I was wondering why I started to feel like crap, got worried I might be coming down with the you know, but then I remembered it's winter and I need to get the humidifier going.
Felt better almost right away!
The moral of the story is don't forget to manage that moist.
@TechConnectify Manage is right, though. It is a necessary chore, but I do not enjoy the maintenance humidifiers demand.
@masto I'm firmly of the opinion now that for humidifiers, dumber is better.
Get the basic ones with paper wicks and a fan to force air through the wick. Buy a bottle of water treatment and use as directed when filling it. Then replace the wick as needed.
I've successfully avoided grossness and odors this way, and find the units MUCH easier to deal with than cool mist or the kind that just boil water.
@TechConnectify Right with you there. I have had a "console" style humidifier (the discontinued Holmes HCM3888C) for 5+ years. I do exactly as you suggested and just wipe it down at the end of the season. It's also easy to keep filled thanks to two large water tanks.
It's the "warm mist" boiling type in the bedroom that's messy, and I should really just replace it.
@masto @TechConnectify I've had those cool-mist ones for years. They keep breaking. I just need to get one with a wick. I originally gave up on them because of the perceived maintenance costs (water additives, wicks) and fear of mold. I think it is time to reconsider.
@masto Yeah all the ones that have proper moisture output and are easy to use are... pretty ugly.
If you've seen my video, I like the one that is essentially just a bucket. It's also ugly, but it's a white blob so less in your face. The only downside to it is that it doesn't have tremendous output. It's sorta in-between a whole-house one and a single-room.
@david @TechConnectify Growing up, my parents had a crusty old humidifier with a rotating drum that I'm not sure they ever changed the wick on, so I had a kind of mental block against them. I'm not sure that design even exists any more. New ones seem to be a lot easier to keep clean, with just a fan on top.
They still put fake wood paneling on the front though for some reason.