HELP!!!!

[skypilot]

Winter is coming and I have a big problem. The air in my apartment gets VERY dry. I can't stand another winter of dry skin, brittle hair and cracking leather. I obviously have to buy a humidifier. The rooms in my apartment are not very large but the ceilings are high. How much does a good humidifier cost? Also, does anyone know of any methods for putting moisture in the air that does not involve a humidifier?

[CO Liberal]

1. Put a Pot of Water On The Stove

A cheap way to add humidity. If you have radiators, put pots on the radiators.

[ps1074]

13. That's exactly what i do...

... and it works just fine :)

[bloom]

2. If you have heating vents on your floor

you can have pots of water near them - get the evaporation.

[trotsky]

3. If you're apartment's not too big

you could get a vaporizer. But those are really only meant to do a medium-sized room.

There are very cheap humidifiers, which basically consist of a tank, a wick, and a fan. We have one that we use in winter when the kids get a cold. The biggest problem with it is that the wick wears out quickly and must be replaced. Plus you wouldn't want to use one for long anyways, as it will quickly become a breeding ground for germs and mold.

[radwriter0555]

4. Epinions.com is a great source for pricing, reliability and so

on for just about anything, and gadgets like that too.

Also, DRINK TONS OF WATER and take multi-vitamins. Makes a HUGE difference.

[cally]

5. Keep a warm tea pot

on your stove or keep a crockpot filled with warm water all the time. Steamers are very inexpensive (under $10 usually). Be sure to completely clean them once a day. They get mold in them which can cause respiratory infections.

[demnan]

6. I bought one for my apartment last year

I picked it up at Target for about $68 bucks. They have these wicks that you have to change. You can get refills on the internet. It was great, really helped me sleep at night.

I only run mine when it gets cold. In the summer I keep the air from getting too dry by having lots of plants (and watering them, of course). I also have one of those little fountains.

[Lars39]

7. Make sure you get a "cool" humidifier; they are much easier on the skin

and nose than "steam" humidifiers.

[skypilot]

8. This question is to all of you.

Will the high ceilings work against me? Are there humidifiers that can put water WAY up in the air or will I just have to put it in a high spot.
Thanks for all of you input.

[northzax]

9. are you really, really tall?

if not, who cares what the air is like ten feet up? moist air will sink, aren't you more concerned about the air where you are existing, as opposed to the ceiling?

[skypilot]

12. Actually

...the paint on my ceiling is starting to crack and peel so I am a little concerned with how high moisture will reach.

[trotsky]

14. Don't worry - because

your ambient humidity during the summer will generally always be higher than anything you can artificially create during the winter. Might even help slow the peeling, since you won't have as drastic a humidity change between summer & winter.

[trotsky]

10. As long as you have air movement, it won't be a problem.

Thanks to the miracle of diffusion/entropy/whatever you want to call it, the water molecules in the air will work around to the entire apartment. If you can keep the air moving, all the better to assist the mixing.

[FlaGranny]

11. Another method,

if your air handler is in a location where you can do it, is to put a bowl of water where the air return will draw air over it.