Even though some people look upon whole-house humidifiers with a bit of skepticism, the fact of the matter is that these devices do have a place in a lot of people’s homes. They not only help to reduce the incidence of static shock incidents in the home, but they can help make the air in the home more hospital during the winter and can help keep hardwood floors in the home from drying out. And best of all, they can also reduce heating costs. All of these are reasons why we’ve decided to review the best whole house humidifiers currently available.

Quick Summary of the Best Whole House Humidifiers

Editor’s Choice: Aprilair 400 Whole House Humidifier

This unit is one of the best whole-home humidifiers currently available. It’d designed and manufactured in the U.S by Aprilaire, the company that invented whole-house evaporative humidifiers in the first place. And this means that this company knows what they’re doing and design this system with that in mind. This unit has a capacity of 17-gallons per day and is an automatic humidifier that can treat a home up to 4,000 square feet in size. That’s more than large enough for most people and will keep the average home’s humidity levels right where it should be.

This unit is capable of keeping a home’s humidity levels at approximately 35% to 45%. That’s enough to reduce the risks of respiratory infections and to help people with COPD or asthma breathe betters—particularly during the dry months of winter. And because this unit is an automatic unit, the user can set it and forget about it. That makes it a hands-free model that’s simple enough for anyone to install. Unfortunately, its ease of use doesn’t quite mean that it’s easy to install. Most consumers are going to want to hire a professional to install this unit, after all, it can be quite a difficult product to install.

What’s included with this system? This unit comes with the humidifier and its built-in bypass damper, an automatic digital humidifier control with an indoor sensor, a 24VAC transformer, an outdoor temperature sensor, a solenoid valve, # 45 water panels, and a saddle valve. Although some additional supplies may be needed to properly install this unit, for many people this system is ready to install right out of the box. All of these reasons are why we’ve decided that this whole house humidifier is one of the best ones available and perfect for just about any home.

What we liked about it
Treats up to a 4,000 square-foot home.
Has a capacity of 17-gallons per day.

Also Recommended: Aprilaire 500 Automatic Whole House Humidifier

This whole house humidifier is designed for homes up to 3,000 square feet and it has a capacity of approximately 12-gallons per day. It’s an automatic humidifier that’s equipped with dual sensors so that it’s capable of responding properly to not only the relative humidity inside of the home but is also capable of taking into account outdoor humidity as well. This is a unit that’s designed and manufactured in the United States from quality components, and that makes it one of the best whole house humidifiers available. That’s why we couldn’t resist reviewing it for our readers.

This system comes with a humidifier with a built-in bypass valve, an automatic digital control, a 24VAC transformer, a saddle valve, an outdoor temperature sensor, and a number ten water panel. This is just about everything a person would need to install this unit, but there are a few components that might need to be sourced separately. And that’s why we suggest that anyone looking to purchase this unit is sure to hire professional help installing it. it might not only need additional components to be installed, but it also happens to be a very tough installation for most DIY users.

Having said that, this model is capable of maintaining a humidity level in most homes that’s in the range of 35% to 45%. This is the range that most doctors recommend household humidity levels to be at to avoid problems with allergies, or aggravating asthma symptoms. It’s also the right humidity level to keep the wood floor and paneling from drying out and to avoid static electricity buildup from becoming a problem in the home. And since this unit has a digital control panel, it’s extremely easy to use by the average homeowner.

What we liked about it
Treats up to a 3,000 square-foot home.
Has a 12-gallon per day capacity.
It’s reasonably priced.

Also Consider: Aircare Space-Saver Evaporative Humidifier

Even though this product is a whole-house humidifier, it’s one that’s easy to use. Unlike some of the other models we’ve reviewed, this one doesn’t require the user to install it in the furnace. This means that the consumer doesn’t have to worry about installing the system themselves and also doesn’t have to worry about putting down additional money to have a professional install it. All the consumer has to do is set it up according to its instructions and it’s ready to raise humidity levels in a home up to 2,700 square feet in size. As long as the doors connecting the room where this is installed are open and there’s air circulation through the house.

This unit has a 6-gallon water capacity and is equipped with both a water refill indicator as well as a check filter indicator. It’s also equipped with Trapmax Filter Tech that provides the user with additional protection. If there was one complaint that we had about this unit, it was that it sort of felt kind of “cheap.” What we mean by that is that it’s made out of plastic and doesn’t have the durable construction that other whole-home humidifiers have. However, we’re not too surprised by that fact considering that this is one of the cheapest models currently available and doesn’t have to install into the home’s heating system.

This unit is 17.5×12.5×22.5-inches, so it’s small enough to be placed in just about any room without it getting in the way. And it does have wheels on it, so the homeowner can move it around if they need to do so. It also has several fan speeds, so the consumer can decide how fast they want the unit to add moisture to the air. Most people set it on the lowest setting, which allows it to add moisture to the air over 20-32 hours. At higher speeds, the fan can be a bit noisy, but at lower speeds, this unit is just about perfect. It’s not the best whole house humidifier, but it will definitely fit the needs of many people.

What we liked about it
Treats up to a 2,700 square feet home.
It’s doesn’t require installation.

A Guide To Whole House Humidifiers

It’s our sincerest hope that any of the whole house humidifiers are suitable for our readers. However, we understand that some people may not be interested in the models we’ve reviewed or that they might not know which ones of the ones we’ve reviewed are right for them. To help our readers make those decisions, we’ve written this guide. A guide designed to help move our readers closer to finding the whole home humidifier of their dreams.

Step One: Decide On A Whole House Humidifier Model

The first thing that the consumer is going to want to think about is what type of whole-house humidifier they need. Although there seem to be several different types of humidifiers available, most of them can be placed into one of two categories: evaporative or steam humidifiers. Let’s examine each of these more closely to see the benefits of each.

Evaporative Humidifiers

Evaporative humidifiers work by passing warm air through a ceramic pad that’s been saturated with water. The air absorbs the moisture and then distributes it throughout the home. If it’s installed into the home’s furnace, it passes it through the ductwork. These models usually feature a bypass vent pipe that closes off the airflow through the furnace’s humidifier. If it’s a standalone model, then it distributes it usually through a fan. Standalone models are easy to shut off by merely flipping a switch. 

Steam Humidifiers

Steam whole-home humidifiers work a little bit differently than evaporative humidifiers. They usually have a canister that is heated up and coverts the water contained within it into steam. For systems that require installation, these are usually installed right into the furnace’s ductwork. If the unit is a standalone unit, then the steam is distributed through a fan. 

Step Two: Decide On A Capacity

The next thing that the homeowner will definitely need to consider is to choose the right capacity for their home. The consumer needs to factor in the size of their home to determine which model is right for them. Fortunately, whole-home humidifiers are available with sizes of anywhere from 500 square feet up to 4,000 square feet or bigger. 

Step Three: Consider Ease Of Installation

Another thing worth thinking about is just how easy the unit is to install. If the homeowner is capable of installing a whole-home humidifier directly into their furnace, or are at least capable of hiring a professional to do it, then they’re better off purchasing a model that connects directly to the furnace. This will allow humidity to be better distributed over the entirety of the home and do it without the homeowner having to leave all of the doors in their home wide open. 

If the thought of installing a home humidifier is scary, then the homeowner might want to think about getting a standalone unit. These models are usually less expensive than installed models, but they’re easier to install. Unfortunately, the main drawback of these models is that they don’t evenly distribute moisture throughout the entire home. 

Other Features To Think About

The above features are the most important features that the homeowner needs to think about before purchasing their next whole-home humidifier. However, although those are the most important features, those aren’t the only features that the homeowner is going to want to keep in mind. There are several other features worth thinking about; Features that extend the usefulness of the unit or makes them easier to use. Let’s examine some of these features and see if they might be important to the homeowner. 

  • Dual Sensors For Monitoring Indoor/Outdoor Humidity
  • Controls To Set Minimum and Maximum Fan Speeds
  • Blower Activation On/Off Switch
  • LCD Control Panels
  • Transformers & Valves Necessary For Installation
  • Manual Or Automatic Settings

And that’s all there is to finding and using a whole-house humidifier. If the user takes the time to find the best one for their particular home and circumstances, then they can walk away with a product that provides them with years of faithful service. We believe that every home would be better with a home humidifier installed in it to keep humidity levels at levels where they should be. After all, a home with the proper humidity levels is one in which people with respiratory problems find it easier to breathe and a home where there are fewer instances of allergies and sinus infections. If that sounds good, then be sure to buy a whole house humidifier and get it set up. Your lungs and your nasal passages will thank you for it.