Reviews of the Best Whole House Humidifiers of 2024
Dry air in your home can cause all sorts of problems and discomfort. Whether you happen to live in a very dry part of the country or your home is heated by a furnace all winter long, dealing with dry air in your home is a problem that is easily solvable with a whole house humidifier!
We’re here to help you find the best whole house humidifier for your needs! If you’ve been using single room humidifiers in each room in your house, you may have noticed a slight increase in your energy bill. These slight increases can take away comfort from your pockets. But that can never be the case when you install any of the best whole house humidifiers we are reviewing today.
For individuals who love whole house appliances like whole house water filters, this review will surely educate and point you to the right spot as you shop for a new whole house humidifier.
We believe that you’re interested in getting one of these best whole house humidifiers for your home. You’ll get to read our expert reviews but not until you read the following best whole house humidifiers reviews.
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Top 10 Best Whole House Humidifiers Reviews of 2024
The first humidifier to grace the top of our list today is the Aircare EP9800 humidifier. It’s one of the most recommended whole home humidifiers. Arguably, the Aircare EP9800 is the best whole house pedestal style humidifier. It features a three and half gallon tank for storing water. This sizable tank provides the EP9800 with more than enough moisture to take away the dryness from the air in your home. It uses a saturated wick filter instead of the fabric belt found on some other whole house humidifiers.
Design wise, the Aircare EP9800 humidifier comes in a spot-on black finish that makes it fit properly into any background where it’s placed. From any point where it is placed in your home, the Aircare EP9800 keeps the humidity level hovering between 30% and 50% depending on the settings you specified. As with most humidifiers, you’re guaranteed of comfort as well as protection for your priceless wooden objects. The Aircare EP9800 humidifier boasts of the ability to humidify an area of about 2400 sq. ft. This makes it one of the most suitable whole-home humidifiers for large houses.Also worth mentioning is the fact that the EP9800 humidifier boasts of an incredible 60-hour runtime. Seriously, that’s a pretty good deal unlike competition with less than 24 hours runtime.
The Aircare EP9800 comes with an auto shut off feature. Once your EP9800 humidifier reaches your set humidity level, it will automatically shut off. So you can humidify your home while you’re away in the office. Cool, isn’t it? Installation wise, the Aircare EP9800 humidifier is not too difficult to install for someone who’s familiar with the installation of whole house appliances. If, however, you are skeptic about installing it, then you can employ the services of an expert.
Main Features
- 5-gallon tank for water storage
- Auto shut off feature
- Incredibly appealing aesthetic design
- Large area coverage of up to 2400 sq. ft.
- Massive 60 hours runtime
- Easy to use and install
- Multiple fan speeds – up to 9
Pros
- Digital display screen showing operation status
- Variable fan speeds
- Large water tank ensures you need not refill the water frequently
- Auto shut off feature saves you the stress of having to check your humidity level frequently.
Cons
- The average coverage area is just 2400 sq. ft.
Housed in an all-white resplendent casing, the Aircare MA1201 deserves to be on our review list. This whole house humidifier is effective in keeping the humidity of an area of 3600 sq. ft. at the normal level. Oh yes, it covers more area than the Aircare EP9800 humidifier.
Unlike the EP9800 and some other models that cannot be moved by one person, the Aircare MA1201 humidifier is simple to move, thanks to the wheels on its base. The MA1201 humidifier sports a digital humidistat which can be set to automatically carry out a variety of functions. This also helps you to set your desired humidity. The auto shut off feature which is now a standard for many products takes care of the rest when the set humidity level is reached.
The Aircare MA1201 humidifier is easy to clean and install. It comes with an inbuilt evaporative wick that traps mineral deposits in the water. This ensures your air is not contaminated. For cleaner water, the water should be distilled using the appropriate water distiller.
Under the hood, the Aircare MA1201 humidifier boasts of up to 36 hours runtime and a 3.6-gallon tank. Both features allow the device humidify your house on autopilot. Refilling the water is as easy as ABC as the humidifier uses dual easy fill water bottles that come with refill hoses.
Main Features
- 36 hours runtime
- 6-gallon water tank lasts long
- Evaporative wick which traps mineral deposits in water
- Digital humidistat
- 3600 sq. ft. coverage for the entire house.
Pros
- Unrivaled humidifying for up to 36 hours thus keeping dryness away from your home.
- The coverage area is up to 3600 sq. ft.
- Auto shut off and on feature
- Wheels for easy movement
- Replaceable evaporative wick
Cons
- The wick needs to be constantly replaced periodically.
- It’s not as quiet as you’d expect.
Sitting princely on the third position on our review of the best whole house humidifiers is the Aprilaire 500 Whole House Humidifier. It’s the first Aprilaire product we are reviewing, so let’s see if it stacks up to the standards of the Aircare humidifiers.
The Aprilaire 500 humidifier is a bypass humidifier and is touted to be the best in its class. It is designed to keep the air in an area of 3000 sq. ft. constantly humid for several hours at a stretch. Aprilaire didn’t provide us with the maximum runtime for the product nor did they provide the tank capacity. On the other hand, the Aprilaire 500 is designed to provide up to 0.50 gallons of humidity every hour.
It comes with automatic controls that make use very easy. Additionally, it features a drain hose which is used to flush the unwanted water particles away from the humidifier since it’s a bypass model. This ensures that the water that is being used to humidify your home is at least clean enough for your health. The unit can be installed directly with the central heating and cooling system in your home.
Did we mention that the Aprilaire 500 comes in two variants; 500 and 500M? The 500 is the digital model while the 500M is the manually controlled model. Each of these models comes with a water panel change indicator. The change indicator notifies you of when it’s time to change your humidifier’s water panel. Arguably, this will ensure you keep getting clean air all year round.
Main Features
- Humidifies an area of about 3000 sq. ft.
- Two models to choose from based on personal preference.
- Provides up to 0.5 gallons of humidity every hour
- The drain hose is present to keep the minerals in the water out of your air.
- Water panel change indicator
Pros
- Provides humidity for a large area
- Drains out unwanted minerals from water via the drain hose.
- Digital set and forget feature.
- Unparalleled protection for your home, your health and that of your pets.
Cons
- The water panel needs to be changed twice yearly. Apparently, this can increase ownership cost slightly as time goes on.
- Must be installed by a professional. Sorry, DIY enthusiasts, you can’t install this humidifier if you’re not a professional.
The Honeywell HCM 6009 Cool Moisture humidifier is one of the few whole house humidifiers on our list that blows cool mist. This humidifier is a member of the Quietcare series from Honeywell. It’s a console style humidifier with a coverage range of about 2300 sq. ft. With the Honeywell 6009 humidifier, the discomfort that comes with dry air is driven far away from your home.
Honeywell equipped this humidifier with a 3-gallon water tank. Surprisingly, this provides up to 24 hours of uninterrupted humidity in your small and medium-sized homes. One of the most amazing features of this humidifier is the auto on and off feature. It is pertinent to note that some of the models we saw and tested during the course of our review had only the auto shut off feature.
Just like the Aprilaire 500 humidifier, the Honeywell HCM 6009 humidifier comes with a wicking filter. The wicking filter helps to remove minerals from the water you put in the humidifier. Aside from that, the humidifier has 3 different speed settings which can be adjusted to suit your taste. Did we mention that the tanks on this model are out of this world? Yes, first, they are easy to fill and carry and secondly, they are easy to clean.
Main Features
- Easy to clean and refill 3- gallon tank
- An average coverage area of about 2300 sq. ft.
- Soothing cool mist for your body and your home.
- Adjustable speed settings.
Pros
- Refilling and cleaning the tank on this humidifier is a breeze.
- Moderate coverage area for a couple of rooms in the house.
- Speed is adjustable
- Automatic on and shut off feature triggered by the level of humidity in your home’s atmosphere.
Cons
- Often listed as a 9-gallon humidifier instead of a 3-gallon model. The 9-gallon refers to the amount of water it uses to humidify a place non-stop for 24 hours.
We’re almost halfway down our review of the best whole house humidifiers. Now, we’re taking a look at the Aprilaire 600 humidifier auto, a close cousin of the Aprilaire Model 500 humidifier. They share quite a handful of similarities but there are quite some distinguishing features. Let’s find out.
The Aprilaire 600 humidifier was designed to be flawlessly easy to operate and install. One cool feature on it is the permanent memory feature. In the case of a power outage, your humidifier remembers all the instructions you gave to it. Talk about being a good boy! Additionally, the humidifier features a 7-day programming copy function.
This copy function allows you to program different humidity settings for each day of the week. It’s quite handy especially if you experience varying humidity levels in your home on different days. Did we also mention that the humidifier sport programmable fans unlike some other humidifiers on our review list? The Aprilaire 600 humidifier auto has an internal mesh evaporator filter inside of it. This filter is connected to a drain which removes any water that is not evaporated by the humidifier.
Furthermore, professional knowledge is not a prerequisite for installing the Aprilaire 600 humidifier. The humidifier boasts of a wide coverage area of about 4000 sq. ft. and the more tightly constructed the home is, the better – at least, that’s what Aprilaire says.
Main Features
- A massive coverage area of 4000 sq. ft.
- Copy function that allows you to choose different humidity settings for 7 different days of the week.
- Programmable fan speeds
- Internal mesh evaporator
- Drain hose for draining any external water.
Pros
- Large coverage area.
- Varying adjustable fan speeds for optimal humidity in the home.
- Option to set different humidity settings for 7 different days.
Cons
- You cannot adjust the humidistat on this humidifier
- Might require the help of a HVAC expert to install if you’re a newbie in DIY installation of humidifiers.
Breaking away from the norm of 3-gallon tank humidifiers is the Vornado Evap40 4-gallon humidifier. This whole house humidifier is suitable for just small apartments with two to three rooms. It’s designed to humidify an area of about 1000 sq. ft.
One of the reasons why we’re reviewing it is because of the fact that there are homeowners who prefer this since they’re on a budget. The humidifier uses a unique mode of operation called the vortex circulation. It’s actually peculiar to this type of humidifier – we haven’t seen it in other humidifiers.
The Vornado Evap40 humidifier comes with an option for selecting variable speed settings. Hence, you can choose either low, medium or high from the 3-speed options that are available. There is also a near accurate humidistat which automatically ensures the humidity in your home is controlled appropriately.
With the Vornado Evap40 humidifier, you get at least 24 hours of uninterrupted humidity, thanks to its 4-gallon tank. The 4-gallon tank is a tad higher than the average 3.5-gallon tanks we’ve seen so far. The tanks are easy to fill and are designed to be spill and leak proof. It’s quite surprising to see an unpopular whole house humidifier with such specs. In comparison to other best whole house humidifiers on our list, it stacks up nicely.
Video Review:
Main Features
- Massive 4-gallon spill and leak proof tank.
- 24 hours runtime
- Adjustable speed settings
- 1000 sq. ft. coverage area.
Pros
- The 4-gallon tank is quite impressive
- 3-speed settings to choose from
- A full day of comfort in your home.
Cons
- Wick filters require frequent replacements always.
- Setting the speed to low won’t humidify your home at all.
We don’t know what Essick Air was thinking when they accepted the design papers for the Aircare H12-400HB humidifier. At first sight, you’ll probably think that you’re looking at a vintage washing machine. That’s how one of our reviewers felt when he set his eyes on the product. We do like the oak burl look of the humidifier – eye-catching and different from the white color we’re used to.
As large as the H12 humidifier is, it sports only a 5.4-gallon tank, a tad above the 4-gallon tank found on the Vornado Evap40 humidifier. Additionally, it is only capable of providing humidity for an area of 3700 sq. ft. – quite disappointing given the product’s size. On the other hand, Essick Air made up for that by equipping it to work for 45 hours nonstop. This implies that the maximum runtime of the humidifier is 45 hours. Apparently, it’s the best we’ve seen so far during the course of this review.
On one corner of the humidifier are analog control buttons for your settings. The humidifier does, however, come with a digital display screen to complement those buttons. The humidistat is quite impressive on this product and the same can be said for the fan. Fan speed is adjustable on the device and you have 4 options to choose from.
Main Features
- 4-gallon tank
- A sizeable coverage area of about 3700 sq. ft.
- Amazing 45 hours maximum runtime
- Analog controls with a digital screen
- 4 adjustable fan speed options
Pros
- Coverage area is impressive
- The humidifier lasts longer than most other whole house humidifiers.
- Control options allow you choose your own variable humidity settings and fan speeds
- Near accurate humidistat
- Indicator showing when to refill and check the filter.
Cons
- A bit bulkier than you would expect.
- Plastic body makes it susceptible to cracks easily.
The Aircare MA0800 Digital Whole House Console Style Humidifier is another masterpiece from Aircare. Sporting quite a few handy features, this humidifier held our attention long enough and thus we’re reviewing it.
The MA0800 humidifier is built to cover an area of about 2600 sq. ft. It comes with an easy fill water tank that is capable of holding a paltry 2.5 gallon of water. Aside from that, the MA0800 humidifier is able to utilize such limited amount of water for up to 36 hours.
Just when you thought you have seen it all, Aircare surprises you with one cool feature. The Aircare MA0800 humidifier comes with a quiet night time setting. This will help you keep the operation of the humidifier low whilst you sleep. The auto shut off feature, as usual, turns off the humidifier once the set humidity level is reached. Furthermore, there are 3-speed options to choose from. You get a digitally controlled humidistat with a digital display screen.
Main Features
- Digitally controlled humidistat.
- A moderately sized coverage area.
- 5-gallon water tank.
- 36-hours runtime.
- 3-speed options to choose from.
Pros
- The humidistat is digitally controlled hence boasts of fairly accurate readings.
- Variable speed options to set with a Quiet night time mode to set when you’re asleep at night.
- Up to 36 hours of uninterrupted humidity in your home.
- Coverage area of 2600 sq. ft. is apt for not so large homes.
Cons
- The humidifier can rattle at times when set on high fan settings
Do you live in a mansion? If your answer is yes, please proceed to take a look at the specs of this massive whole house steam humidifier. On the other hand, you can simply take a look at the other best whole house humidifiers on this review list.
The Aprilaire 800 Residential Steam Humidifier is quite big in terms of physical size and functions. First, it’s as big as the Aircare H12-400B humidifier although we didn’t measure them for their exact dimensions. Secondly, it covers a massive 6000 sq. ft. Now, that was why the question “Do you live in a mansion?” was necessary.
Aside from being able to humidify such a large amount of space, the Aprilaire 800 has a runtime of 60 hours. The humidifier delivers the right amount of humidity needed at any given time. It’s controlled via the automatic digital humidifier control panel. Aprilaire designed the humidifier to run without being installed directly with a HVAC system. Installing the Aprilaire 800 requires a little bit of technical knowledge. It is advisable to seek the installation services of experts rather than installing it and damaging the product in the process.
Main Features
- A massive coverage area of 6,000 sq. ft.
- A whopping 2 and half days maximum runtime
- Digital controls for your controlling pleasure
- Can be installed independently of your homes HVAC system.
Pros
- A large coverage area of 6000 sq. ft.
- 60 hours of uninterrupted humidity
- Easy to set and control via the digital control buttons.
Cons
- Some users reported that much of the water drained out.
Last but certainly not the least of the humidifiers on our best whole house humidifiers review list is the Aprilaire 700 humidifier. There’s no doubt that Aprilaire is a force to reckon with when it comes to the production of durable and superb humidifiers.
The Aprilaire 700 humidifier is designed to evaporate about 0.75 gallons of water per hour. This explains why it sports a sizeable storage tank. However, Aprilaire didn’t fully specify the gallon size of the humidifier. The Aprilaire 700 humidifier is designed to cover an area of 4200 sq. ft.
Controlling the humidifier is as easy as ABC, thanks to the automatic digital humidifier control panel. There isn’t much to say about the Aprilaire 700 save for the fact that it offers you great value for your money.
During the course of the review, we found out that installing the product is a breeze for professionals. The same cannot be said for people without prior installation experience. With multiple installation instructions to follow, one will definitely be confused along the way. One other thing we didn’t like about the Aprilaire 700 is the fact that it didn’t come with any thermostat.
Video Review
Main Features
- Coverage area of 4200 sq. ft.
- Digital humidistat which monitors humidity levels in your home.
- Uses about 0.75 gallons of water per hour to keep the dryness away.
Pros
- The coverage area of the humidifier is quite impressive.
- Keeps the dry air away from your home.
- Easily controlled from the digital controlled panel
Cons
- Water drained out more than normal as reported by some users. Surprisingly, we didn’t notice such as we reviewed the product.
Whole House Humidifier Buying Guide
Dry air apparently has a way of making everyone at home uncomfortable. To combat this discomfort, many families purchase humidifiers. Let’s skip the definition of a humidifier – better still, let’s summarize it for our folks who don’t know.
Simply put, a humidifier is a device that keeps the atmosphere in a room moist. At least, that’s how Wikipedia defines it. As we earlier hinted, there are 2 categories of humidifiers;
- Point of Use Humidifiers: As the name implies, they are the type of humidifiers used in a single room. They are often referred to as single room humidifiers.
- Whole House Humidifiers: Just as in the case of whole house water filters, a whole house humidifier humidifies the air in all the rooms of the house. Sometimes, they are referred to as furnace humidifiers when they are installed in furnace areas alongside your furnace. More so they are connected to HVAC systems from where they deal with the dry air in the whole house.
The Benefits of a Whole House Humidifier:
With humidifiers came a handful of benefits, but with a whole house humidifier, you’re guaranteed great benefits.
In this section of the review buying guide, we outline 6 benefits you’ll derive by simply using a whole house humidifiers:
Humidifiers Help Reduce Health Risks
Respiratory-related infections and ailments such as bronchitis, sinusitis, nosebleed, and asthma are triggered by dry air. The chances of worsening these health situations decrease drastically especially when your humidifier is in active service. Since whole home humidifiers have a longer lifespan, they keep the whole house moist for as long as you need them.
They Make You Comfortable
You are entitled to a certain level of comfort with regards to the air you breathe in your home. Only a humidifier can do that when it’s dry air season. The dry air which would have caused discomfort to your body and respiratory system is eliminated.
Preserves Your Home
Talk about preservation and humidifiers stand up. In the absence of moisture in your home, there’s no telling what will happen to wooden objects and surfaces. This suffices to say that humidifiers help prevent damage to wooden surfaces in the home.
Saves Cost
Truth is, many people think installing a whole home humidifier is very expensive. It isn’t, literally. To be frank with you, even if it was expensive, you’ll benefit from it in the long run. Using whole house humidifiers, you will possibly add a few cents or dollars to your water bill. However, you save more since you don’t need to purchase distilled water. It’s a fact that most single room humidifiers need distilled water to function effectively. Imagine the amount you’ll spend on buying distilled water for 3 or 4 single room humidifiers! That amount will definitely add up to something significant within a short period of time.
Control Over Your Home’s Humidity Level
Generally, all humidifiers allow you to control the humidity level in your home. Through these settings, you impede the growth of mold and mildew which can be triggered by much humidity. Using a whole house humidifier, you’re in charge of your comfort, health, and happiness – as well as that of your pets.
It’s Energy Efficient
Did you know that you can shave a few cents from your energy bill when you use a whole house humidifier instead of a single room humidifier? Raise your hand if you don’t want to shave off a dollar or two from hour energy bill!
Having known these benefits of whole house humidifiers, we’re sure your interest has been ignited. In the lines that follow, we’ll review the best whole house humidifiers 2019 has brought our way. But before then, let’s find out who this review is for.
Who is this Review For?
This review is arguably meant for homeowners looking to buy any of the best whole house humidifiers on the market. Also, the tutorial section of this review article will be of immense help to anyone looking for knowledge on how to install or maintain their whole home humidifiers. Additionally, if you have a friend or relative interested in getting a whole house humidifier for their home, then pointing them the way of this review is important.
How Do Whole House Humidifiers Work?
Many people believe that all humidifiers work the same way. Well, the simple truth is that most of them have different working mechanisms which are determined by the type of humidifier.
On that note, we’ll take a look at the types of humidifiers and how they work.
Types of Whole House Humidifiers
There are 3 different types of whole house humidifiers. They include
- Bypass Humidifiers
- Steam Humidifiers
- Fan powered humidifiers
Whole house humidifiers are also categorized based on their working systems. The three common working systems for whole house humidifiers include
- Drum system humidifiers
- Flow-Through system humidifiers
- Spray Mist System humidifiers
Now, we’ll explain the aforementioned types and how they work.
Bypass Humidifiers
Bypass humidifiers are built to work in tandem with a furnace from where they add the required amount of humidity into your home. They are designed in such a way that they draw warm air from all of the heat ducts in your house. Then they pass the warm air through the water panel. As the warm air passes through this water panel, it absorbs moisture from the water there. Next, it is channeled back into your home’s air stream.
Based on the conventional standards, bypass humidifiers are installed either on the supply or on the return part of your home’s air system. It is also important to keep in mind that you may experience water build up in the humidifier. This is, however, caused by the brand. If you buy such a brand, no worries – you just reuse the water. This is done by purchasing a drain filter for your bypass humidifier. This filter will reuse the water in the humidifier for sometime before you change it. A drain filter on a bypass humidifier can help you save a lot of costs on water.
Fan-Powered Humidifiers
Fan powered humidifiers share some similarities with the bypass models. The fan powered humidifier uses a fan built into the unit to blow air across the water panel. Then the water air is channeled back into the air ducts of the house. By virtue of this design, a fan powered humidifier produces more humidity in a day than the bypass humidifier. Moreover, fan-powered humidifiers are smaller than their bypass counterparts and need no bypass filters. Experts are of the opinion that homes with their HVAC systems in a closet will benefit immensely from this type of whole house humidifier. Lest we forget, fan-powered humidifiers are also energy efficient. So if you’re looking to save some small cents, you can take a look at fan powered models.
Steam Humidifiers
As the name implies, steam humidifiers work using steam. These special humidifiers boil water till it becomes steam. As the steam forms, a blower blows it through the vents to various parts of the house where it humidifies the whole place. One important thing you should note about steam humidifiers is that it offers pure and natural humidity into homes. Additionally, it is also faster at humidifying a room than other best whole house humidifiers.
As earlier mentioned, whole house humidifiers are categorized based on their internal working systems explained below.
Drum system humidifiers
Humidifiers with a drum system use a foam or belt – usually a fabric belt to help in humidifying the house. The foam or fabric belt is placed on a drum where it rotates over the water reservoir in the humidifier. As it moves in that circular motion, the foam/fabric belt traps moisture here. The trapped moisture is then blown through the ducts of the furnace into the home when the air condition blows air over that drum. Arguably, humidifiers with drum systems are said to be the cheapest. In that same vein, they need to be regularly cleaned to prevent mold growth. Mold will begin to grow in your humidifier’s water panel if the humidifier isn’t kept clean regularly.
Spray Mist Humidifiers
Humidifiers that use the spray mist system spray moisture into the ducts as soon as the furnace or AC comes on. The spray mist humidifier needs only periodical cleaning if you have a contaminated water source. Why use contaminated water in your home when you can easily filter your whole house and treat your water at home? Spray mist humidifiers can be set to blow warm or cool mist depending on the settings you choose.
Flow Through System Humidifiers
Humidifiers with flow-through systems have similar working principles to drum systems. However, you’ll also need periodical cleaning of the foam or aluminum pad as the case may be. Furthermore, you’ll need to drain out the water using a simple drain hose connected to the humidifier. Be sure to have the hose channeled into a container or into a floor drain.
Occasionally, you’ll hear terms like console style and pedestal style humidifiers… They all describe the feature of that whole house humidifier.
What to Consider When Shopping For The Best Whole House Humidifiers.
Knowing what to look out for when shopping for a product has immense advantages. As a matter of fact, people who have an idea of the factors to consider when buying a product usually buy the best products. For buying whole house humidifiers, here are a handful of things you should have at the back of your mind.
- Budget
- Square feet covered
- Maximum runtime
- Ease of use and installation
- Maintenance
- The capacity of the humidifier
We’ll explain these factors one by one.
Budget
The cost price of whole house humidifiers differs from one brand to the other and according to the features it has. A lot of times, because we are often cash-strapped, we end up buying products that don’t meet our standards. There are quite a handful of “worse than worst humidifiers” in the market and you may end up buying such if you don’t have a budget. Set aside a sizeable amount of money – add an extra $50 to it to give you the flexibility of looking at products with similar specifications.
Square Feet Covered
Whole house humidifiers are designed to humidify a large area at once in contrast to single room humidifiers. Hence, it is important to know the square feet of the humidifier you’re about to purchase. If your house is large, be sure to buy a whole house humidifier with at least 3000 sq. ft. coverage. For smaller houses, humidifiers less than 2500 sq. ft. coverage can serve you efficiently. Be sure to look out for it or ask the sellers to show you where it’s written on the product.
Maximum Run Time
The maximum run time refers to the number of hours the humidifier stays on working non stop at a stretch. The highest we saw during the course of our review was 65 hours. It’s important to know how the maximum runtime of your whole home humidifier. This is because if you’re living in an environment where the air is mostly dry, you’ll definitely want your humidifier to work long hours.
Ease of Use and Installation
For the DIY enthusiasts, you should consider how difficult it is to install the whole house humidifier in your home. This, however, shouldn’t be a major deciding factor for purchasing any of the best whole-home humidifiers as you can easily hire an expert to do so. Furthermore, you should also consider how easy it is to use the humidifier. Can you set it and go away? Does the setting wipe off when the humidifier goes off? Does it have an auto shut off feature? These are some pertinent questions you should answer about a product before making a purchase. Talking about auto shut off feature, most whole house humidifiers sport this feature. The auto shut off feature turns off the humidifier when it detects that the humidity level in the room is appropriate or when it reaches your set humidity level.
Maintenance
Consider the fact that a whole house humidifier needs periodic maintenance for it to keep working efficiently and have a long lifespan. Ask questions, and check to see if you need to be replacing any parts during the maintenance or after a specified period. It is important to also note the difficulty level of the periodic maintenance – do you need to call in an expert?
The Capacity of the Humidifier
This refers to the tank size of the whole house humidifier. They range from 3 gallons to as much as 9 gallons as you’ll see in the course of this review. It may interest you to note that there are some highly effective thankless models available on the market. So if you purchase a tankless whole home humidifier, please don’t panic. #smiles…
Now let’s get into the juicy part of this article…
Below is the table showing the best whole-home humidifiers. Out of the large selection of products on the market, we selected only 10 based on our criteria.
Aha… you made it to this point.
Below we are sharing with you some very important tips for keeping your whole house humidifiers working well. It’s our own little way of saying thank you for sticking around this long.
Important Maintenance Tips for Whole House Humidifiers to Ensure Longevity
In this section, we’ll share some of the strategies for keeping your humidifier working.
It is, however, important that you always keep the product manual that came with your humidifier. This will come in handy when you want to perform tasks like cleaning the humidifier. ALWAYS refer to the product manual before you begin to carry out any tasks on your humidifier.
If you cannot do any of the following, it would be better to seek assistance from a professional.it is also advisable to schedule regular maintenance either by yourself or with a professional. This will go a long way in saving you quite some stress.
General Instructions For Cleaning All Whole House Humidifiers
- Make sure that you have disconnected the humidifier from the power supply source. You can get electrocuted if you don’t do this.
- Follow the instructions on the product manual and open the humidifier. This will grant you access to parts that need to be cleaned or replaced.
- Next, take out all the water in the water reservoir and then add another clean water into it. Add a little bit of clean water to the water reservoir and then add little chlorine bleach. The chlorine bleach is tasked with the responsibility of dealing with microbes in that water reservoir.
- Swirl the water around in that water reservoir so as to ensure even application.
- Check the water pad, evaporator pad, filters or wick as the case may be. If they are due for replacement, change them immediately. Furthermore, if they are due for a cleaning, don’t hesitate to give them a good clean bath. Remember to follow manufacturer’s instructions when doing this.
- Using warm water and a clean cloth, gently wipe off dirt from the exterior of your humidifier. Make sure you don’t leave water dripping from any of the external parts when you are done cleaning the humidifier.
- Reassemble everything following given instructions and then add water to the reservoir. Next connect the humidifier to the power supply and ensure the cables all work.
Here are some further instructions that will help you keep your whole house humidifiers safe.
- Set aside a certain amount of money to replace your filters as often as specified by the manufacturers. Most manufacturers recommend changing the filters once every year or twice in a year.
- Check the humidifier for any leakages. This should be done as soon as you notice any water on the floor or around the area where the unit is installed.
- When its summer, close the dampers of your humidifier.
- Clean the fan if necessary.
- Check your humidifiers drain line to ensure that it is devoid of any blockages whatsoever.
- Don’t forget to keep an eye on your solenoid valve. Endeavor to replace when necessary.
Installing a Whole House Humidifier: General Procedures
As we always do in our reviews, we are sharing DIY installation steps with you guys. Installation procedures differ from brand to brand and from one whole house humidifier type to the other.
NOTE: Please check the product manual that came with your humidifier before you begin the installation. Furthermore, if the manufacturer specifies that professional help is needed for installation, please find a professional to install your unit.
For the purpose of this DIY guide, you’ll need the following items and tools…
- Drill and bits
- Marker or pen
- Wire strippers and wire nuts
- Aviation Snips
- Screwdrivers of all kinds. Don’t use a non-matching screwdriver on the screws of your humidifier. If the screw head washes, unscrewing the unit will be a tug of war.
- Wrench
- Vent pipe
- Metal screws
- Your humidifier.
Here’s a step by step guide on installing whole house humidifiers generally. Please refer to the product manual of your whole home humidifier as the steps may vary.
- Mark the holes that will be used to hold the humidifiers in place using a marker. This is especially important if the humidifiers are going to be fixed. Using a drill, bore the hole and then finish it off with aviation snips.
- After boring the holes for holding the humidifier in place, attach the mounting plate using the metal sheet screws.
- Mark and cut a hole for the placement of your humidistat. Some manufacturers specify the distance it should be from the main humidifier.
- Connect the necessary wires from the mounting plate to the furnace controls. The product manuals may contain the diagrammatic explanation. Furthermore, be careful when installing the step-down transformer for the unit if the transformer is not internally built into it.
- At this stage, you should now place your unit on the mounting plate. Screw the necessary joints and connect the necessary cables.
- Fill the water tank of your humidifier and you are good to go.
NOTE: This is a general installation guide. Seek for professional installation help if you don’t find it convenient.
Health Concerns For Those Using Whole House Humidifiers
The following are some of the health concerns associated with the use of whole house humidifiers. It’s pertinent to note that these health concerns can only arise when the whole house humidifiers are not used appropriately.
- Respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD can be induced by too much warm mist. If you are asthmatic, you can opt for a cool mist humidifier. Also, check with your doctor to see if the humidifier you are about to purchase is suitable for you.
- Soften your water using a water softener. This is important especially if your home is supplied with hard water. The mineral deposits in hard water are unfit for the health and continuously breathing it can cause health issues.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Whole House Humidifiers
We’re almost wrapping up our review of the best whole house filters. Here are some of the questions you may possibly ask and their answers.
Can whole house humidifiers cause mold?
According to this article by Tim Kensok of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, yes. Tim explained that mold can form as a result of excess moisture in a place. It is possible to have mold in your home if the humidity level is higher than normal and your whole house humidifier has added more than enough moisture into the air. However, advancements in technology doesn’t allow such things to occur anymore. Most whole house humidifiers have a humidistat which they use to monitor the level of moisture in your homes air. They stop humidifying when they detect high humidity in the air.
Which whole house humidifier is the best?
During the course of this review, we gave several reasons why a humidifier was superior to the other. The humidifier you buy is determined by factors such as the size of your home, your budget etc. If you’re able to answer the question “What type and size of whole house humidifier do I need?” then you’ll be able to buy the most suitable for your needs.
Where should your whole house humidifier be installed?
If the whole house humidifier is not movable, chances are that the manufacturers will specify the location. Check the installation manual to know if it needs to be close to the furnace. If you have the portable whole house huumidifier that needs no installation, you can find a central location in the home and place it there. It can also be kept on the staricase from where it can serve both floors. If you spend more time in the living room, you can also place it at one corner of the living room. Always ensure that children and pets have no business with the unit.
Are whole house humidifiers safe?
Given the concerns caused by too much humidity, many people are asking if whole house humidifiers are safe. In our candid opinion, they are very safe. The benefits of using one far outweigh the disadvantages if any. Always keep the interior parts of your humidifier clean and make sure the humidistat is working always. You won’t run into any problems whatsoever as long as you do that.
Where can I get replacement filters for my whole house humidifier?
You can find replacement filters for your whole house humidifiers on Amazon. Additionally, some local shops might have them available on their shelves. There’s a likelihood that they are available on the manufacturer’s website.
Which whole house humidifier brands are the best?
Over the years, a handful of companies producing humidifiers, in general, have distinguished themselves. They have become outstanding in a competitive market. These brands include Aprilaire, Essick Air (otherwise called Aircare), Honeywell, and Vornado.
In Conclusion
We’ve come to the end of this highly informative review of the best whole house humidifiers. There’s no telling that you’ve learned the importance of using whole house humidifiers. We are also optimistic that choosing one out of the plethora of options available in the market will not be such a daunting task after all. As we also hinted, taking good care of your whole house humidifier is important. Not only will the humidifier last long, it will also keep the dry air away and this ensures you enjoy maximum comfort as often as you want in your home.
Keep living healthy and don’t forget to tell your friends how awesome this article is.
