We all want what is best for our children: the best food, the best school, the best life has to offer… 

What if you could keep your kid healthy every season and give them a better night's sleep? Using a humidifier in your child’s room is a surefire way to improve their overall health, soothe itchy skin, a dry or scratchy throat, and improve congestion. 

What is a Humidifier?

First and foremost: what actually is a humidifier? 

A humidifier is a home improvement tool that converts water into water vapor, which is then released from the device and into the air. The purpose of a humidifier is to increase the moisture levels or “humidity” of a particular space in order to maintain a healthy environment. 

Weather and seasonality are the primary culprits for dry, harsh air. When humidity levels drop to lower levels during the fall and winter months, you may observe symptoms like:

• Dry, chapped skin
• Eczema or psoriasis flareups
• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Dry or itchy throat
• Chronic cough and sore throat
• Dry, flaky scalp

Optimal humidity levels fall between 40% and 60% year around. Optimal indoor air quality should be a priority regardless of season. So, before packing up your humidifier for the season, think again. Similar to forced heat, air conditioners pull moisture out of the air, reducing humidity in the room making the air dry and stale. When the air is dry, it begins pulling the  moisture from your skin. To avoid this discomfort, when the heat or AC is on, your humidifier should be too.  Where exactly your home should fall on this relative humidity (RH) scale is based on outdoor temperatures, indoor factors such as heat or AC, or personal preference.

Benefits of a Humidifier for Kids

You may be familiar with the general benefits of a humidifier, but how exactly does a humidifier help kids and what are the benefits of regular use?

The key benefits of using a humidifier for your child’s room include, but are not limited to: easing congestion, soothing a sore throat, and improving dry, itchy skin. 

Ease Congestion 

As you probably know, children are especially prone to stuffy noses and dry sinuses. You have inevitably experienced the uncomfortability of a stuffy nose more than once in your life, and we can all agree that it is frustrating, exhausting, and just plain annoying. 

When your child experiences nasal congestion, they are likely to have disrupted sleep and overall frustration and fussiness. Using a humidifier in your child’s room can help to increase moisture in their nasal passage and reduce inflammation for easier breathing. 

Soothe Sore Throats

A dry, scratchy, and painful throat can make a good night’s sleep merely a lofty dream. A humidifier adds lubrication to your little human’s throat, which releases mucus buildup, alleviates dryness, and reduces coughing. 

Alleviate Dry, Itchy Skin

Youthful skin is delicate and sensitive. While our adult skin can weather a storm, literally, our children’s skin is far more volatile to the surrounding environment. When air is dry, your mini may experience itchy or flaky skin on their body, eczema flare ups, dry scalp, and more. 

Incorporating a humidifier into your home can improve dry, inflamed skin by improving the moisture barrier and reducing TEWL (transepidermal water loss) as a result of dehydrated air. 

What is the Best Humidifier for a Kid?

One of the most overwhelming parts of being a parent - that no one ever tells you - is the stress of making the “right” decision for your child. Luckily, the “right” decision is unique to you and your situation. 

So, how do you choose the right humidifier for your kiddo? We recommend considering the following features when choosing your humidifier: cool mist vs. warm mist, device output, run time, and cleaning requirements. 

Cool Mist vs. Warm Mist

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), using a warm mist humidifier or vaporizer poses a potential risk for infants or young children. The actual mist emitted from a warm mist humidifier is perfectly safe for children since the mist cools to room temperature before reaching the room surfaces. The water tank of warm mist humidifiers can be hot to the touch as a result of boiling water in the water tank. If your infant or toddler touches the water tank, or pulls the warm mist humidifier down from the shelf or nightstand, they can get seriously burned. 

The AAP recommends the use of a cool mist humidifier in your child’s room.. Finding the right cool mist humidifier is important. The safest humidifier for your child is an evaporative humidifier such as Canopy. Canopy’s anti-microbial filter catches bacteria and metals, and uses a no-mist technology to produce invisible, clean moisture. Canopy is easy to use, easy to clean, and will look great in your children’s bedrooms, playrooms or nurseries. For extra safety, make sure that the cord is also out of reach from your child, or completely hidden from view. As you know: children will get into anything. 

Output

When searching for the best humidifier for your child’s room or nursery, you need to consider the output of the device. You want the output of your humidifier to cover the entire square footage of your little one’s room. If the room size is 200 square feet, you need a humidifier with at least a 200 square foot output. If the room size is 500 square feet, you need a humidifier with 500 square foot output. 

Run Time

Run time is a key feature when choosing the best humidifier for your kid. The longer the run time on your humidifier, the larger the tank size. The larger the tank size, the less frequently you need to refill your device. 

Especially during the cold, winter months you need to keep the humidity levels of your child’s home at optimal levels. This means you need a device that covers not only the 12-14 hours of sleep at night, but 1-3 hours for naps, and 3-4 hours of play time in their room. At minimum, you need a humidifier with 16 hours of run time. Ideally, you want a humidifier with 20+ hours of runtime to reduce the frequency of refills. Canopy’s 2.5 liter tank has a 36 hour runtime, keeping your children hydrated day and night.

Cleaning Requirements

Let’s be honest: you could place your child in a life size bubble suit, and they would still manage to make a mess of your home. You have enough to clean without the stress of a complicated humidifier device with 47 parts. No, thank you. 

When choosing the best humidifier for your child’s room, you need a humidifier that is easy to take apart and most importantly easy to clean. Since it is recommended to  deep clean your humidifier weekly or monthly depending on the frequency of use, easy cleaning is a necessity. It’s important to regularly clean your humidifier to reduce the risk of any mold growth. Most humidifiers on the market are difficult to clean and the process can be tedious.   

Unlike the rest, Canopy is easy to take apart and dishwasher safe (I mean..wow). Simply take apart your Canopy, toss it in the dishwasher, sit back, relax, and pour that glass of wine you finally have time for. 

Humidifiers are game-changing devices that can radically improve your health if used properly. Practicing proper humidifier safety will ensure your device operates at maximum capacity and creates a healthy, flourishing environment for you and your family. 

Are Humidifiers Safe?

Humidifiers are perfectly safe for use in your home if you follow your device’s maintenance requirements.  

Ultrasonic Humidifiers

Ultrasonic humidifiers operate by vibrating a metal disk at sonic speed, which pulverizes the water in the water tank into a fine mist, which is then dispersed into the room. 

The downside of ultrasonic humidifiers is that any bacteria, mold, microorganisms, or chemical cleaning supplies present in the device water tank will also be dispersed into the room. 

If your ultrasonic humidifier is not properly maintained, it can lead to adverse health effects. Ultrasonic humidifiers perform best if you use distilled water in your water tank and follow your device’s maintenance guide. 

Warm Mist Humidifiers

Similarly, vaporizers or warm mist humidifiers boil the water from the water tank to create a warm vapor, which is released into the surrounding environment. When you boil water, it kills any minerals, bacteria or microorganisms that thrive in moist environments. As a result, you can use any type of water in your vaporizer: tap, bottled, or distilled.  If using a warm mist humidifier, you must proceed with caution. The water tank can be extremely hot to the touch as a result of boiling water in the tank. Warm mist humidifiers are not recommended for children’s rooms or nurseries. 

Evaporative Humidifiers

Evaporative humidifiers do not run the same risks as ultrasonic or warm mist humidifiers. 

Evaporative humidifiers like Canopy operate by drawing in air from the room, pushing it through a moistened filter and releasing newly hydrated air back into the room. The filter componentry in evaporative humidifiers prevents any unwanted contamination from being released into the room. 

Canopy’s evaporative no-mist technology produces invisible clean moisture. Forget the weekly trip to the store and added expense of distilled water, Canopy’s anti-microbial filter catches bacteria and metals in the water while it’s SPA (Smart Persistent Airflow) technology stops mold from growing. Canopy is safe for children’s bedrooms and nurseries. 

Tips to Properly Use a Humidifier

Humidifiers are perfectly safe home appliances. In fact, a humidifier can augment your overall health and wellness if used properly! 

Below are a few helpful tips for proper humidifier use: 

1. Regularly monitor home humidity levels
2. Clean your humidifier regularly
3. Use distilled water (if required)
4. Avoid sitting water

Tip #1: Regularly Monitor Home Humidity Levels

Do you know the relative humidity (RH) level in your home right now? You can check your smart thermostat or grab an inexpensive hygrometer from Amazon to assess the humidity levels in your home. 

Lower temperatures, persistent wind, and regular use of the furnace are common causes of dry, indoor air. Chances are, the RH in your home is lower than the optimal range, which can lead to a slew of health conditions and uncomfortability. The recommended range of RH in your home is between 40% and 60%; the higher the RH in your home, the more moisture content in the air and vice versa. 

While dry, indoor air can wreak havoc on your sinuses, skin, hair, throat, and increase your chances of illness, home humidity levels that are too high can create a harmful living environment. High humidity levels can lead to the development of mold and bacteria and make your home space unbearable. 

Tip #2: Clean your Humidifier Regularly

In order to ensure safe use of your home humidifier, regular cleaning and maintenance is an imperative step. 

You should always check your device manual for maintenance schedules and recommendations before cleaning your device. It is generally recommended to clean your humidifier once per week with a white vinegar solution and wipe down your device daily after use. 

For most humidifiers, this can be a very tedious process. If you’re a regular humidifier, you’re probably familiar with this. Well, we’re here to change that. Drum roll please...Canopy is dishwasher safe! Just toss your Canopy in the dishwasher, and you’re good to go! (We really mean it when we say hassle-free hydration).   

Regularly cleaning your humidifier device after use prevents the build-up of mold, bacteria, grime, and other potentially dangerous residents of your water tank. 

Tip #3: Avoid Sitting Water

Sitting water is a breeding ground for bacteria, microorganisms, and more. Never use your humidifier if the water has been sitting in the tank for longer than 24 hours. 

Rinse out your humidifier water tank and wipe down with a clean cloth after each use. Replace the water tank daily with fresh water (distilled or tap based on your humidifier’s requirements). 

With Canopy, you’ll never need to worry about water sitting in the basin. Canopy runs until the filter is completely dry to avoid sitting water, build-up, and potential mold growth.

What is the Safest Humidifier for a Baby?

You would do anything for your little one to keep them safe and free from harm. Anything. Choosing a safe and high quality humidifier is no exception!

When choosing the safest humidifier for a baby, you should look for a cool mist humidifier that is easy to clean with a disposable filter. 

Cool Mist

Cool mist humidifiers are recommended for babies and young children as opposed to vaporizers or warm-mist humidifiers. Vaporizers create warm mist by boiling water in the device’s water tank. As mentioned above, vaporizers can get hot… Hot enough to burn! You know who just loves to touch everything? Babies and young children. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends using cool mist humidifiers in your child’s nursery to avoid burns. If you have a secure ledge or shelf that is out of reach from your child and you can effectively hide any device cords, a warm-mist humidifier may be an option. 

Easy to Clean

Let’s be honest: children are a lot of work. While you surge with pride at each new milestone, you also learn that milestones tend to bring new responsibilities and stressors. You have enough to do, there is no need to add yet another responsibility of cleaning a complicated humidifier device. 

In order to safely use a humidifier, you need to follow a regular maintenance schedule: daily wipe downs and weekly deep cleans. This can be a very laborious task if your humidifier has complicated componentry or hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. 

Choosing a humidifier that is easy to clean is crucial to keeping your device in tip-top shape and creating a healthy environment for your smalls. Canopy humidifiers have completely dishwasher safe componentry, which means that your weekly deep clean just got incredibly easy. Load up your dishwasher, press start, and scratch humidifier cleaning off your to do-list. 

Disposable Filter

In the same vein as the maintenance feature discussed in the previous section, choosing a humidifier with a disposable filter makes your device that much safer. 

A filter will trap any dirt, debris, or bacteria that forms in your humidifier water tank. Canopy’s antimicrobial disposable filter is incredibly easy to maintain; just toss your old filter every 45 days and replace with a new filter. Easy, peasy. 

Canopy offers a filter subscription service that automatically sends you a brand new paper filter every 45 days. No thinking necessary! 

Now, we all know that using a humidifier during the winter months is a  necessity.

Of course you need a humidifier in the winter months  when the heat is blasting and the frigid outdoor air dries your skin to the bone. 

But do you really need a humidifier in the warmer months? Before you pack up your humidifier for the season, you’re going to want to read this.

Do you need a humidifier in the summer?

Yes! You can greatly benefit from using a humidifier during the summer months. 

Depending on where you live, as the seasons change you may experience varying levels of heat and humidity.  Although temperature and humidity level outdoors are out of our control, one thing we do have control over is our indoor air quality. The average human spends 93% of their time indoors, so yes, although the temperatures are changing outside, indoor air quality should be a priority. 

So, why would you need a humidifier during the summer months when humidity is high? 

Air conditioning. 

Air conditioning is a beloved weapon against the summer heat. There is nothing quite like returning to a comfortable, air conditioned home after an outdoor excursion in the heat of the summer. While air conditioning makes summer bearable, it also sucks moisture from your home and recycles dry air over and over again, extracting moisture every time the air cycles through your HVAC system. 

If your AC is running, your humidifier should be too.

Chlorine. 

Although extremely refreshing, chlorinated pools can take a serious toll on your skin. Dermatologist Lauren Ploch says chlorine strips your hair and skin of the natural oils in charge of keeping moisture in, leaving your skin dry, itchy, flaky, sensitive, and your hair and nails dry and brittle. Optimizing your indoor humidity with a humidifier can combat dryness and irritation. 

Sun

Summer can be one of the most dehydrating seasons for your skin based on high outdoor temperatures and low indoor temperatures. Even with ample SPF, sun exposure naturally dries out your skin. According to Harvard Health, the sun's heat dries out skin and depletes the skin's supply of natural lubricating oils. Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation can cause burning and long-term changes in the skin's structure. Sunburns can result in peeling, cracking, and extreme discomfort. Having your humidifier on your bedside table will hydrate your damaged skin and work to repair hydrated skin overnight. 

The constant transition from outdoor heat, chlorine, and sun exposure to dehydrated indoor air can wreak havoc on your skin, airways, scalp, and joints. You can also experience what is known as “sick building syndrome,” which is a phenomenon where you feel symptoms of illness in a particular indoor location due to a number of factors including dehydrated air, inadequate ventilation, or volatile temperatures. 

Running your humidifier in the Summer = necessary.

Optimizing your Indoor Humidity

Optimal humidity levels for your home range from 40% to 60% year around. 

The moisture levels in the home tend to be quite volatile compared to humidity levels in the environment. A hygrometer is a useful tool to measure the humidity levels of your home air; these devices measure the moisture content of the air and present the humidity level in the form of a percentage. 

Although optimal humidity levels indoor should remain consistent regardless of reason, you may prefer to adjust your humidifier depending on the temperature. In the winter months, you may keep your humidifier on the highest setting. In the summer, you may choose to keep it on a lower setting if it is cool outside or the windows are open. Something to remember: if your AC is on, your humidifier should be too. 

Benefits of a humidifier in the summer

We have established that using a humidifier during the summer months is a great way to combat rising temperatures and dry, air conditioned home air. The benefits of using a humidifier in the summer months are vast, but the most prominent benefits are: reduced allergy symptoms, healthy hydrated skin, and cooler home conditions. 

It can… Calm allergies. 

While the heat of summer is a nice break from the dark, cold winter weather, it also brings with it an increase in pollen and mold, which can trigger allergy flare ups. 

Humidifiers are a helpful tool for allergy sufferers since they can help to relieve congestion, sore throat, watery eyes, sinus pain, and inflammation. Turning on your humidifier during the summer months can prevent you from experiencing common allergy symptoms despite the high pollen and mold count.  

It can… Keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

Dry air can make your skin dry, itchy and uncomfortable. In severe cases, you may experience cracks or bleeding. No, thank you!

Aside from outdoor factors, running your AC all night depletes indoor air quality resulting in sub-optimal humidity levels, which can cause your skin to lose moisture overnight.

Humidifiers increase the moisture levels in your home air, which helps to rehydrate the skin by improving the skin’s moisture barrier. The more hydrated your skin, the better you will feel. 

If you are prone to dry, flaky scalp, a humidifier can help! The added moisture in the air from your humidifier will rehydrate your dry, itchy scalp reducing flakiness and irritation over time. 

It can… Keep your home cooler with less energy.

Humidity helps make the heat more bearable. Think about how delicious it feels to stand under a mister on a scaldingly hot day… 

Increasing the humidity levels in your home may not make your home temperature colder, per say, but it will make it feel colder. While your thermostat reads 73 degrees, it may actually feel like 71 degrees with the added moisture. A one time humidifier purchase such as Canopy will pay for itself over time since you can set your air conditioner at a higher temperature while maintaining optimal indoor humidity, and reducing your electricity bill.

So, the conclusion? Yes, you should think twice about storing your humidifier away for the season. 

Hello summer, hello humidifier.