The optimum room humidity should be in the region of 40-60%. These standards are relevant for residential private buildings and public places. The microclimate of modern buildings suffers from excessive dry air. Energy-saving technologies applied thoughtlessly is one of the reasons for this state of affairs. The humidifier on the battery effectively copes with the solution of this problem. This simple functional device is also a decorative element of the interior.
What is a battery humidifier for?
The moisture indicator affects so many processes in life. You can list some of them:
- Human health. With increasing air dryness, the mucous membrane first suffers. This leads to a general weakening of the immune system and a greater risk of contracting viral diseases. In a hot room, breathing heavily.
- Home plants. With a decrease in humidity, green leaves dry out intensively, draw moisture from the soil for evaporation, which leads to rapid dehydration of the root system.
- Furniture and interior elements. Exceeding the dryness standards reduces the internal moisture of the wood to critical levels, it begins to crack and crack.
The cause of dryness is primarily modern heating systems, which, as a rule, are not thoroughly calculated. As a result, the room overheats and dries. In a sense, ventilation or a ventilation system can help, but it is better to equip each room with a simple mechanism that will generate liquid evaporation, thereby increasing the level of humidity.
Particular attention should be paid to the quality of water in plants in terms of bactericidal purity, otherwise you can not improve the microclimate, but rather nourish it with harmful microbes.
How does the device work?
When heated to a certain temperature, the liquid boils and turns into steam. But even before reaching the boiling point, water molecules acquire a gaseous form and evaporate - this is the process of evaporation. On this principle, the capacity of the battery for humidification of the air, which works in conjunction with a heating device, works.
The standard device for raising the humidity level of an apartment consists of the following basic elements:
- Body. It is a tank of a certain shape with a flat zone of contact with the heater. The thin wall of this zone allows you to effectively conduct heat from the metal of the radiator and heat the liquid.
- Internal compartments. They are usually made to divide the total volume of water into several small parts in order to more intensively heat each cell with water, which accelerates evaporation.
- Fastener This can be a twine or a metal hook, with which the product is suspended from the outside of the heating element.
Since humidifiers are always in sight, manufacturers take care of their decorative side. They can be made in some bizarre form and painted accordingly.
After filling the compartments with water, the air humidifier is suspended vertically on the battery. Next, it comes to heating the structure. The higher the temperature of the radiator, the faster the liquid warms up and evaporation begins.
Varieties of humidifiers on the battery
Devices for increasing humidity in the room, which work together with radiators, can be divided into several categories:
- According to the design of the tank, there can be humidifiers with a single compartment for water or devices whose internal working space is divided into several parts by partitions.
- By the method of installation on a radiator there are steam generators of an outboard construction. They are hung directly from the front of the heater. There are also horizontal air humidifiers that are placed on the upper grill.
- By the type of material there are devices made of polymers, ceramic products or devices made of stainless steel.
Each type of humidifier has its advantages and disadvantages.
If the surface of the heating device in a working condition heats up above 80 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to look at the instruction manual for the possibility of installing an air humidifier on such equipment.
Plastic products
There are horizontal and vertical installation. This is a relatively inexpensive product with a capacity of several compartments. The material is plastic of thermostable grades, for example, fluoroplastic. Steam generators can be mounted on the radiator using metal or plastic hooks. A distinctive feature of plastic models is the presence on top of the capacity of the trellised lid, which partially protects the flask from coarse debris.
When buying appliances made of plastic, you should check the certificate of product quality. If the material is not heat-resistant, it is quite possible to release toxic substances when such products are heated above 90 degrees Celsius.
Ceramic Humidifiers
Environmentally friendly devices. The internal volume in them, as a rule, is not divided by sections, therefore, to increase the evaporation rate, it is recommended to purchase several steam generators of this type.
In terms of decorative attractiveness, there are a large number of options for the execution of such devices.
Fastening to the heater is carried out using steel hooks. Ceramic air humidifiers have lower thermal conductivity.
Steel Devices
These are the most expensive devices and not the most attractive in appearance. Among the main advantages, we can distinguish their durability, housing strength and high thermal conductivity. Thanks to the last parameter, water quickly warms up in such flasks, the humidification process is more intensive.
All of these devices are passive devices. Inside such a steam generator there is no own heater that would work on electricity. The energy for heating is transferred to the air humidifier through the battery housing.
Positive and negative properties of products
Advantages of humidifiers on the battery:
- The device can be mounted on any type of radiator, except for convectors with open heating spirals.
- The operation is independent of electrical energy, which makes the device economically viable.
- The working device does not emit any extraneous sounds; it is simple and convenient to maintain.
- The temperature of the water vapor is not high enough to harm plants and interior items.
- Steam generators are compact and durable, have an attractive appearance.
- The normal functioning is not affected by the mechanical composition of the water.
In addition to these positive aspects, there are negative properties of such moisturizers. First of all, this is the performance of the unit. To reduce dryness in a sufficiently spacious room, a large number of such devices are needed.
The homeowner can hardly affect the evaporation rate, since it directly depends on the temperature of the heater. Passive air humidifiers can work exclusively during the heating season, at other times they require storage space or are forced to be in their places, making cleaning more difficult.
How to make a fixture with your own hands
To make a passive-action humidifier at home is very simple, because it is based on an ordinary capacity, which somehow needs to be fixed on the heating device. It is undesirable to use plastic for this project, because it is not known how a particular material will behave under the influence of heating.
You can take any glass container for a volume of water up to 500 ml. It could be a coffee can, for example. For work you will need:
- glass containers, preferably elongated in the vertical direction;
- electric drill with speed control;
- drill for making holes in ceramic tiles with a diameter of 5-6 mm;
- copper wire 300 mm long and 4-5 mm in diameter;
- enamel for glass of any color;
- hemp twine 600 mm long.
The label and plastic cover are removed from the container, the inside is thoroughly washed from contaminants. In the upper part under the thread on a flat area, a hole is carefully drilled with a drill. Shards and debris are removed. Further, the entire external surface is covered with enamel in several layers and allowed to dry. The threaded area is wrapped with hemp rope, making a decorative bow on the front side. The edges of the copper wire are bent so that it resembles the Latin letter "S" in shape. One hook is inserted into the drilled hole, the other is hooked onto the radiator grill. It remains to fill with water and wait for heating.
