier, and the water alkali it contains will also affect its service life. Chlorine atoms and microorganisms in tap water may be blown into the air with water mist and cause pollution. If the tap water has high hardness, the water mist sprayed by the humidifier contains calcium and magnesium ions, which will produce white powder and pollute the indoor air.

4. Adjust the humidity of the humidifier according to weather conditions and indoor and outdoor temperature at any time. It is understood that many patients only adjust the humidity when they first buy an air humidifier, and rarely adjust the humidity after use. This will greatly reduce the effect of the humidifier. Once the weather rains and the indoor and outdoor humidity rises, the humidity of the humidifier will not be adjusted down, which will increase the humidity invisibly. It is not conducive to human health; if the weather becomes too dry and the humidity of the humidifier is still not adjusted, the function of the humidifier is weakened.