Radiator humidifiers
What are radiator humidifiers?
Simply put these are containers that are hung by wire or metal hooks over radiators. There are a wide variety of designs and materials that these household accessories are made from. A popular and economical radiator humidifier that is sold on Amazon.com is the Snow Joe 209 radiator humidifier. This model is made of plastic and can be hung over household radiators using the hooks that come with it. This model is available for around $10.
There are other styles that may be considered more attractive although the functionality is similar. Some heater humidifiers are made from metal and there are other designs that are ceramic. The ceramic radiator humidifiers are in my opinion the most attractive. They are often hand made with a design or picture painted on prior to being glazed. Obviously, hand made items carry a price tag much higher than the Snow Joe 209 design.
Why is a radiator humidifier necessary?
The human body is most comfortable when the air is of a certain level of humidity. Typically it is suggested that relative humidity between 25% to 60% is best. Not only is the relative humidity level important for our own comfort but certain issues can arise if the air is either too wet or too dry. For example at higher levels of relative humidity, over 60% to 70%, condensation will appear upon cold surfaces. Problems of mold and moisture related damage may also occur. This situation occurs naturally in countries that have high levels of humidity for prolonged periods. Conversely, when the air becomes too dry as often happens during winter months this can cause us to experience discomfort in the nose and throat region as well as possible dry skin complaints. Also when the air is particularly dry we may find ourselves experiencing static electric shocks. I often have this problem during the winter when I get out my car and then touch the door to close it. Also in the house we may find that paint begins to crack as well as notice problems with leather and wood furniture. Using a radiator humidifier is one way to provide extra moisture to the air within the house which can make our environment more pleasant to live in.
What kind of radiator humidifier is best?
The answer to this question is more personal in nature. It depends upon a variety of factors including, how much money you have available to spend on radiator humidifiers; what kind of radiators you have installed in your home as some humidifiers may be more aesthetically suitable than others; what material you feel offers the most appropriate rate of evaporation; what water surface area you are interested in.
The Snow Joe 209 radiator humidifiers are cheap and have a relatively large water surface area which provides a higher evaporation potential. On the down side however is the fact that these models are made from plastic. This means that they do not carry the heat from radiators to the water they contain as well as both metal and ceramic radiator humidifiers.
Ceramic radiator humidifiers come with a larger price tag than the Snow Joe 209 brand. They are also shaped differently. Rather than being wide and shallow, they are slim and deep. This may make them less likely to be accident prone however also means they have a reduced surface area for evaporation to occur. However the ceramic material conducts heat more effectively. Therefore the water within the radiator humidifier will become hotter which will have a positive effect upon the rate of evaporation.