The dry winter weather by itself can cause a number of health problems which range from dry skin to nosebleeds.

The air and associated temperature also routinely cause the paint on the wall and ceiling to crack and wallpaper to peel. These annoyances only become exacerbated when compounded with the closed interiors and continually switched on heaters. To eliminate these problems, both physiological and structural, many people turn to humidifiers. Humidifiers, as the name suggests work by adding moisture back into the air in the form of a fine mist and bringing the humidity level up to a more comfortable band safe level. Studies have determined that for human being to remain comfortable, a healthy amount of moisture set at around 30 to 50 percent is advisable. This range is specified as moisture lower than 30% will result in your mucous membranes drying out and any higher will just aid in causing excessive mould and bacterial growth.

Two distinct technologies power humidifier filters, namely warm mist and cool mist humidifiers, resulting in two distinct types of humidifying experiences. A warm mist humidifier works by heating or boiling the water, causing it to evaporate and be sent into the air. A cool mist humidifier on the other hand pushes water though a wick filter and into the air. The humidifier filter provided for wither of these methods is designed to filter out bacteria, mold, spores and other impurities like mineral salts from the water before it is vaporized into the air.

Consumers face problems with humidifier filters as they are unable to follow their manufacturers instructions regarding the replacement guidelines as well as cleaning directions that dictate proper humidifier filter usage. Though the exact time depends on the specific model and make, the average humidifier filter must be changed every four to six weeks depending on the usage and what the user manual for the model says. Failure on the consumer’s part to perform regular replacements may result in the growth of harmful mold, mildew, bacteria, dust mites as well as other health hazards like mineral salts and allied impurities. It is important to realize that these health hazards are greater than the ones that are associated with low humidity.

For customers already using a cool mist humidifier but don’t want to be burdened with changing filters on a monthly basis, the Hunter Care-Free humidifiers might be an ideal choice. This humidifier model offers the patented Perma-wick filter that does not require a change and only needs to be cleaned once per season making it an extremely convenient choice for many customers.

While buying replacement filters, it is vital that you don’t make the mistake of choosing a generic brand of filter. While these generic and universal may generally be cheaper though they may sacrifice on quality. As an informed customer you should look for the letters OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) on the humidifier filter’s packaging to ensure that you are purchasing a humidifier filter reccomended by your humidifier’s manufacturer. Simply stated, if you own a Honeywell humidifier, you should only buy a Honeywell humidifier filter. However, if an OEM filter is unavailable or you choose to use a generic filter for any other reason, you must make sure that you check your manufacturer’s warranty to confirm that you don’t void the humidifiers warranty.