Climate

The air you breathe at home

Climate appliances solve three different problems: a cold room, polluted air and the wrong humidity. Work out which one you actually have before buying.

• Heaters — fast warmth for a bathroom, summer house, garage or workshop. A thermostat model holds the temperature by itself.
• Air purifiers — HEPA and carbon filters against dust, pollen, pet hair and odours.
• Humidifiers and dehumidifiers — a humidifier for the heating season, a dehumidifier against basement damp and indoor laundry drying.

Comfortable humidity is 40–60%

Below 30% the air turns dry: airways dry out, static builds up and wooden furniture cracks. Above 65% mould becomes a risk. A cheap hygrometer costs a couple of euros and tells you immediately which appliance you need.

How powerful a heater

The rule of thumb is about 100 W per square metre: a 15 m² room needs roughly 1500 W. Add 30% for poorly insulated spaces such as a garage or summer house. With small children at home, tip-over and overheat protection are essential.

FAQ

Does an air purifier humidify? No. Some combined models do both, but a plain purifier adds no moisture.

How much power does a heater use? 1500–2000 W at full output. A thermostat switches it off once the target temperature is reached, so real consumption is much lower.