Living in NYC is a love-hate rollercoaster ride that many of us long-term New Yorkers have somehow learned to accept.
One big negative that many don’t talk about is the battle of fresh air, heat, and the question of opening or closing windows.
Seriously it’s an underground war over here – to open or not to open? To freshen or not to freshen? What’s better? Fresh air? Closed air? Dirty air?? Cold air? Will you be ROBBED? Can someone scale a building 12 floors up?
It can be exhausting. Over the summer we had the plague of Canadian wildfires on top of everything that caused us all to bottle up and try to keep air OUT. But I grew up on a farm, in the country, where open windows were a way of LIFE.
It kills me inside once winter rolls in and we have to close up shop for a few months.
It also kills because NYC air is the DRYEST air you’ll ever encounter. Winter not only brings on blistering wind tunnels and darkness at 4pm, but it comes with silent demons that cause unexpected dehydration headaches, random nosebleeds, and more.
As if our Con Ed bills weren’t killing us enough.
So this year I took it upon myself to tackle air in my apartment. I first invested in an Air Doctor to help impurities floating around from wildfires, a mold issue (old rotting building pipes are fun!) and whatever pigeon feces particles love to drift into our open-air windows.
Winter was part two – which included a humidifier to help keep the air humidity at a constant percentage and I’m excited to say that Venta has delivered.
3 Reasons Why You Really Need a Venta Humidifier this Winter
1. Better indoor air quality.
In NYC, you always have to look up and around and wonder what might get you OUTSIDE, but you don’t think about what’s lurking INSIDE. This is NYC – you’d be dense to think that mold, asbestos, and other contaminants aren’t lurking in your building. Especially older buildings. And on top of all that – DRY air.
Those of us paying for our own electric heat (not steam heat) – our heating systems add to the problem, not to mention that cold winter air holds less moisture than warm air.
An optimal humidity range of 40-60% can be difficult to maintain.
Luckily, Venta Humidifiers are here to help! Their filter-free evaporative humidification is not only the most hygienic but is also the most natural way to humidify indoors. Plus it’s super easy to clean and take a part so the new mold in your humidifier doesn’t actually ADD to the problem.
2. Your Con Ed bill (I mean your wallet) will thank you.
Here in NYC, energy costs are also as high as rent, sometimes higher (yes, just another fun fact they don’t disclose when moving to the Big Apple), so energy-efficient electronics are a MUST. I don’t buy anything without checking its wattage anymore.
Luckily, Venta Humidifiers are incredibly energy efficient (especially since they run 24/7). As they quote on their blog: “even the largest unit, the Venta LW45 Original Humidifier, on its highest setting, uses only 8 watts of energy. That’s less than a standard light bulb! For reference, running the LW45 for 24 hours would be less in terms of energy use than if you were to leave your closet light on overnight for 10 hours.”
This is enough to make a New York evil grin with the excitement of a win against Con Ed.
Additionally, the Venta Humidifier has an automatic shut-off function, so when the unit is out of the water, it automatically shuts off the motor and electrical components. With this feature, you can feel good about leaving your humidifier to run 24/7.
3. Some humidifiers can make you sick – so do your research.
Many generic humidifiers are hard to clean, and since they can all collect mold easily without consistent cleaning, it’s worth investing in a Venta Humidifier. Ventas use unique technology rather than a filter or a wick, called cold evaporation, which allows it to add humidity to your indoor air without the use of traditional filter methods.
In simple terms – they naturally reduce indoor air pollutants, making them extremely hygienic, cost-effective, and simple to use.
Especially if you have kids in the home, this gives peace of mind knowing you are only breathing perfectly humidified and purified indoor air. No white dust, no bacteria or pollutants, and no fuss with messy filters to replace.
So yes, paying for Air is now a thing and something worth investing in
Even if you live out in the middle of woods surrounded by fresh air, it doesn’t mean the air in your house is.
Since our bodies are made up of 60 to 80 percent water, we can have very adverse bodily reactions to extremely dry air. To function properly (think sleep!), you need to be in an environment with ample levels of moisture in the air. When this does not happen, discomfort sets in, and you become more susceptible to sickness. Respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and nosebleeds are common forms of negative health effects of severely dry air.
As Venta reserach team points out….
“When air is exceptionally dry, you may notice it first in your nasal passages. Inside the nose are tiny mucous membranes that need moisture to function properly. These act as a protective filtration system for your respiratory system, preventing potential harmful irritants from entering the body. When these membranes get dried out, they stop functioning properly, unable to filter out bacteria or viruses.
This is why your risk of colds, the flu, and other respiratory illnesses are higher during periods of very low humidity. One study even found that viruses survive longer and spread more easily when humidity levels are low. Nosebleeds are also more common when exposed to extremely dry air.”
I have personally used humidifiers for years but get very discouraged about the inability to clean them, and was happily won over with our new Venta. If you’re looking to start investing in your health at home, these humidifiers are worth budgeting into your life (and tiny space) for 2024.
This article was written thanks to a paid partnership with Venta. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting missstephanieb.nyc.
