Why You Might Need An Humidifier In Your Home
Humidifiers are renowned as a useful helping hand in the home, preventing the flu, alleviating asthma symptoms as well as allergies and dry coughs while reducing snoring, healing dry skin - and rejuvenating less than healthy house plants. Modern homes are often warm and cosy in winter thanks to central heating or kept cool in hot summer months with the help of air conditioning. Workplaces have similar circumstances. But the air produced in these environments can be too dry. Whether heat is removed from the air or it is added to an already cold and dry indoor climate, humidity levels are usually too low. Having the air humid enough is also important. Today, modern indoor air is unnaturally dry. A humidifier can change that unnatural dryness.
The top ten reasons to have a humidifier in your home
1. To combat the symptoms of asthma. And reduce allergens and irritants in the air.
2. To reduce coughing bouts. If the air is more humid, sufficient moisture can get into the airways to make a cough more productive, helping to release trapped phlegm.
3. To reduce snoring. If the air is dry, the airways are drier too which can increase the risk of snoring.
4. To combat the signs of "Sick Building Syndrome". The symptoms of this syndrome include headaches, eye, nose and throat irritation, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. The reasons why the syndrome exists in the first place include exhaust fumes, aerosols, micro-organisms and all those volatile organic compounds (VOCs) circulating in recycled air. If the humidity can be raised sufficiently, those sick building syndrome symptoms disappear.
5. To avoid dry skin. No one wants dry, cracked skin and chapped lips. A humidifier in the home during the winter months can reduce or eliminate these problems.
6. To avoid dry hair. Neither do we want to have dry and lifeless hair.
7. Houseplants will be happier. Houseplants will thrive in a moist atmosphere. For most plants, they will appreciate a weekly soaking as well as having their leaves sprayed with water regularly. A humidifier will add to their comfort.
8. Wood floors and furniture will last longer. They don't like being too dry either. Ensuring the wood items in your home are nourished and have a humid atmosphere will keep them happy.
9. Moisture in the home saves money on the cost of energy. Moisture helps hold heat in the air, meaning heaters and air conditioning won’t have to work as hard, saving costs on your energy bills.
10. Helps to keep the flu from appearing during the winter months. Research studies over several years have found that raising indoor humidity to above 45% stops the flu virus from making any headway. 
You can use a hygrometer in your home to assess the humidity and there are several effective humidifiers to choose from to use in your home if you consider one to be warranted. Of course, if you don't live in an extreme climate, and your quality of outdoor air is good, having windows open and plenty of fresh air is another way to raise the humidity in your home.
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.