If you stay in an arid region, keep your living spaces heated by a furnace throughout colder seasons, or constantly deal with dry and discomforting air in your home, then we recommend that you purchase a humidifier.
Whole house humidifiers are an excellent option when you want to humidify your entire house at once instead of moving a portable unit around. For faster results, whole-home humidifiers inject water vapors into the air that disperses throughout your home.
The Different Types of Humidifiers
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There are two different types of humidifiers: cool mist and warm mist.
Cool Mist Humidifiers
If you strive to be more environmentally conscious with your purchases, a cool-mist humidifier is ideal. Because it lacks a heating element, these models are relatively energy-efficient. The lack of this element also makes it safer to use around children.
Instead of a heating element, cool mist humidifiers wick diffusing mist around the house and use their fan to blow air through their filter.
Advantages
- Ideal during hot seasons
- Efficiently cools down hot rooms
- Purifies the air through filters
- Energy-efficient
- Safe for use around children
Disadvantages
- Loud when operating at maximum capacity
- Challenging to maintain and clean
Warm Mist Humidifiers
Warm mist humidifiers use a lot of energy to heat water to an almost boiling point. Once heated, the water is dispersed around the house as a vapor to induce a warm and snuggly feeling. Warm mist humidifiers are a popular choice, especially during colder seasons.
Advantages
- Raises room temperatures
- Are less prone to mold
- It has no fan, which means that it’s quieter during operation
- Easy to maintain
Disadvantages
- Uses more energy
- Heating elements are a risk to children
Features to Look for in a Whole House Humidifier
Before peeking at our reviews of the best whole house humidifiers, consider the following features to find the perfect unit for your home!
Misting Type
Many humidifiers operate by injecting cool or warm mist into the air. If your environment is cold, a warm mist humidifier serves the dual purpose of increasing the temperature and humidity in a room.
When you face warmer temperatures, a cool-mist whole-house humidifier is an ideal choice. It serves the dual purpose of reducing temperatures while increasing humidity.
Capacity
Buying a whole-house humidifier that can only cover one room defies the point. To ensure that you purchase a humidifier that will service your whole house, you need to look at its capacity. To determine this, you also need to look at its mist output. A higher mist output will humidify your spaces faster.
Water Tank
Humidifiers work with water, and when they can cover large areas, they’ll need large water tanks. If you want to avoid running up and down to refill the water tank on your humidifier, check that your preferred choice has a big enough tank to avoid filling it every hour or even day. A detachable water tank is also a definite bonus!
Water Tank Indicator
An indicator shows you when your water tank is nearing empty. This feature is convenient and eliminates the need for you to constantly check.
Humidistat
When environments aren’t kept at a constant and healthy moisture level, you risk dehydration, fainting, and heat strokes. A humidifier with a humidistat indicator helps reduce this risk since it shows you the room’s relative humidity levels.
Filter Indicator
Many humidifiers have a built-in filter that cleans the air as it humidifies. This is a great bonus feature but not standard in all models. When your humidifier has a filter, a filter indicator is ideal for at-a-glance checks to see if the filters are operating optimally.
Noise
The primary cause of noise produced by humidifiers comes from their fans. On high settings, the noise can be so loud that it’ll disturb your sleep. Because warm mist and ultrasonic humidifiers don’t have fans, they’re the best options for environments where silence is needed. With these two types of whole-house humidifiers, the vapor is ejected into the air without a fan.
Warning Indicator
A warning indicator on a humidifier will let you know when a filter is clogged and is due for replacement. This prevents polluted air from being released into your home if the issue is not taken care of.
Auto Shut-Off
Many humidifiers have auto shut-off functions that will turn them off when water levels are low.
The Best Whole House Humidifiers
After extensive research, we’ve compiled a list of the most in-demand whole-house humidifiers according to consumer reviews. If you’re in search of one, this is the place to start!
Aprilaire 700 Humidifier
The Aprilaire 700 is a furniture-friendly automatic humidifier. While it doesn’t have the coverage strength of some larger models, it can service a room up to 4,200 sq ft, which still categorizes it as a high-capacity humidifier.
This model has a fan and works with your home’s heating and cooling system. Its fan sucks in dry air, humidifies it, and then circulates it to different areas through air vents in your house.
Why We Like It
Capacity: The Aprilaire 700 can humidify an area of up to 4,200 sq ft with about 0.75 gallons of water an hour.
Automation: This model has digital controls, allowing you to pre-enter your preferred humidity levels for specific areas. It then adjusts its output accordingly.
Programmable Features: With integrated programmable features and stats like current temperatures and relative humidity, the Aprilaire 700 has an edge above other models in its price range.
Noise Levels: The Aprilaire 700 whole house humidifier integrates with existing HVAC systems and doesn’t have a noisy fan. It runs quietly and smoothly in comparison with other models, making it the perfect humidifier for night time use.
Benefits Electronics and Furniture: By sucking in dry air and humidifying it, the Aprilaire 700 helps eliminate static electricity from the air, which in turn extends the longevity of artwork, electronics, paintings, and wooden furniture in your house.
What We Dislike
Installation: The Aprilaire 700 needs to integrate into an HVAC system, making installation a bit challenging. If you’re stuck, consider calling in a professional for help, and remember that doing this will cost you extra that you might not have budgeted for initially.
Aprilaire 800 Humidifier
This model is one of the most popular whole house humidifiers manufactured by Aprilaire. The company has over 50 years of experience in the business, and with this model, they once again prove why they’re a leader in the trade.
The Aprilaire 800 is a steam humidifier that replaces the thermostat with a humidistat. It senses moisture levels in its surrounding atmosphere and sets off a humidifying process when the humidity reaches low levels.
Why We Like It
Capacity: The Aprilaire 800 can quickly service a 6,200 sq ft area, making it a model with the largest reach.
Automation: This model can operate manually and automatically. While some users prefer manual operation, the auto-mode certainly impresses! Auto-mode allows the unit to monitor humidity changes and automatically respond to them. It will also notify you when heat is released, or if water is being drained. After running for 168 hours, water will automatically drain in preparation for a canister replacement.
User-Friendly: Unlike some humidifiers that come with complex interfaces and controls, the Aprilaire 800 has a user-friendly interface that is easy to understand and control for even the most novice humidifier users. The interface on this model contains a power button, drain icon, fill icon, service icon, and steam icon.
Electrode Technology: The Aprilaire 800 whole-house humidifier uses electrode technology that is both user-friendly and energy-efficient. You can easily replace the electrode canister at the end of the cold season without the help of an expert.
What We Dislike
Warranty: While the Aprilaire 800 comes with a whopping 5-year warranty, it is only valid if an approved technician does the initial installation of the humidifier. Many users find this extra cost unnecessary since the installation of the unit is relatively easy.
Aircare MA1201 Humidifier
The Aircare MA1201 is an excellent choice if you’re on a budget. This model was specifically designed to mitigate common issues households face when colder seasons swing around. It has built-in features that help maintain a perfectly humidified atmosphere to combat health problems like the flu, allergic reactions, and skin problems.
Why We Like It
Capacity: The Aircare MA1201 has an extensive reach of up to 3,600 sq ft. If you don’t have such a big space, you can also opt for the 2,600 sq ft model.
Humidistat: This model has a built-in humidistat that displays the humidity levels in a room.
Auto Shut-Off: An auto shut-off feature is triggered when desired humidity levels are reached, or low water levels are detected in the tank. This feature is also a great energy saver.
Portability: If you need a unit that is easy to move around, then this model fits the description. It comes with tiny wheels that remove the need to lift it during transport. Before moving it upstairs, however, it is recommended that you empty the water tank first.
Evaporative Technology: The Aircare MA1201 employs cool mist evaporative technology to inject moisture into the air and to reduce the risks of static shock. Moisture also helps reduce the potency of flu viruses by lowering down their transmission rates.
Maintenance: A 3.6-gallon water tank is installed in the Aircare MA1201, ensuring that it can operate for about 36 hours before a refill is needed. The tank is also easy to refill, but you need to lay it flat when doing so. The humidifier as a whole is relatively easy to clean, and if you do so every two weeks, you’ll reduce the risk of mold growth.
What We Dislike
Noise: The Aircare MA1201 is a cool-mist humidifier, which means that it runs with the help of a fan. If you want to keep the noise to a minimum, you’ll need to adjust the fan speed accordingly.
Aircare EP9 800 Humidifier
The Aircare EP9 800 whole house humidifier is another aesthetically pleasing, well-designed, and efficient model from Aircare. It can serve a house up to 2,400 sq ft, and when placed in a central location, humidity levels can be increased without needing a furnace.
Why We Like It
Multi-Function: Besides controlling atmospheric humidity levels, the Aircare EP9 800 can also be used as a make-do table. It has a pedestal-style espresso color and an interchangeable 12 x 12 – inch tile top.
User-Friendly: The Aircare EP9 800 has a straightforward operation system with only power, humidity target, and fan level buttons.
Humidistat: An auto humidistat determines the needed humidity levels of the area it’s in and will adjust itself accordingly.
Auto Shutdown: The Aircare EP9 800 is also eco-friendly. It shuts itself down when desired humidity levels are reached.
What We Dislike
Noise: When the Aircare EP9 800 runs at high speeds, its fan can be noisy.
Aircare 831000 Humidifier
If you’re tight on space, then this model might be up your alley. The Aircare 831000 is a space-saver with a sleek design. This unit quickly raises indoor humidity levels by sucking dry air in and moisturizing it before dispersing it back into the air. This unit can operate for approximately 70 hours before a water tank refill is required.
Why We Like It
Capacity: While this model is ideal for tiny houses, it can humidify a space as large as 2,700 sq ft.
Easy to Refill: The Aircare 831000 whole-house humidifier comes with an easy-to-refill 6-gallon water tank. To fill the tank, you simply need to pour water directly into the reservoir from above. There is no need to tilt or turn the tank, unlike with some other models.
Filter: This humidifier model is equipped with a Trapmac filter that traps allergens. It also possesses potent antimicrobial properties to clean the air efficiently.
Wick Replacement: Unless you live in an area with hard water, the wick on this model only needs replacement at the start of every season.
What We Dislike
Flimsy Build: While most people report that the Aircare 831000 lasted long for them, some have issues with its build quality, stating that it is flimsy. In the end, this might just boil down to how well the unit is maintained.
Final Words
Having a humidifier in your home can improve your standard of living. It has many health benefits, especially during the winter. When you purchase a whole-house humidifier, you eliminate the need to have a smaller one in each room. This also allows you to control the humidity level of your whole house from a centralized point.
When choosing the best whole house humidifier, you should consider all your needs and determine which model will meet them.