Things to Consider When Buying a Whole House Humidifier
The first thing to consider when buying a whole-house humidifier is the type of device. Humidifiers are categorized into the following: cool mist humidifiers, warm mist humidifiers, and ultrasonic humidifiers.
Cool mist humidifiers dissipate mist that is at room temperature. Unlike other humidifiers, cool mist humidifiers lack a mechanism of heating the water before dispersing the mist. It is cheap to maintain a cool-mist humidifier because the device consumes little energy.
However, using a cool-mist humidifier does not eliminate the danger of breathing contaminated air. If the mist has germs, then the air in the air space that the humidifier serves will be contaminated.
Warm mist humidifiers have heating elements that are used to boil the water first. The boiled water is then turned into mist and distributed across the entire room.
Using warm mist humidifiers helps to solve the problem of air contamination. The boiling of the water by the heating element kills all water-borne germs.
However, warm mist humidifiers consume a lot of electric energy. Operating them translates into higher energy costs because of the energy needs of the heating element.
Ultrasonic humidifiers may either produce warm or cool moisture. The defining feature of ultrasound humidifiers is that they operate silently. Ultrasound humidifiers that produce warm mist have inbuilt heating elements. The others that dissipate cool moisture do not have heating elements.
The second thing to consider when buying a humidifier is the level of maintenance needed. Although humidifiers are generally low-maintenance devices, they still require a level of routine maintenance procedures. The degree of care differs with the types of humidifiers. Often, it entails the cleaning of the water tank and the missing outlets.
Third, consider the size of the space that needs to be humidified. If you only need to moisturize the air in small rooms, including bedrooms, then you may consider using a portable humidifier. Such humidifiers are small and easy to use. If it has a mineral cartridge, then you will easily refill its water tank with hard water from the sink.
If you would like to humidify the air in multiple rooms or the entire house, it would be wise to get a whole-house humidifier.
Fourth, the capacity of the humidifier is an essential factor to consider before making a purchase. A humidifier’s capacity refers to the amount of moisture that the humidifier can dissipate to the air within a day. Humidifiers with higher output levels provide moisture faster than those with low output levels.
Should Every Room have a Humidifier?
It is not necessary to put a humidifier in every room. Although small humidifiers are made to be used in small to medium-sized rooms, they must be carried from one place to another. Moving your small humidifier may be quite inconvenient.
Whole-house humidifiers can effectively spread moisture across large spaces. Such humidifiers have a larger water tank volume and performance capacity than the small ones. If you properly position such a humidifier in your house, you will not have to get small ones for every room.
Portable vs Whole House Humidifier
Portable humidifiers are designed to be used in small to medium-sized spaces. Typically, such humidifiers can be conveniently placed on top of tables or any other flat surface in rooms.
The biggest benefit of using portable humidifiers is that you can move them around the house quickly. These devices are lightweight and compact in design, making them portable and easy to use in small rooms.
Another benefit of using portable humidifiers relates to their long runtimes. Some small humidifiers can consistently deliver moisture in a room for up to 24 hours.
Sadly, you will have to carry your humidifier from one room to another if you do not have the whole house ones. Having to move the humidifier repeatedly increases the chances of your device getting damaged.
Whole-house humidifiers are designed to be used to moisturize large room that measure up to 3,000 square feet. Such humidifiers are ideal for use if you would like to avoid the hassles of moving a small humidifier across the room repeatedly.
Whole-house humidifiers can be used to enhance the interior décor of a room. This is because they can be placed in strategic locations. Moreover, you can achieve this objective by going for humidifiers with designs and colors that match your interior color schemes.
How to Prevent Humidifier Mold
Preventing the growth of molds and bacteria is one of the most critical routine maintenance practices. Here are a few tips for avoiding humidifier mold and getting the best out of your device.
- Change the water daily. Stagnant water forms a perfect breeding ground for molds and bacteria. Ensure that you empty any remaining water from your unit and replacing it with a fresh amount every day. Doing this will prevent the growth of molds and bacteria in your humidifier so that the device serves you perfectly for a long time.
- Clean your humidifier thoroughly every few days. Use a soft-bristled brush to clean the dirt from the inside of your device. Use a damp cloth to clean the exterior of the humidifier thoroughly. Keeping both the interior and exterior of the humidifier clean prevents the growth of bacteria and molds.
- Refill your humidifier with demineralized water. Using distilled water in your humidifier helps to keep the unit in good shape. Hard water contains a lot of minerals, which may accumulate in the inside parts of the humidifier. The accumulation of minerals from the water forms a good breeding ground for molds and bacteria. Also, when you use water full of minerals, the resulting mist may contain white dust from the minerals. The white dust may cause health problems when it accumulates in the air of your home.
Best Multi Room Humidifier – Reviews
1. Honeywell Cool Moisture Console Humidifier
The combination of the unique evaporative technology and a large water tank makes the Honeywell Cool Moisture Console Humidifier one of the most versatile and useful humidifiers for multiple rooms.
Thanks to the wicking filter’s action, the humidifier dissipates cool and nonvisible mist across large spaces rapidly. Thus, you can enjoy warm and moist air across the entire house if the humidifier is running.
The humidifier has a large water tank that can hold up to 3 gallons of water. It also has a humidistat that helps to optimize the performance of the humidifier.
The device can maintain the humidity levels in your house between 40% and 60% for that excellent and safe feel. You do not have to worry about the chances of the air in your home will have excess moisture.
Unlike warm-mist humidifiers, cool-mist humidifiers can contribute to the distribution of water and air-borne germs. The Honeywell Cool Moisture Console Humidifier does not have a heating element that can be used to get rid of all germs from the water used to refill it.
Pros
- It has a vast and easy-to-fill gallon for great convenience
- The humidistat and automatic shut-off features help to personalize the performance of this humidifier
- Excellent curved design with a white finish can add to the décor of your room
Cons
- The humidifier does not dissipate warm moisture
2. Honeywell Removable Top Fill Console Humidifier
One of the things that make the Honeywell Removable Top Fill Humidifier an excellent companion for humidifying your home is the range of settings.
It has three settings that you can use to adjust the performance and level of noise that the device produces. The two indicator lights, which are perfectly positioned at the top of the humidifier, help monitor the performance.
You will also find it easy and convenient to refill the two large water tanks of this humidifier. You can do this by simply removing the top part of the humidifier and using a pitcher or a tap.
Although you can adjust the speed and mode at this humidifier functions, you may have to bear with its slightly high noise levels.
The buzzing sound that it produces, particularly when running on the full capacity mode, can disrupt sleeping children. Luckily, you can maintain it on the low and less noisy mode and still have a cozy feeling in the entire house.
Pros
- It has multiple settings for easy control
- It has two large water tanks that can be refilled from the top fast
- The humidifier has an automatic shut off system for added safety
Cons
- The humidifier is slightly noisy when operating on the full capacity mode
3. AIRCARE MA1201 Whole-House Console-Style Evaporative Humidifier
The AIRCARE MA1201 is a large and powerful humidifier with the capacity to distribute moisture across large spaces that measure 3,600 square feet.
It can also run for 36 hours before automatically shutting off when the tank’s water is depleted. This humidifier can be the perfect solution to your humidification problems at home because of this large tank and performance capacity features.
The digital humidistat does an excellent job of maintaining the performance of the humidifier within the required levels. Ideally, the amount of moisture in the air should be between 40% and 60%. It is straightforward to use the digital thermostat to maintain the entire house’s moisture level within this range.
You will have to be careful when moving your humidifier around the home. The four wheels can easily break if they get knocked off a hard surface. Luckily, you do not have to move your AIRCARE MA1201 regularly because it is made to provide cool moisture in the whole house.
Pros
- The humidifier does not produce white dust because it has a wick
- Long runtime of up to 36 hours
- The four fan speeds and a digital humidistat can be used to customize the operation of the humidifier
Cons
- The four wheels easily get damaged when knocked off a hard surface or after a prolonged use
4. Aprilaire 600M Whole-Home Humidifier
The Aprilaire 600M Whole-Home Humidifier can complement your home’s interior décor if you position it correctly at a focal point.
It has a modern design and a crisp white finish that blends well with traditional and contemporary décor styles. The slim and curvy body can also enhance the room’s general look and feel where you place the humidifier.
This humidifier does not produce white dust. White dust is usually produced by humidifiers that function by directly spraying humidity into the air.
However, this humidifier blows the mist through a wick that vaporizes it and removes all the minerals that may be contained in the water.
Unlike automatic humidifiers, manual ones do not have inbuilt sensors that can automatically detect changes in the air and adjust the humidifier’s performance accordingly. For the Aprilaire 600M Whole-Home Humidifier, you must manually determine the ideal humidification level.
Pros
- Excellent capacity of distributing moisture across the entire house
- The sleek design of the humidifier has aesthetic value
- The use of evaporative technology prevents white dust from forming
Cons
- You must manually set the desired humidity level
5. Aprilaire 800 Whole Home Steam Humidifier
If you are looking for a robust but low-maintenance humidifier, then you can go for the Aprilaire 800 Whole Home Steam Humidifier.
It has several features that make it better than the Aprilaire 600M Whole-Home Humidifier. Notably, you do not need to purify the water because the humidifier has a heating element that effectively steams the water before the dispersion.
Additionally, you do not have to bother with repeatedly resetting the humidifier because its automatic sensors optimize the room’s air conditions by maintaining the humidity levels within ideal levels.
Refilling the large-capacity tanks of this humidifier is a straightforward process. It comes with the needed hose for making the process fast enough.
Sadly, like all devices, the Aprilaire 800 Whole Home Steam Humidifier has some flaws. One of its most significant flaws relates to the noise level.
The internal components of this humidifier produce a considerable amount of noise when it is working. The noise becomes more apparent if you use the humidifier in a bedroom or anywhere else where silence is critical.
Pros
- It has a heating element for boiling the water before the steam is dispersed
- The automatic sensors are very useful in maintaining ideal humidity levels
- It can provide sufficient humidification for standard homes (6,200 square space)
Cons
- The humidifier operates loudly