If you frequently suffer from a scratchy or sore throat and/or dry skin, you might be suffering from poor indoor air quality. But, while a portable humidifier or single-room humidifier can help you achieve healthy humidity levels in the small spaces of your home, you need a different type of humidifier if you want to affect your entire house. This is where a whole home humidifier comes in.

Rather than having to take care of your household humidity issues in batches, a whole home humidifier helps you achieve proper humidity levels in every part of your house all at once!

However, as there are a wide variety of whole house humidifiers and several installation requirements you have to consider in each case, it isn’t always easy to pick the best appliance for you here.

That’s why our team tested over 30 different units to find the best whole house humidifiers for air quality issues in modern homes!

Here are our top picks.

1. Aprilaire 500 Whole Home Humidifier Automatic Compact Furnace Humidifier

Different homes have different attributes, and, by extension, unique indoor air quality issues. As such, no single whole home humidifier can satisfy the air humidity requirements of every single space.

That being said, the Aprilaire 500 Whole Home Humidifier Automatic Compact Furnace Humidifier comes pretty close.

This is because this type of humidifier has the right mix of features and operational efficiency to raise the square footage of most modern homes to an adequate moisture level.

We say this because this whole home humidifier is designed to run around the clock and doesn’t have the water tank capacity limitation that’s common in the average single-room humidifier.

With a coverage space of 3,000 square feet or 300+ cubic feet, it’ll raise your entire house to the optimal humidity level you want once you configure the settings.

One reason this device seems so great at optimizing the constant flow of moisture in any space is that it possesses dual sensors. The first is for monitoring outside temperature, and the second is an advanced air quality sensor for assessing humidity levels indoors.

Thanks to this, you’ll always be able to maintain consistent levels of humidity in your home, no matter how hot or cold it is outside! 

Why It’s Great: 

• Its dual sensors help it maintain optimal humidity levels automatically and consistently.
• It doesn’t cost a lot to run.
• It comes at an affordable price.
• It comes fitted with a digital control system for easier use.
• It’s highly durable. 

What Could Be Improved: 

• It has high installation costs.
• DIY installation automatically forfeits warranty coverage and comes with additional cost considerations.

 

2. Aprilaire 700M Manual Fan Powered Furnace Humidifier

With a constant flow capacity of 280 cubic feet per minute, you’ll never have to worry about having a low moisture level anywhere in the entire house again!

The powerful fans of this humidifier ensure you have access to a constant and consistent healthy humidity level by supplying your home with up to 18 gallons of water per day. This won’t only eliminate all dryness from the air, but it’ll also ensure your space is cooler and easier to relax in.

Allergy sufferers may also find this type of whole home humidifier to be a valuable addition to their space, particularly in the spring. This is because it’s designed to make the air purer and alleviate allergy symptoms and a wide variety of respiratory conditions.

This manual fan-powered furnace humidifier may also prove very useful if you have a wooden floor or furniture, as it can help prevent these wooden surfaces from warping and cracking due to dry air.

It’s the ideal choice for people who want to achieve their preferred humidity level without stress! 

Why It’s Great: 

• You don’t need to wire or use a digital humidistat with this appliance as it comes with a far better automatic humidistat built-in.
• It can function as an evaporative and steam humidifier.
• It has superior ease of installation so you can cut professional labor costs.
• It’s one of the best substitutes for bypass models. 

What Could Be Improved: 

• The warranty is void if the unit installation isn’t performed by an air conditioning professional.
• You need to buy a lot of parts to properly install the unit, which wracks up its additional cost considerations significantly.

 

3. Honeywell Home HE240A Whole House Humidifier

A truly affordable humidifier option, the Honeywell HE240A can help you easily get all the health benefits of maintaining optimal humidity levels in your home without breaking the bank. 

While this type of humidifier relies on a corded electric installation format to raise the moisture levels in your entire house, you’ll barely feel its impact on your utility bills as it’s designed to be energy-efficient.

It’s remarkably water-efficient too, and it uses as little water as possible to achieve adequate humidity levels thanks to its PerfectFlo water distribution system.

We found its ease of installation quite impressive, as all you have to do is mount it on the return duct of your forced-air furnace or any adequate source of warm air supply, and you can achieve optimal humidity levels within mere hours!

And, thanks to its unique flow-through design, this furnace-mounted model stays clean while it regulates the moisture levels in your home.

This whole home humidifier also comes with a 1-year warranty, so you get a lot for your money. 

Why It’s Great: 

• It’s available at a very competitive price.
• It’s energy and water-efficient.
• It doesn’t require professional installation services to set up.
• It comes with a 1-year warranty.
• It comes with all necessary installation components so you don’t have to incur any additional cost.
• It’s perfect for ensuring adequate moisture in smaller homes. 

What Could Be Improved: 

• Solenoid issues may appear after use for long periods of time.
• The setup instructions may be challenging for new DIYers to follow.
• It may get a little noise after consistent use. 

 

4. Vornado Evap40 Evaporative Humidifier with Adjustable Humidistat

Sometimes a portable humidifier is too small for your space, but a central home humidifier is way too big. If this is your situation and you want to achieve your preferred humidity level, you need a humidifier that’s small enough yet has enough power and efficiency to cover your entire home.

In essence, you need the Vornado Evap40!

Three things make this appliance the perfect humidifier for homes on the smaller side.

First, it has 3 fan speeds that you can choose from, giving you greater control over the moisture level of your space. Secondly, it boasts one of the most advanced vortex actions in whole home humidifiers, helping it spread air humidity more evenly.

Lastly, its large capacity twin tanks complement its advanced air quality sensor to give you a complete day’s worth of moisture, even at the highest fan speeds.

Maintaining proper humidity levels indoors just got easier! 

Why It’s Great:

• It features simple controls.
• It comes at a very competitive price.
• It comes with an adjustable humidistat.
• It has an impressive vortex action that enhances rapid moisture circulation.
• It has a noiseless operation.
• It requires zero annual humidifier maintenance services. 

What Could Be Improved: 

• It should have an automatic shutoff feature that activates when the twin tanks are empty.
• The filter shouldn’t require replacement as often.
• The adjustable humidistat could be more sensitive. 

 

5. Aprilaire – 800Z 800 Automatic Steam Humidifier

The Aprilaire 800Z Automatic Steam Humidifier is to larger homes what the Vornado Evap40 is to smaller ones.

While it won’t win the award for the most affordable whole house humidifier on the market, it will regulate air humidity in modern homes as large as 6,200 square feet!

One additional benefit of owning this unit is that you don’t need to use purified water with it as it comes fitted with special heating rods that allow ordinary tap water use. It also comes with dual sensors that swing into action once you set the digital humidistat.

Our favorite thing about this unit is that it comes with an alarm feature that alerts you when there’s an issue with the drainage system, steam production, or water supply setup. This eliminates guesswork and helps you maintain the humidifier more efficiently.

If you have a large home and you’re looking for the perfect set-and-forget device to maintain proper humidity levels, you just found it! 

Why It’s Great: 

• Once set up, it doesn’t have demanding running costs.
• Its dual sensors help it automatically maintain your preferred humidity level.
• It has an impressive 5-year warranty.
• It doesn’t require purified water to run.
• It has an impressive humidification process, particularly in the summer and winter months.

What Could Be Improved: 

• Professional humidifier installation services are required for this unit.
• This humidifier is super pricey. 

 

How to Choose the Perfect Whole Home Humidifier

As we mentioned earlier, different homes come with unique variables. The best way to pick a humidifier that meets all your needs is to consider the following factors:

The Type and Level of Efficiency of the Humidifier

Whole home humidifiers can be broadly divided into two groups. Some humidifiers function as a freestanding unit, while others need to be connected to your current HVAC system.

Units that fall in the latter category are further divided into:

1. Steam Humidifiers

Also referred to as furnace humidifier models, these units use a water panel and channel the heat from the furnace rather than generate their own.

2. Fan Humidifiers

These use a humidifier pad that’s soaked in water to increase the moisture levels in the home. They don’t use heat at all and release the water particles via the ducts.

3. Steam Humidifiers

Considered to be the most powerful type of humidifier, steam models come with a steam canister. The canister builds up heat and converts water into steam or water vapor that is then released through your ventilation system into various parts of your home.

The Water Tank Capacity and Runtime

This ties back to whether you connect your humidifier to your HVAC system or run it as a standalone unit. The former doesn’t have a specific water tank capacity since its water consumption is continuous.

For console-style humidifiers, the water tank size and runtime are important because that’s ultimately what determines how often you’ll have to refill the water tanks

The Humidifier’s Coverage Space

This variable is influenced by the type and capacity of your humidifier.

As an example, a console-style humidifier will typically only give you about 2,000-4,000 square feet of coverage space. In addition to this, its humidity control won’t extend to rooms with closed doors.

On the other hand, units you connect to your HVAC system give you a much higher cubic feet coverage and will also affect the humidity levels of rooms with closed doors.

These units will increase your utility bills more than a console-style humidifier though.

The Ease of Use

Most whole house humidifiers come with a built-in humidistat. This device is critical for not only ensuring that your air moisture stays at a comfortable level but also preventing excess moisture buildup.

The humidity also helps you automatically manage water and power consumption with minimal manual input.

Ease of use is enhanced on console-style humidifier systems by the presence of a water-monitoring feature that initiates automatic shutoff if the water level drops too low.

The Presence of Additional Features

Other key features that can help you get more out of whole house humidifiers include multiple fan speed options, digital controls, and smart controls for increased user comfort.

FAQs

1. Does Using a Humidifier Have Any Health Benefits?

Yes, it does.

It keeps your skin cooler and less dry. Also, it can help better manage various respiratory conditions, especially in the winter months.

2. Is a Whole Home Humidifier Safe?

Yes, it is.

You just need to make sure that it’s properly installed and maintained properly. It also helps to not push it beyond the humidity levels recommended by the EPA.

3. Does a Humidifier Have Any Adverse Health Effects?

In some cases, yes.

If the unit isn’t properly used, it may contribute to excess moisture buildup which can lead to an increased potential for mold growth and other bacteria growth.

Another potential cause of problems is stagnant water. It’s vital to always clean out and properly store your water tank when you’re not using it.

Conclusion

You can’t afford to rush when picking the best whole house humidifier for your space. Our review only touched on a few of the great products out there, so you might not have found exactly what you need.

However, you should be able to use our guide to identify the most important qualities you want your whole home humidifier to have.

Either way, be sure to let us know how that goes in the comment sections below!

You can also check out the best maintenance practices for your humidifier here.