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Soothe dry skin and protect hardwood floors with our top picks.
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They are best for smaller homes and typically require a drain.
Bypass humidifiers leverage the airflow generated by your existing furnace or HVAC system, Cox says.
They bypass a portion of the warm air from the furnace through a water panel or evaporator pad.
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The air absorbs moisture from this pad before being sent back into the main airstream through the ductwork.
Evaporative: These use a wick to absorb water, then a fan to blow vapor into the air.
These are self-regulating and energy-efficient, but require regular maintenance to replace the wick.
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The primary principle behind evaporative humidifiers is the natural process of evaporation.
These devices use a wick filter to absorb water from a reservoir.
He adds, They are self-regulating because the air can’t hold more moisture than it needs.
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Fan: Similar to evaporative humidifiers, these utilize a fan to blow moisture into the air.
However, instead of using a wick, the fan blows toward sitting water.
Fan-powered humidifiers come with their own fan, as the name implies.
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The fan ensures that air flows through the water panel irrespective of whether the furnace is operating.
Steam:These humidifiers boil water to release vapor into the air.
They require more energy, but are often more effective in larger homes.
Credit: Build
The steam is then directly injected into the home’s ductwork.
Is it worth getting a whole-house humidifier?
This depends a bit on your household needs.
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In that case, he says whole-house humidification may be necessary, but cautions against adding too much moisture.
Health challenges come into play when deciding whether to invest in a whole-house humidifier as well.
Many people with allergic problems and eczema will suffer more when humidity is low, Wargocki explains.
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Ultimately, it can be a fine line between having too much or too little humidity in your home.
Best Overall
AprilAire 600 Whole-House Humidifier
It can humidify homes up to 5,000 square feet.
If youre after a whole-house humidifier, thispick from AprilAireis an excellent option.
We didnt hear it running while using it at home, so its a quiet choice as well.
This is a duct-mounted option, so it circulates moisture throughout your entire home.
It includes a digital humidistat which lets you easily see and adjust the humidity level.
The maximum area it will humidify is a generously sized 5,000 square feet.
Overall, we noticed improvements in some skin challenges after using the humidifier.
We also experienced less static (a big win in winter!)
and even hadhealthier plantsthanks to the properly humidified air.
We found that the humidifier only requires seasonal maintenance, requiring a filter change once per year.
TheAprilAire 600M 24V Bypass Humidifieroffers respectable coverage area and wont bust your budget.
This will generally be the case with homes less than 20 years old.
It also only has one knob for adjusting humidity, so this is a no-frills pick.
Even our dogs skin was less itchy.
The four air wicks need to be replaced regularly.
The brand recommends replacing them between 30 and 90 days, and all four should be replaced simultaneously.
The humidifier has four fan speeds and a humidistat that lets you adjust the humidity level.
It will turn off automatically once the proper level is reached.
The rig comes in two finishes: brushed nickel and honey oak.
The installation kit may add extra cost, depending on which retailer you order from.
For larger, tightly constructed homes, we recommend thisfan-powered model from AprilAire.
However, we werent able to adjust humidity levels using our thermostat.
However, some retailers sell theinstallation kit separately, so this may end up being an additional cost consideration.
Youll need to replace the canister, and its not specified how often.
Its also quite small, making it ideal for tight spaces.
According toHoneywell Home, the humidifier is ultra quiet, so you likely wont even hear it operating.
The model has a digital humidity control that prevents condensation from forming on windows.
The canister will need to be replaced, but its easy to get to and easy to replace.
The unit is more functional than attractive.
We found success usingmodel from Honeywellin our home with hard water.
To prevent excess buildup, we replace the filter every six months and clean it about once per year.
The water pad is easy to access and a light indicates when its time to change it.
The humidifier is so quiet that we didnt even hear it running.
It reads outdoor temperatures to adjust levels automatically, too.
Cox says evaporative types tend toneed filters replacedoften.
One exception are drum humidifiersthey fall under the bypass categorywhich can often operate without a drain.
Coverage Area
A humidifiers coverage area is the total space that a humidifier can handle effectively.
Whole-house humidifiers are highly efficient and can cover spaces up to several thousand square feet.
Keep in mind, older homes tend to lose air quickly because theyre not as tightly-sealed as newer homes.
Your Questions, Answered
Are whole-house humidifiers noisy?
Where is the best place to put a whole-house humidifier?
This allows for easier integration into the home’s HVAC system and minimizes disruptions.
