Can A Humidifier Make You Sick? Experts' Detailed Answer

Published by Ahmad Jamal on February 22, 2022 | Last updated on May 14, 2023

Humidifiers are an essential part of maintaining an accommodating atmosphere inside the house, especially if the climate there doesn’t help with that at all.

But, there are some conditions that turn this accommodating machinery into a load of trouble instead.

Therefore, the question is: Can a Humidifier Make You Sick? As many have complained about something called a “Humidifier Fever” in the last year.

In this Cleaners Advisor article, you’ll know how real this fever is, and by the end of it you’ll know the answer to “can a humidifier make you sick”.

Table of Contents

What is a Humidifier?

Before discussing the elephant in the room, we need to know what is a humidifier, so as to be able to judge accurately while addressing can a humidifier make you sick.

A humidifier is a machine that’s made to increase the humidity level in the air of a specific area.

It comes in 5 types: Evaporators, Steam Vaporizers, Central Humidifiers, Impeller Humidifiers, and Ultrasonic Humidifiers.

The main task of these humidifiers is to provide a higher level of humidity, unlike the dehumidifier that focuses on reducing humidity levels.

So, the humidifier needs to keep the dry weather more livable and comfy.

Machines and Health Issues

Generally speaking, there’s a huge list of problems that may occur when you use the wrong machine.

By wrong I mean another list of problems, like using an old machine, using a machine that needs cleaning, using a machine that lacks maintenance, obtaining a machine that provides a worse performance than an ideal one.

Those problems and other ones can deal a huge blow to your health, without even knowing how unsafe they can be.

This takes us to a conclusion that a certain level of maintenance should be achieved on regular basis, in addition to other factors like the humidifier’s age, performance, cleanliness, and more.

When used properly and maintained well, a humidifier can alleviate health conditions and get rid of possible health problems, and vice-versa when used wrong.

Elephant in the Room: Can a Humidifier Make You Sick?

According to a US governmental study in 2014, there’s a certain level of risk that a humidifier inside your house can be harmful to your health and your family members as well.

We’ve already agreed that poorly maintained machines can cause health-related problems, but there are still other types of those problems that can be caused by a humidifier.

In short, there are 2 main ways in which a humidifier can make you sick:

Poorly-Maintained Humidifiers

To be accurate, poorly-maintained humidifiers can be formed in multiple ways, but they can be a direct cause to breed microorganisms, bacteria, and other types of dirt.

The water inside a humidifier reservoir is the main element of a humidification process, but leaving a little bit of water inside a reservoir without cleaning or exposure to dirt, can turn it into a typical environment for breeding molds, bacteria, and more.

Those microorganisms can make their way into the core of a humidification system, becoming the main source of spreading hazardous health-endangering organisms into the air.

Moreover, normal types of dirt can also find their way into the core of the system if it’s not well-cleaned.

There’s a full step-by-step guide on How To Clean HoMedics Humidifier to guide you professionally.

This doesn’t stop here, as old humidifiers produce the wrong types of substances when they are operating due to their old age, and those substances can be hurtful to people with asthma and related allergies.

Therefore, we can definitely say right now that there’s a thing called “Humidifier Fever” caused by ill-maintained humidifiers.

Under/Over Humidification

In other words, going for the wrong humidity levels can cause issues on either side of the equation.

Under Humidification will cause a general irritation on the skin and can lead to a sore throat and itchy eyes.

On the other hand, Over Humidification can cause condensation on different surfaces in the house, which can be a suitable environment for the bacteria to grow, and for the mold as well.

Can a Humidifier Make You Sick: Symptoms

As I’ve mentioned the reasons that may turn the humidifier into a dangerous machine, here are the symptoms that may or may not appear due to that:

General Sense of Irritation in Skin
Dry lips and skin
Nasal dryness
Headaches
Dry cough
Bloody noses
Sore throat

Tips to make sure the humidifier can’t make you sick

Talking about the question of “can a humidifier make you sick” may be intimidating for some, but it’s just for general awareness of dangers that may happen if you were careless with your humidifier.

Additionally, the following are some of the most expert tips that will help you overcome any source of danger inside any humidifier, in addition to maintaining the powerful performance your humidifier can provide.

Clean The Humidifier Once a Week at Least
Change the Filters Inside the Humidifier More Often
Change Water Inside the Humidifier More Often
Use Demineralized Water for Humidification
Make sure to Empty the tank and the Reservoirs When You’re not using the Humidifier.
Always Follow the Instructions on the Humidifier Carefully
Make Sure to Fix any Problems That Occur with Humidifier Immediately
Don’t Give Old Broken Humidifier too much Time before Replacing Them

Can a Humidifier Make You Sick FAQ

Can a humidifier have negative effects?

Yes, there are multiple reasons behind a humidifier creating negative effects, but it’s easy to maintain the humidifier and use it correctly to prevent that from happening. This article contains a set of tips to make sure the humidifier can’t make you sick by any means.

Can a humidifier make you congested?

Yes, Over Humidification can cause a lot of problems, including condensation on different surfaces in the house, which can be a suitable environment for the bacteria to grow, and for the mold as well, in addition to making the house feel congested and hard to live in.

Should humidifier run all night?

It depends on how humid the house is and how much you need to run the humidifier, but if you’re asking about it being safe, then it’s safe to run it all night as long as you’re using it correctly.

To Wrap Up

Obtaining a machine should always be about feeling more convenient, no matter the machine or the price of that machine.

However, failing to maintain that machine can turn convenience into severe problems.

Therefore, it’s a yes when it comes to “can a humidifier make you sick?” but it’s a lot easier to maintain your humidifier and keep it running efficiently, away from any illness it might cause.