Editing Humidifier (section)

== Problems ==
The [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. EPA]] provides detailed information about health risks as well as recommended maintenance procedures.<ref name="epa" />  If the tap water contains a lot of minerals (also known as "hard water") then the ultrasonic or impeller humidifiers will produce a "white dust" (calcium is the most common mineral in tap water),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Can You Use Tap Water in a Humidifier?|date=18 April 2022|url=https://airsmartly.com/can-you-use-tap-water-in-a-humidifier/|access-date=2023-04-13|language=en-US}}</ref> which usually settles onto furniture, and is attracted to [[static electricity]] generating devices such as [[CRT monitor]]s. The white dust can be prevented by using distilled water,<ref>{{Cite web|title=What Is The Best Water To Use In Humidifier?|date=10 December 2021|url=https://besthvacguys.com/what-is-the-best-water-to-use-in-humidifier/|access-date=2021-12-21|language=en-US}}</ref> or a demineralization cartridge in ultrasonic humidifiers. Bottled waters labeled "natural", "artesian", or "spring" may still have their original mineral content. The EPA reports that ultrasonic and impeller humidifiers spread the most mineral deposits and microorganisms, while evaporative and steam humidifers can allow the growth of microorganisms but generally disperse less of them into the air.<ref name="epa" />

In addition, a stuck or malfunctioning water supply valve can deliver large amounts of water, causing extensive water damage if undetected for any period of time.  A [[water alarm]], possibly with an automatic water shutoff, can help prevent this malfunction from causing major problems.

From 2006 to 2011, the disinfectant [[polyhexamethylene guanidine]] and other toxic materials were used as a cleaning agent for humidifier water tanks in Korea, [[The humidifier disinfectant case|leading to severe lung disease]]. Eighty children died of the disorder and nine adults either died or needed lung transplants. In the two years following the banning of cleaning chemicals for humidifier tanks, there were no new cases.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Kristin J. Cummings, MD, MPH |author2=Kathleen Kreiss, MD |date=2015-05-29 |title=Occupational and Environmental Bronchiolar Disorders |work=[[National Institutes of Health]] |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=366–378 |location= |doi=10.1055/s-0035-1549452|pmid=26024345 |pmc=4610354 }}</ref>