Keeping the air in your home free from pollutants is important, but it is also important to maintain appropriate humidity levels. An Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo is an all-in-one option to both purify and humidify your home, but are they worth it?
The purpose of an air purifier is to reduce the toxins that have the ability to enter the body, which reduces respiratory and allergy symptoms.
The purpose of a humidifier is to manage the Relative Humidity (RH) in your home in order to keep your body adequately hydrated. Maintaining a steady RH of ~60% will also help to reduce dry throat and skin.
Air purifier and humidifier combos are an efficient way to manage the humidity levels in your home while also reducing air contaminants.
Air purifiers vs. Humidifiers
Air Purifier
An air purifier uses a number of different filters to capture air particles and prevent them from escaping back into the air. A humidifier releases moisture into the air through evaporation. An air washer uses water to filter the air while also providing the benefits of a humidifier through water evaporation. An air washer is a more effective humidifier than it is an air purifier but will do an adequate job of both.
Air purifiers use filters to capture allergens that can be harmful to people with allergies and those that suffer from asthmatic attacks. An air purifier can remove things such as:
- Allergens
- Mold Spores
- Dander from pets
- Bacteria
- Smoke
- Dust
- Bad Odors
Humidifier
A humidifier releases moisture into the air through evaporation. An air washer uses water to filter the air while also providing the benefits of a humidifier through water evaporation. An air washer is a more effective humidifier than it is an air purifier but will do an adequate job of both. A humidifier can help to:
- Add moisture to the air.
- Keep people with allergies from having irritated airway passages.
- Soothe dry skin.
- Help keep airways lubricated.
- Keep lips from becoming chapped and dry.
- Stop skin from breaking which can cause infection to enter in the body.
Why do you need a Humidifier and Air Purifier?
Benefits of an Air purifier
Air purifiers are machines that remove air pollutants. They are very helpful for people who suffer from asthma or allergies. They also can get rid of secondhand smoke and odors and can be used in both commercial and residential environments.
An air purifier has the ability to remove air contaminants that can be destructive to your lungs and body if inhaled. The most effective air purifiers (HEPA and Activated Carbon) will remove up to 99.97% of indoor air contaminants as well as the majority of odors in your home. An effective air purifier can eliminate allergy and respiratory issues.
Some other effective filters are UV sanitizers and Activated carbon filters. UV sanitizers zap bacteria and viruses with intense levels of UV light, while Activated Carbon filters absorb odors.
Benefits of a Humidifier
A humidifier is generally used to maintain proper moisture levels in your home. Humidifiers will soothe and reduce the effects of a cold, allergies, flu, congestion, cough, dry skin, and more. Additionally, keeping the moisture in the air in your home is not only good for your health, but is also good for your skin, hair, and nails.
Using a humidifier helps your skin stay hydrated. In the wintertime when the air is colder and drier, the skin cannot hold enough moisture. That’s why it is important to add humidity to the air in an environment in which you spend a lot of time.
Ideally, the humidity levels in your home should be between 30 and 50 percent, according to the Mayo Clinic.
If you, or anyone in your family, suffer from allergies, nothing can help to get rid of these allergies as an air purifier can. People that have animals can experience more allergies that are directly related to the pet dander that is released by the animal’s coat and this can be a problem for those that have allergies. With an air purifier, those with allergies can get some relief since the air purifier is known to help remove these particles that cause sneezing, runny noses and itchy eyes.
People that have a sensitivity to smells can benefit greatly from an air purifier. Those that find certain smells to be a bother such as dirty shoes, smoking, diapers or animals, can find fresh air again simply by running an air purifier. By putting an air purifier in rooms that have strong odors or scents, those that are sensitive to smells can “see” odors eliminated, right before their eyes, or should I say, right before their noses?
With dirty air, those that experience health problems such as asthma or other respiratory problems can have problems breathing or can have problems fighting off common colds that occur from these diseases. Air purifiers are made to help to fight off the allergens that cause attacks to be triggered. If dust, smoke or dander are triggering asthma attacks or making it hard to stay healthy, an air purifier can help to improve the quality of air.
Smoking is harmful both to the smoker and to those that breathe the second-hand smoke. Certain air purifiers are made in order to help eliminate the smoke pollutants and can help to take away tobacco odors that are caused by smoking. When living in an environment that triggers allergies, air purifiers can make a huge difference in how you feel and how you breathe.
Can you use an Air Purifier and Humidifier Together?
Buying a separate air purifier and a separate humidifier will produce the best possible results but will cost the most money. An air purifier and humidifier combo will not be as effective as a buying a separate humidifier and air purifier but will produce adequate results for an affordable price.
Purchasing an air purifier and humidifier combo can help to give you the healthy skin and clean air that you want, helping to increase the quality of both your life and your home. Having clean air can be hard since there are so many different allergens. If you live in an area that has high pollen count or live by places with large amounts of dust such as by a railroad track, it can be hard to keep the allergens out of your home. With mold, dust, pollen, and smoke, keeping your homes air clean and free of allergens is almost impossible without help.
Having these different types of allergens in your home can increase your chance of allergy attacks such as bronchitis or sinus infections. Those that suffer asthma attacks or have family members that are prone to these attacks are often faced with even bigger problems.
On top of allergens, you have to deal with homes that are dry and with ever-changing outside weather. If you live in a dry climate, chances are that you experience some type of dry skin such as chapped lips, dry skin or even cracked skin. This type of situation can lead to bigger problems such as infection or nosebleeds and sometimes even sleeping problems such as snoring or coughing.
By purchasing an air purifier and humidifier combo, you are increasing the value of your health by adding both moisture and purification to your home. This combo can help to not only clean the air from bad smells, allergens or other harmful pollutants, but it can also help to keep your air moist and can help prevent unwanted skin irritations.
Tips for Purchasing an Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo
When looking to purchase the best air purifier and humidifier combo for your home, make sure that you know exactly what you are looking for and what you hope to achieve. Remember to take into account the room size and what you want the combo to do. Here are a few tips on what to look for when purchasing an air purifier and humidifier combo:
- Room size.
- Make sure that you purchase a combo that has a warranty in case anything goes wrong.
- Indicator to tell you when to change filters or to fill up the water tank.
- Auto shut off for safety.
- Low energy consumption combo.
- If you want filters or no filters.
- How much money you want to spend.
- If you want a hot mist or cool mist humidifier.
- The sound or quiet features.
- Speed adjustor.
Remote control or other amenities.
Why Should You Consider Purchasing an Air Purifier and Humidifier Combo?
If you are looking to improve the quality of your home and your health, consider purchasing an air purifier and humidifier combo. This type of machine can help to keep your air clean and to keep your surroundings moisturized and healthy. If you experience any type of allergens or respiratory sicknesses, or if you experience long periods of dried out skin, the air purifier and humidifier combo might be perfect for your home and body needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can an Air Purifier be Used with a Humidifier?
An Air Purifier and a Humidifier can be used together to generate the perfect mix of humidity and clean air in your home. Both the humidifier and air purifier should be run at the same time to generate the best results.
Can you run air purifier and humidifier at the same time?
The air purifier and humidifier should be running at the same time in the same room. This will create the perfect combination of clean air purity and humidity levels in your home.
What is a good level of humidity in a house?
Maintaining the right humidity level in your home is important to staying healthy. A good level of humidity for healthy living is around 45%. At this level your body and skin does not dehydrate, yet you do not feel the moisture.
Do humidifiers help with sleeping?
When suffering from a cold or chest cough, using a humidifier can help with sleeping. The air moisture generated from the humidifier will help loosen mucus in your chest to improve the burning sensation while breathing. This relief will improving sleeping.
Examples of Air Purifier and Humidifier Combos
Dreval D-950 Humidifier and Air Purifier Combo
The all-in-one Dreval dual air purifier and humidifier offers a balance of clean, moisturized and healthy breathing air for your home. The Dreval 950 offers exceptional power (effectively purifies large rooms up to 430 square feet) and a 7 stage purification system.
In addition to the humidifier, this purifier uses 5 types of filters to eliminate indoor air contaminants. It uses a cold catalyst filter to eliminate harmful gases, an activated carbon filter to eliminate odors, an antimicrobial filter to eliminate microorganisms and bacteria, HEPA filter to eliminate air particles, and a UV Sterilization Lamp to eliminate viruses, odors, and bacteria.
This air purifier actually tells you the quality of your air in your home. With its Intelligent Odor Sensor System, the purifier determines the breathing quality of the air at any particular time and indicates the quality with a 3-Color System – Red for Poor, Orange for Normal, and Green for Excellent Air Quality.
Sharp Plasmacluster KC-850U Dual Air Purifier and Humidifier Combination
This machine will produce effective results when purifying and humidifying the air in your home. This air purifier humidifier combo features both a HEPA filter and Charcoal filter. HEPA filters will remove 99.97% of airborne particles that are at least .3 microns in size. The majority of all air contaminants (aside from VOCs that create odor) are larger than .3 microns. This means that all of the allergens, mold, bacteria, dust, and smoke in your home will be eliminated. The VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) will be absorbed by the activated carbon filter. VOCs are the main source or odor in your home. With the combination of a HEPA and Activated Carbon filter, this machine will effectively purify the air of contaminants and smells.
The Plasmacluster technology adds humidity to the air by splitting water molecules into positively and negatively charged ions which spread throughout the room. Not only does this system add moisture to the air but also effectively refreshes the air similar to the way nature cleans the environment.
The machine offers both manual and automatic operation, clean/dirty air indicator, quiet operation, energy efficiency, low maintenance/filter replacement, and a stylish design . The user also has the ability to choose among 3 fan speeds for desired cleanliness and humidity levels or the automatic setting which uses sensors to adjust power according to the room’s cleanliness and humidity.
Venta LW25 Airwasher 2-in-1 Humidifier and Air Purifier Combo
This combo offers features such as rotating and moistened stacks that catch allergens, is filter free and can be used all year to create the perfect air for your home.
Pros of the Venta LW25 Airwasher 2-in 1 Humidifier and Air Purifier:
- Covers rooms that are 400 square feet or smaller.
- Humidifies the room while removing allergens such as dust, pollen and pet dander.
- Filter-free so that it is cheaper and easier to keep clean.
- Light so it is easy to move from room to room when needed.
- Helps to reduce headaches.
- Does not produce harmful ozone or ions.
- Energy efficient.
- Comes with three different fan speeds.
- Holds two gallons of water so it does not have to be filled up constantly.
Cons of the Venta LW25 Airwasher 2-in 1 Humidifier and Air Purifier:
- Hard time cleaning the unit.
- Did not give enough moisture to the area.
- Low-quality materials.
- The relative humidity in the room never seems to improve.
Thin and fragile machine.
Oplar Digital Evaporative 2-in-1 Dual Humidifier and Air Purifier Combo
The Oplar Digital Evaporative Humidifier and Air Purifier use evaporation to help to clean the area and to add moisture to the air. This machine offers a cool mist humidifier and it helps to make sure that your room stays at the full humidity level that is needed. The combo offers ease of operation and helps to save money on energy bills.
The Oplar has a stylish design with an LED display that allows you to work the combo and gives you the option to put it in a sleep mode or use one of the three different settings that will allow you to have a more relaxed sleep night.
This humidifier and air purifier combo comes with a filter that is made up of nylon fiber and polyester so that it can be sure to catch all of the allergens in the room. The filter lets you know when it is ready to clean when it turns yellow and is easy to clean just by using boiling water and vinegar.
The Oplar is quiet and uses negative ion purifying which will help to remove the allergens from the air both safely and effectively. This machine holds 3 liters of water and only needs to be refilled once a day. One great feature about this combo is that it is mist free and leak free so there will be no mess to clean up after using this item.
Pros of the Oplar Digital Evaporative Humidifier and Air Purifier Combo:
- Quiet-has a built-in fan that comes with three settings. This can be used in any bedroom or nursery without disruption from loud noises.
- Comes with a permanent filter so you do not have to spend extra money purchasing and changing filters. It is easy to clean with just boiling water and vinegar.
- Easy to refill and only requires being refilled once a day.
- Traps allergens in the filter with a honeycomb construction.
Cons of the Oplar Digital Evaporative Humidifier and Air Purifier Combo:
- Low-quality materials.
- Fill tank indicator is hard to see.
- Buttons on the tank do not work well.
- Hard to see buttons.
- The bright LED light does not shut off even in sleep mode.
Boneco 2-in-1 Air Washer W200 Purifier and Humidifier Combo
The Boneco is both an air purifier and humidifier. This works by using a 3-dimensional mat that acts as an evaporator so it can evaporate the water and help to keep the air moisturized. The water then helps to clean the air and gets rid of allergens that can cause allergies.
This air washer and humidifier help to give the room the perfect amount of moisture so that your skin can stay nice and healthy all year round. This machine features a 2.22-gallon tank which only needs to be filled once a day.
The Boneco can keep a room clean and moisturized up to 540 square feet and is very easy to clean. The machine parts can be cleaned in a washing machine or even your own dishwasher safely and effectively. The machine has no filters and is a stylish design so it can look nice in any room.
Pros of the Boneco 2-in 1 Air Washer W200:
- Has no filters to replace. The mat is washable, so it stays clean and fresh year-round.
- Uses a cool mist.
- No need to remove the bucket, just pour the water right in to fill it.
- Replacement evaporator pads can be purchased.
- Very quiet machine.
Cons of the Boneco 2-in 1 Air Washer W200:
- Only humidifies in a small room.
- Holds only a small amount of water.
- No automatic filling.
Discoloration of the evaporator pad.
Conclusion
Finding the right Air Purifier and Humidifier combo will improve your quality of life. This machine will maintain the perfect level of humidity in your home while also providing a clean breaking environment. Invest in a 2-in-1 air purifier and humidifier combination for your family today.
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Frank is the chief editor and director at Specialty Air, where he oversees testing, research, and editing for all air quality-related articles. Frank is an expert in the air quality space with extensive experience testing, researching, and reviewing air purifiers, air conditioners, air filters, air fresheners, fans, and more. He also has over 4 years of experience with issues surrounding mold remediation, radon mitigation, moisture management, air duct systems, HVAC, and insulation.