“Whole-house humidifiers treat the whole space, which is a benefit to treating a local area,” says Vinny Lobdell, founder and past president of Healthway family of brands and Intellipure Inc. “They can be easily controlled by a thermostat or a connected device to add moisture to the entire home instead of one individual room or space.” Our top pick, the Aircare Digital Whole-House Pedestal-Style Evaporative Humidifier, works like a portable humidifier and is easy to set up but still provides enough power to monitor and adjust the humidity levels in an entire home. It also has a sleek design that doesn’t need to be out of sight. Here are the best whole-house humidifiers. The digital controls allow you to adjust the humidity level, speed, and power, and you can choose from nine fan speeds. The display also reports the current humidity level in your home. When it reaches the target humidity level you set, it automatically shuts off. There is also an automatic shutoff when the unit is empty, so you needn’t worry about it burning out or becoming a fire hazard. This unit is good for homes up to 2,400 square feet but can work for most one- or two-bedroom houses, as well as larger apartments. If you have a larger space or multiple floors you need to monitor, it may not be powerful enough. It does not need to be connected to the ductwork, which makes setup easy. Price at time of publish: $165 Cleaning this unit is also very easy. “Although moisture is an important element to a healthy home or building, too much moisture can create the perfect breeding ground for mold,” says Lobdell. “Ensuring the relative humidity is set accurately and that your machine is cleaned frequently will help limit any chance of mold forming and growing inside the humidifier or in the home." If you have hard water, this is an especially important step to maintaining your whole-house humidifier. The Aircare Mini-Console also has built-in evaporative wicks that trap mineral deposits. You need to replace these periodically, depending on your water, which adds to the overall cost. Price at time of publish: $125 You might be tempted to use this humidifier as a real credenza, but we strongly recommend not to, since the top must be clear for the moisturized air to circulate into your home. It is also made of plastic, which makes it better for long-term use but may clash with your idea of a sturdy, wooden credenza. It weighs 23 pounds before being filled with 5.6 gallons of water, making it pretty heavy to move. Fortunately, it comes with four casters that help you slide it in place easily. The water tanks also come out when they need to be filled. Price at time of publish: $195 The system has a digital display that shows the humidity level, an indicator light that shows it is running properly, a notification to change the water panel and for required maintenance, and whether the unit is set to continuous monitoring. You can also adjust the humidifier so it will only kick on when the furnace runs. This is great for homes that tend to become dry in the winter or when the heat is on. Price at time of publish: $195 The unit comes with 3 feet of ductwork that is compatible with most furnaces, as well as the collars needed to install it. The thermostat wiring is also included, as well as a sensing relay. Also included are supply and drain tubes, although you may need to figure out how to connect them, depending on your system. If this all sounds confusing, it’s best to opt for professional installation. Price at time of publish: $210 The larger size means the unit takes up more space than its cousins, measuring 18 inches tall, almost 16 inches wide, and almost 11 inches deep. It can be mounted, but make sure you have enough space for the unit and the required ductwork, tubes, and wiring. It is also a bit more expensive, although still a great value for the performance. Price at time of publish: $325 This unit’s digital control displays the current humidity level, and a manual dial lets you adjust among seven fan speeds. The steam canister also is included in this expensive kit, as are all the tubing and wiring. You can purchase this product in one of two models: needing air ducts (lower price) and not. We’ve noted that the air ducts can be complicated to install. And even with a detailed diagram, the electrics alone are difficult for the average homeowner to tackle. You may want to get the help of a professional for installation. Price at time of publish: $810 You need to manually adjust the target humidity via a dial on the control panel, which has an “off” setting in addition to 15 percent, 25 percent, 35 percent, and 45 percent humidity levels. There are recommended settings based on the outside temperature for optimum use and comfort. Price at time of publish: $285 We like that this whole-house humidifier mounts directly to a furnace for evenly distributed moisture throughout homes up to 3,000 square feet. The evaporative design means that you won’t see any mist coming out of your vents. Whole house humidifiers are generally larger and more powerful than their portable counterparts and they connect to your home’s ductwork to move air throughout the space. Freestanding units don’t require as much setup but take up more room. Installed units can be more expensive, although this is not always the case. The cost of having a pro connect it to your existing system does add to the overall cost.
Coverage Area
Look for a whole house humidifier designed for the size of your home. Too large or too small, and you may find uneven humidity levels, which could result in physical discomfort and even promote mold growth. Homes larger than 3,000 square feet often require larger, more powerful systems or those that can connect to the ductwork.
Warranty and Service
You should check your whole-house humidifier periodically to make sure that it is working properly. Small issues can become big problems if water is not draining properly or if the system is having electrical malfunctions. Some whole-house humidifiers come with warranties that cover service; others cover defects or broken parts.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written by Katie Melynn, a freelance writer specializing in home and family products. Katie has been writing for The Spruce since 2019. To learn more about ways to keep the indoor air in your home comfortable and safe, she talked to Vinny Lobdell, founder and past president of Healthway family of brands and Intellipure Inc. Lobdell is an air quality expert and global entrepreneur with more than 25 years of indoor air quality experience. He shared ways that whole house humidifiers can improve overall air quality, steps to take to keep them clean, and when to call in a professional. However you proceed, avoid cutting corners, advises Vinny Lobdell, founder and past president of the Healthway family of brands and Intellipure Inc. “The HVAC system is essentially the lungs to the home,” he reminds, “and if something is not installed properly, it could have an adverse implication on the heating, cooling, or ventilation of the system. Anytime you are installing a mechanism into an existing HVAC system, I always recommend professional installation.”
