Probably a stupid question but...

[Anonymous]

What does a humidifier do? I know its a machine you fill with water and it blows out steam, but what does it do? Clean the air? And what's the difference in a humidifier and a vaporizer?

Sincerely, one uneducated mom

[mary841108]

 it adds moisture to the air and a vaporizer does the same but you add Vicks or other menthol drops to it to sooth coughs

[MamaRae85]

You've gotten the answer to your question, but here's another thing: Air that is more humid feels warmer. We like to keep a humidifier not just for when our son gets colds (he's too young for decongestants anyway), but also to make it more comfortable instead of turning the heat up.

The more you know! *star wipe* lol

[calvinsmommy18]

puts moisture into your air, good for winters for your skin, some furnaces have their own humidifiers built in.

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

What if you put cold water in it?

Quoting MamaRae85:

You've gotten the answer to your question, but here's another thing: Air that is more humid feels warmer. We like to keep a humidifier not just for when our son gets colds (he's too young for decongestants anyway), but also to make it more comfortable instead of turning the heat up.

The more you know! *star wipe* lol

[MamaRae85]

Usually, it heats the water up anyway, so it'll get warmer. But you can get a cool-mist humidifier. It doesn't matter, though. It's not the steam, it's the way the humidity makes the temperature feel. Even if it's the same temperature, the water in the air will make it feel warmer.

Quoting Anonymous:

What if you put cold water in it?

Quoting MamaRae85:

You've gotten the answer to your question, but here's another thing: Air that is more humid feels warmer. We like to keep a humidifier not just for when our son gets colds (he's too young for decongestants anyway), but also to make it more comfortable instead of turning the heat up.

The more you know! *star wipe* lol

[zoegirlsmom]

I live in Alabama, we have to use a whole house Dehumidifier to keep the humidity at a comfortable level in our house. It also reduces the occurrence of mold and allows for easier breathing.