The Cellar / Humidifiers

**Posted by bbro** 12/07/2020 8:43 pm

I've been really thinking about getting a humidifier this year. I'm spending so much time at home and I am getting a wicked sore throat this year (not sick, though). Does anyone have one? Any recommendations? Anything to look for specifically (built in gauge, warm vs cool mist, etc)?

Thanks in advance

**Posted by fargon** 12/07/2020 9:23 pm

We have had a Walgreens humidifier for several years and use every night. And it works good, just remember to always use distilled water in it.

**Posted by monster** 12/07/2020 9:40 pm

What kind of heating do you have?

**Posted by tw** 12/08/2020 4:07 pm

bbro wrote:
I've been really thinking about getting a humidifier this year.

If winter weather results in static electric generation, then humidity is much too low.

Healthy humidity is 40%.

**Posted by Clodfobble** 12/08/2020 6:04 pm

In my old car, there was something about the fabric seats that made me shock myself every single time I got out--to the point that I still have a habit of tapping the side of my fist (the least painful spot, I found) on the metal edge of the doorframe when I get out of my car so that I'm not subjected to a fingertip jolt in the moments afterward.

**Posted by bbro** 12/08/2020 6:36 pm

fargon wrote:
We have had a Walgreens humidifier for several years and use every night. And it works good, just remember to always use distilled water in it.

Thanks!

monster wrote:
What kind of heating do you have?

Forced air

tw wrote:
If winter weather results in static electric generation, then humidity is much too low.

Healthy humidity is 40%.

I have no idea the humidity, I just know that I'm uncomfortably dry.

Clodfobble wrote:
In my old car, there was something about the fabric seats that made me shock myself every single time I got out--to the point that I still have a habit of tapping the side of my fist (the least painful spot, I found) on the metal edge of the doorframe when I get out of my car so that I'm not subjected to a fingertip jolt in the moments afterward.

I usually get it going from outside to inside anywhere - lol.

**Posted by monster** 12/08/2020 7:33 pm

well if you don't have a humidifier attached to your heating, I strongly recommend that if you can persuade your landlord -we don't really need to use an additional one most of the time, but other than that we have two cheap warm mist ones -one Sunbeam, one ALDI brand, both work very well for medium-sized rooms. (Purchased because uni dorms can be very dry, also used when beest was sick and extra sensitive to dryer air). We find they work best if placed near (but not on) the forced heat outlet or anything else that is causing the air to circulate.

**Posted by bbro** 12/08/2020 8:32 pm

Grandfather wrote:
I use a large capacity wick type humidifier. It uses regular water with a water softening additive to extend the life of the wick.

Misting humidifiers seem to be more popular. There's no water wick to buy; but, they often require distilled water. Warm mist dehumidifiers will cost more to operate. Cool mist is fine for most.

Look for:

Removable tank(s) for ease of filling. The larger the capacity, the less often you'll have to fill it.

Automatic humidity control that maintains a desired level in the room.

Low water level warning.

A fairly good place to start looking is Amazon's rankings. Start with #1 and keep going until you find the highest ranking one with the features you want. Then shop around for the best price:

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Humidifiers

Diaphone Jim wrote:
Sexobon by any other name...

Thanks!

@monster - That would be a no go. It's a corporation, they don't care. Unfortunately, I can't put them on the outlet because it's in the ceiling.

**Posted by monster** 12/08/2020 10:18 pm

Well good luck. Sorry. The ALDI one was used in a dorm room with an inaccessible vent and did the trick, so you'll probably see an improvement with whatever you go with

**Posted by tw** 12/09/2020 12:33 pm

Clodfobble wrote:
In my old car, there was something about the fabric seats that made me shock myself every single time I got out.

That would not be the fabric. That would be tires. Tires must be made so that static charges in a car bleed (connect to) charges in the ground. When tires are not properly made (ie missing something called carbon black), then charges in that car body connect to charges in earth only via the first human body to make that connection.

Sometimes vehicles such as ambulances will hang a chain underneath. Then when the vehicle stops, that chain is just long enough to touch ground. Then no static charges.

Last edited by tw (12/09/2020 12:34 pm)

**Posted by tw** 12/09/2020 12:40 pm

bbro wrote:
I have no idea the humidity, I just know that I'm uncomfortably dry.

Another technique is to soak and wring out a bath towel every night. Hang it somewhere nearby to dry. That humidity alone can be sufficient to eliminate static electric discharges. If not, then the room is leaking massive amounts of heat (air) to the outside.

No residence today should have windows and doors that defective. That is when plastic is put over windows (a kit sold in any properly stocked hardware store where a hairdryer is even to seal it properly). Then when wind blows, that plastic gently moves. Because that window is that defective.

**Posted by Clodfobble** 12/09/2020 12:48 pm

tw wrote:
That would not be the fabric. That would be tires. Tires must be made so that static charges in a car bleed (connect to) charges in the ground. When tires are not properly made (ie missing something called carbon black), then charges in that car body connect to charges in earth only via the first human body to make that connection.

Sometimes vehicles such as ambulances will hang a chain underneath. Then when the vehicle stops, that chain is just long enough to touch ground. Then no static charges.

Fascinating. I don't remember exactly what kind of tires that car had, but I do know I picked them because they were meant for extreme highway driving, not so much residential (at the time I was commuting 6 hours straight at least 2-3 times per month.) They used to squeal on any kind of sharp turn, even when I took the turn very slowly.

**Posted by tw** 12/09/2020 6:03 pm

Clodfobble wrote:
Fascinating. I don't remember exactly what kind of tires that car had, but I do know I picked them because they were meant for extreme highway driving ...

I even found it this charge problem on a set of Michelins. Rubber's conductivity determines whether static charges might discharge.

Squealing maybe a function of a car designed with a crappy wheel alignment. Where alignment varies especially on turns. Other factors (including a badly aligned steel belt) can also cause that.

Some cars are so defectively designed as to require annual wheel alignment. Properly designed cars, even in the 1980s, never need wheel alignment in the life of that car.

**Posted by bbro** 12/09/2020 9:56 pm

@monster - thanks. True that any one would provide improvement. I think I have the problem of too many choices. I should just get a Honeywell. They're a trusted brand. I can just spring for a humidity monitor to make sure I'm not too low. Or high. Maybe I should get one first. It's also something I can look into adding to the heat when/if I ever manage to buy a house. I didn't know it was an option, really.

@tw - it's not static that's the problem, it's my throat, mouth, skin, and the inability to feel like I'm hydrated enough. Although, my windows do leak, I've improved the problem with thermal/room darkening curtains.

Sadly, the only one endorsed by the asthma and allergy association is a Dyson one for $800. Not gonna do that!

**Posted by monster** 12/10/2020 12:59 am

My "in-line" one is Honeywell. I recently had to replace the one that was here since we bought the house 20 years ago. As it lasted 20+ years, I just bought the current version of that. Standalones don't need to be terribly expensive and you're planning on getting out of there, so if it was me, I'd go as cheap as poss -with removable reservoir and auto shut-off when reservoir dry. But at least one of my bottom-of-the-range ones has those features so I really think you don't need to be worrying too much, they're probably pretty standard

**Posted by xoxoxoBruce** 12/10/2020 2:26 am

tw wrote:
Clodfobble wrote:
In my old car, there was something about the fabric seats that made me shock myself every single time I got out.
That would not be the fabric. That would be tires. Tires must be made so that static charges in a car bleed (connect to) charges in the ground. When tires are not properly made (ie missing something called carbon black), then charges in that car body connect to charges in earth only via the first human body to make that connection.

Hmm, that's a new one. Carbon black is added to the rubber to give it strength and wear resistance, and it helps conduct heat away from the tread. It also colors the rubber so a tire without it would be an off white, kind of sickly yellowish. Never heard of it conducting electricity, always heard in a thunderstorm stay in your car as the tires keep it insulated from being a ground for lightning.

**Posted by glatt** 12/10/2020 10:36 am

You could try tw's idea of soaking a towel and hanging it out, although I suppose a wet towel only holds a cup or two of water, and you want to get at least a gallon of water into the air every day.

You should be sure to not run your bathroom fan when taking a shower.

**Posted by BigV** 12/10/2020 8:51 pm

bbro wrote:
I've been really thinking about getting a humidifier this year. I'm spending so much time at home and I am getting a wicked sore throat this year (not sick, though). Does anyone have one? Any recommendations? Anything to look for specifically (built in gauge, warm vs cool mist, etc)?

Thanks in advance

We have several here in the house, you might know them as "windows". Also, "doors" can be adapted for humidifier duty.

**Posted by tw** 12/10/2020 9:26 pm

glatt wrote:
... although I suppose a wet towel only holds a cup or two of water, and you want to get at least a gallon of water into the air every day.

If windows and doors are that bad, then more water is needed. We do not know how much leaking is causing "how dry that air".

Static electricity is not the problem. Static electricity is a poor man's humidity meter. If air is extremely dry, static electricity problems exist. If even drier, then static discharges are more aggressive.. Humidity should be high enough that a "poor man's" humidity meter (static electricity) is not reporting dry air.

In some cases, only a large and wet bath towel can be enough to stop static electric discharges. When windows have failed worse, then repeat use of a boiling pan of water may be necessary. At least until a humidifier is obtained or installed.

It windows and doors are leaking that much, then a humidifier might be insufficient.

**Posted by tw** 12/10/2020 9:27 pm

Undertoad wrote:
Get a gallon jug of water and throw it into the air.

Have fun while curing the symptom. Squirt gun fights.

**Posted by MirandaPolly** 5/13/2021 3:14 am

I have purchased a humidifier, but will not use it yet

**Posted by Limey** 5/13/2021 10:23 am

MirandaPolly wrote:
I have purchased a humidifier, but will not use it yet

Why not?

**Posted by Gravdigr** 5/14/2021 9:52 pm

Bots don't need humidity?

Waiting to become a real boy?