It is a trick that has been passed down for generations: place a bowl of water on the radiator and the air becomes less dry. It sounds logical, but how much difference does it really make in practice?
How does the principle work?
Water that is heated evaporates faster. By placing a bowl of water on or next to a hot radiator, the water heats up and evaporates slightly faster than at room temperature. That water vapor enters the air and theoretically increases the humidity.
What does practice say?
The problem lies in the quantities. An average bowl or dish has a limited water surface area, and the amount of moisture that actually evaporates in a day is small compared to the air volume of an average room. In a small, well-sealed room you may notice a slight difference, but in a living room of 30 square meters the effect is often barely measurable.
How do you make it more effective?
If you still want to use the trick, it helps to make a few adjustments:
- Use a shallow, wide dish instead of a small bowl, so that the water surface area is larger
- Place several dishes around the house instead of one
- Hang a wet towel over the radiator: the moist surface area is larger than that of a bowl of water
- Combine it with other measures, such as additional houseplants or heating the house less intensely
Keep in mind, however, that water that sits for a long time can grow bacteria or develop an unpleasant smell. So replace the water regularly.
When is a bowl of water not enough?
For a little extra relief in slightly dry air, this trick can provide that final boost, especially in combination with other measures. But if the humidity is structurally below 30 to 35 percent, or if complaints such as dry skin, an itchy throat, or creaking woodwork persist, then a bowl of water is simply not powerful enough.
Dynter does not sell air humidifiers, so for that specific problem we cannot help you with our own device. If you are instead suffering from overly damp air, condensation, or mold, then the story is different: our AirPure DH251 dehumidifier will remove that excess moisture from the air structurally. View the full range at dynter.eu.