Doctors and the National Institute of Health recommend the use of a room humidifier when you have cold or flu symptoms, or a sinus infection. Humidifiers add moisture to the air in a room and your skin. When moisture is added to your skin, moisture is also added to your nasal passage allowing you breathe easier.

Room humidifiers are small, portable units that will send moisture into only one room of your home at a time.

There are an overwhelming amount of room humidifiers to choose from at the stores. The first decision to make is do you want a warm mist or cool mist humidifier?

The main difference is how the water enters the air and at what temperature. It is recommended you choose a cool mist room humidifier if you are putting it in a room with a child. The heated steam of a warm mist humidifier may burn a child.

Cool mist room humidifiers are safer, but more maintenance. The water in the tank can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. These units need to be cleaned daily or every few days with soap and water.

After you decide if you want a cool mist or warm mist room humidifier, you must decide if you want an impeller, evaporative or ultrasonic. Each type has different benefits and problems. Ultimately it depends on personal preference. Impeller humidifiers propel water into the air from discs. Evaporative humidifiers send water into the air by blowing it with a fan. Ultrasonic humidifiers send water by creating vibrations. The biggest downfall with this type of unit is it leaves behind white dust everywhere.

The main components to keep in mind when choosing a room humidifier are the maintenance, the potential health risks, and the cost.

What kind of maintenance are you willing to spend time doing? Cool mist humidifiers take a lot more maintenance than warm mist humidifiers.

How much money do you want to spend maintaining your unit? If you have to, use distilled water that may cost a little extra. If you buy a humidifier with a filter it is an extra cost to change that a few times a year.

Do you want a design that has potential to grow bacteria? Not all models have this issue, and it is not a problem if you clean your unit properly. It is important to keep in mind so your health is not affected.