Vicks V5100N 1.7 Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier

Vicks V5100N 1.7 Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier
by KAZ INCORPORATED

Vicks V5100N 1.7 Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier
List Price: $69.99
Category: CE
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Digital product summary information

Manufacturer: KAZ INCORPORATED
Model: V5100N
Product features:
  • Honeywell #V5100N Ultrasonic Humidifier
  • HONEYWELL/KAZ HOME ENVIRONME

Digital camera reviews of Vicks V5100N 1.7 Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier

Digital camera Review: Chemical Pneumonia
Summary: 1 Stars

I also posted this review on the product page for this humidifier direct from Amazon.com.

My wife and I bought this humidifier when she was about 8 months pregnant. She badly needed humid air to breath at night, but she couldn't abide too much noise. We tried three or four humidifiers before we landed on the Vicks Ultrasonic. After following the setup instructions, soaking the filter, and filling the unit with filtered (but not distilled) water, I turned it on about an hour before bedtime. We were pleased with the low-level, broadband hum the unit made and were initially quite pleased. Off we went to sleep.

We awoke about 4 hours later in a room that looked like it was full of smoke. We actually thought the apartment was on fire. A quick check of the place, though, revealed that all of the "smoke" was only in our bedroom. My wife's voice was rough and gravelly -- it was like she had something in her throat that she couldn't clear. She also had sharp pains in her lungs when she breathed. I had the same symptoms, but less severe, with a "frog in my throat" and pain in my chest only when I breathed deeply.

I evacuated her to the other bedroom and put a wet towel under the door. The fog had swept out of our bedroom and into the remainder of the apartment as soon as we opened the door. It took an hour to vent the apartment by opening every window and cranking the blower on the heat (it was mid-February).

An inspection the next morning quickly revealed that the humidifier was to blame. It and the rest of the room were blanketed in a layer of super-fine "white dust," with the largest build-up on and immediately around the humidifier. It turns out "white dust" is somewhat common with "ultrasonic" or "ultrasonic impeller" humidifiers (google it). Our doctor prescribed "clean air" and albuterol inhalers to treat what our "chemical pneumonia" (aggravation of the lungs by a chemical agent and not a bacterium). It took two weeks for my wife's voice and lungs to return to normal.

Needless to say, we have not used this unit since, nor will we ever experiment with an ultrasonic impeller (tip-off: a humidifier that uses a demineralization filter and not a wicking filter) humidifier again.

Summary of Vicks V5100N 1.7 Gallon Ultrasonic Humidifier

Vicks, Ultrasonic Humidifier, Visible Cool Mist For Relief Of Cold & Flu Symptoms, Superfine Mist Restores Moisture To Dry Indoor Air For Healthful Living, Variable Mist Control Allow You To Regulate The Humidity Level In The Room For Maximized Comfort, Directional Mist Outlet Allows You To Control The Direction Of The Plume, Silent Operation
  • Uses Kaz Demineralization Cartridge #DC-51-6 to Remove Minerals & Other Impurities From Water
    Breathe and sleep easy with this super-quiet humidifier. This model purifies water and converts it into a soothing plume of vapor. The unit is shaped like a coffee maker, has a 10-by-6-inch footprint, and stands 1 foot tall. Clear blue plastic allows you to see how much water remains in the 1.5-gallon, 20-hour tank. A variable control provides fine-tuning of mist output, and the dial on the lid allows you to direct the mist (away from curtains or bedding, for example). Even at a blast the sound is still barely audible. This tank lies flat for easy filling, but might be a bit hard to reach into for cleaning. Still, the replaceable filter strains impurities out of the water, leaving the air clean. Pop open the lid--on this cartridge you'll find a phone number for ordering replacements. --Trilby Cohen

    Allergy, Sinus & Asthma

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