What people should be aware of when using a humidifier
Humidifiers are designed to help you breathe better, but depending on the type you have and the water you use, it might also be affecting your air quality at home.
"It's not that I am saying humidifiers (are) completely bad for people. It's just we should be aware that the water quality we put into the humidifier is directly reflecting the quality of the indoor air you're breathing," said Ran Zhao, an assistant professor of Environment Chemistry at University of Alberta.
Zhao studies indoor air quality and he has published research showing using tap water in a cool-mist or ultrasonic humidifier can send high concentrations of particulate matter into the air.
"Those little particles can go all the way into the deeper sites of your lungs and with (that) they can carry whatever chemical they're associated with."
He has found levels in a home consistently using a humidifier are comparable to a polluted city.
"From the mass point of view, it's equivalent to a polluted city. But from the chemical composition point of view, we're not talking about emissions coming from industry, cars and other human sources of air pollution."
According to Health Canada, "the number of particles released into the air is generally much lower when using distilled water. However, tap water is fine in most cases, as long as you change the water and clean your humidifier on a regular basis."
Zhao's advice is to do your best to find the cleanest water you can afford or find a humidifier that uses evaporation to generate the mist.
He notes more research is needed to look into the potential health hazards, “to prove that it is indeed harmless or, alternatively, maybe there is some potential health hazard or health concern if we continue inhaling such a high concentration of particulate matter, even though the chemical itself is not harmful.”
Health Canada also said cool-mist humidifiers don't boil the water and that a health risk can develop if the water is left sitting, as bacteria can collect and multiply.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.