Throughout the winter months, JP
and I run three warm-steam humidifiers non-stop in our home. By doing this, we
have found a much lower occurrence of illnesses, headaches, bloody noses, and
sore throats. We have also found that
it saves us money on the heating of our home.
Humidifiers replace the moisture
in the air that is taken out during the heating process of your home. Air that
is heated by a woodstove or furnace is dry. Any moisture that was once in the
air is wisked away. This also holds true for our bodies.
Moisture is quickly wisked away
from our bodies as we breathe in the dry air. This dries out the mucus
membranes in our noses and nasal cavities. Once dry, our mucus membranes have a
very difficult time catching the germs and foreign objects that are in the air
that we breathe.
The drier the air, the drier the
membranes. The drier the membranes, the greater chance we have at catching the
latest virus running amuck in our little corner of the world. Dry membranes
also lead to sore throats and headaches. By returning moisture to the air, many
sore throats, headaches, and illnesses can be averted.
Not only is this a wonderful
thing for your health, it is also a wonderful thing for your pocket book.
Doctor visits, medications, and days off of school or work add up to major
money spent, or lost, to illness each year.
Humidifiers also help save money
on heating costs. Moist air seems warmer to our skin. Therefore, you are able
to turn down the thermostat a few degrees more than normal, and still be
comfortable. Running a humidifier in much cheaper than running the furnace.
By making the initial investment
of a humidifier, you can possibly save yourself several times the starting
costs within one year. That money can be used to pay down the principle of your
debt. This will take you one step closer to getting out of your debt pit.
If you simply cannot afford the
initial investment of a humidifier, there are other options available to
you. If you have a woodstove, set a pot of water on top of it. Make sure to
fill it everyday. You will be amazed at how quickly the water will be gone.
When you take a shower or bath,
do not turn on the fan. Open the bathroom door and let the moisture stay
in the house.
If you have a dishwasher (I do
not, by choice,) do not run the dry cycle. Open the door and let the
steam escape into the house, while the dishes air dry. Not only will you put
moisture into the house, you will also save money by not drying the dishes in
the dishwasher.
While these are not the optimum
ways to get moisture back into your home, they are better than doing nothing.
JP and I started out with just
one humidifier, but over the years we have added two more to our 800 square
foot home. We use one in each bedroom and one in the living room. We prefer the
warm-steam type, but cool-mist humidifiers work just as well.
Humidifiers can be found at
garage sales, resale shops, or in someone’s basement, usually for just a few
dollars. I have also found them on sale quite often in stores. Many stores will
sell you the display model at the end of season for a fraction of the original
price. All you have to do is ask.
While it may seem odd that a post
on humidifiers is part of the debt series, stay with me. We are trying to get
you out of the debt pit. When you are driven enough, you will find all sorts of
creative ways to save money that are not part of the mainstream financial
wisdom.
I leave you with this, “Don't
waste your life in doubts and fears: spend yourself on the work before you,
well assured that the right performance of this hour's duties will be the best
preparation for the hours or ages that follow it.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Keep going. You can do it. I
know you can.
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Just bought one at Goodwill for $3.00. Nothing a little bleach and a new filter can't fix.
ReplyDeleteThat is great, Crystal!
Delete~Annie
Ya know, that was something I noticed when I came to visit recently. I have been thinking about getting a humidifier because the air is always so dry up in my room. I didn't know it had the different positive benefits you mentioned, though. I was honestly just hoping to reduce the typical dry-as-a-bone air situation that I find at my home. Is there a particular reason for your preference of warm mist over the ultrasonic or cool mist? I saw you mentioned it the article, but I wasn't sure if there might be more in depth reasoning.
ReplyDeleteRobb,
DeleteIt is just my personal preference. All of them are great, but I enjoy the gentle puffs of steam rising from mine.
~Annie