Warm Mist or Cool Mist?
Humidifiers are often categorized as either Warm Mist (Warm Moisture) or Cool Moisture (Cool Moisture). While they each work in different ways, the end result is the same – that is, they both add moisture to the air. Ultimately, the choice between warm or cool comes down to a matter of personal preference. How they work: Warm mist humidifiers use a heating element to heat up the water inside the humidifier, causing a warm steam to rise into the room. Some warm mist humidifiers also add an optional mineral absorption pad, which sits inside the heating element and collects mineral deposits left behind from the heated water. The level of mineral deposits will vary depending on how hard your water is. Other than this very inexpensive and optional replacement pad, there are no other filters that need replacing with a warm mist humidifier. The heating element uses more electricity than a cool mist humidifier, but overall the long term costs are low. Some pediatricians caution against using a
