If you want a humidifier that will be connected to your entire home and that would also be connected to the ducts in your home, then the whole house ones are the ideal way to go.
These are also often called central humidifiers, and they can be used for both cooling and even heating the home.
There are plenty of types of humidifiers that you need to consider to pick the right one for your needs, so here is everything you must know about the whole house or central humidifiers.
The more you know about these machines, the more informed a choice you would be able to make about which one will be right for you. First, you need to know what we think of some of the top models on the market and what this is, and how it works.
Next, you need to make sure that you are thinking about when it comes to the machines, such as the replacement parts, the initial cost, and much more.
Keep reading on to find out how you can make the right choice for your needs and how to find the machine that would fit your needs.
Table of Contents
What is a Central Humidifier?
You might be wondering just what a central humidifier might be, and this machine would infuse the home air with some extra water. You can pick and choose from various models for your needs, like console, tabletop, central, and even portable options.
However, the central option we are talking about is hard-wired to work with your air conditioning and heating units and even connect to the plumbing system.
This would ensure that all moisture is spread throughout the entire house due to the ducts’ use rather than just a single room. In addition, these are permanent installations that would work for years, which means they will save you money over time and are very efficient.
This is a great option that you can have installed in your home that would work all year round, no matter what you need it.
Why should you have to worry about purchasing a unit for every room if you don’t have to when you can save yourself money by installing one that can work as a heating and cooling system when needed?
How Does a Central Humidifier Work?
The central or whole-house humidifier needs to be installed and attached to your current ducts in the home, close to the furnace. This would also have to be connected to the water supply from your home, and you would need to consider different types of machines.
If you are using the humidifier, there would either be a pad, a drum that rotates, or a steaming system to distribute the water throughout the home.
When this machine is running, the water would continuously run over the pad where the water is collected by the drums or created into steam. This would be dependent on the type of machine you have purchased, and then the air is pushed into the ducts from the humidifier.
This means more evaporated water in the ducts, which is then pushed throughout your home. This is the best way to increase the humidity levels throughout your whole house without having to purchase numerous portable machines to get the work done.
It would help if you also considered which will be the right method of operation for you, including the amount of maintenance required and what parts you will have to replace regularly.
Top 5 Best Whole House (Central) Humidifiers
There are so many central humidifiers that you can purchase for your home, and sometimes it can be a confusing process.
However, if you tell us about the top 5 humidifiers, we can help make a choice easier for you and your house, so here is what we have to say.
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Aprilaire 600M Whole-House Humidifier
For those who want a whole-house humidifier that is easy to use, the Aprilaire 600M whole-house humidifier will be ideal.
This is also low maintenance since the filter would only need to be cleaned once a year if your house doesn’t have hard water. This also can cover your whole house or around 4,000 square feet, which is a huge home.
It is also effortless to install, and if you have the right tools, you can do this yourself without hiring experts. Aprilaire 600M Whole-House Humidifier can also have an output of around 3 gallons every hour of humidity, much more than some of the other available models on the market.
Those who have used this model have said that it is the best one within the $150 range and has great and easy usage. Read its bigger brother Aprilaire Model 700. Full review here.
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Honeywell HE360A1075 HE360A Whole House Humidifier
Honeywell HE360A is a great unit that you can have installed, and that would take care of your entire home up to 4,200 square feet in size. A distribution tray for the water ensures that there is even distribution within the air so that your entire home gets the same amount of extra moisture. In addition, there is wall mounted humidistat that allows you to easily change the humidity level you want in the house based on the season you are in.
Honeywell HE360A1075 HE360A Whole House Humidifier is also a very lightweight model, and it only weighs 18 pounds, which means that you can easily install it near any duct without issues. It also uses the flow-through design, which means you will have less maintenance that you will have to deal with, so you can save money over time. Many people who have purchased this said it was the best model they have used for under $250.
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GeneralAire 1000A Central Humidifier
If you are searching for a fan-powered unit, then the GeneralAire 1000A central humidifier will be a great model for you to buy. This can be directly installed onto the ducts and then injects moisture into the air of your home, and it can release around 18 gallons daily. In addition, it has a digital automatic humidistat, which makes changing the settings even easier than before.
It also has a monitor for the outdoor temperature to calculate the current dew point, which allows it to compensate and change the temperate controls when needed. However, if you want to purchase a model that lets you do both manual and automatic settings, this is the right one. Those who have purchased and used this model say that it is the top one they recommend within $500.
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Honeywell HE240A2001 HE240A Whole House Humidifier
Even if you have a smaller home of around 3,000 square feet, the Honeywell HE240A2001 HE240A whole house humidifier will be ideal for all of your needs. It uses the evaporative method to ensure all of the air is getting the same amount of moisture. You can also adjust the humidistat to whatever levels you want and turn it off when the device doesn’t need to be used or if you won’t be home.
Also, the maintenance of this machine will be easy since you don’t have to clean the filter; instead, you can purchase a new one and keep the unit working. This device is easy to install, but you might want to have the experts keep the time required down. Everyone who has purchased this says that it is the best option that they have found that is within the $200 range.
Pros
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Aprilaire 700 Whole House Fan Powered Humidifier
This is a fan-based humidifier, and the Aprilaire 700 whole house fan-powered humidifier is ideal for those who have a larger budget. This unit has a capacity of around 0.75 gallons every hour, which is one of the highest capacities available. Aprilaire 700 Whole House Fan Powered Humidifier can handle a large home of around 4,200 square feet, and it is going to work during all of the seasons without any issues.
If you want something that would make usage easier, then the digital and automatic humidistat that comes with this unit is perfect. Those who have purchased it have loved the machine and how much moisture it puts in the air, and they say it is one of the top models within $300.
Pros
Cons
These are just some of the top models currently on the market, and they have all the various advantages, disadvantages, and features that you need to consider. If you don’t know which one to go for, then make sure to compare these top 5 units so that you can choose the one that would fit your needs. Consider everything carefully when you decide which one you would want to purchase and what type will fit your needs the best.
What’s It Going to Cost Me?
Everyone will be asking about and thinking about when they consider having a whole house or central humidifier installed is price. There will be varying prices that you would be looking at, which would depend on the type of model you are going for. If you are going for the basic model, you can find the machine for around $150-$200 if you don’t want anything fancy.
However, not only do you have to consider the price of the unit that you are going to purchase, but you are also going to have to think about the costs of having it installed. You would need to have an HVAC expert come to your home and have it installed along with all needed supplies. Get a few estimates to find what they are saying are the costs regarding the required supplies and installation. The more estimates you get, the easier you would be to save yourself money by finding the lowest bid, including the labor, the parts, and even the unit if that is how you are purchasing it.
There are units for all price points, but you should make sure that you consider what features you will want before making a final price decision. Ensure that you have looked at what you can afford and get detailed estimates to figure out what you have to pay and what will be included. Another additional cost that you will have to think about is the installation kit that oftentimes doesn’t come in the unit.
Central Humidifier Pros and Cons vs. Portable Units
There will be numerous pros and cons that should be known about the central humidifiers and the portable units. The more you know about this, the easier it would be to choose the central ones. However, if you are searching for something that can handle your entire home, you want a central humidifier rather than the portable one. Some of the best information that you need to be aware of regarding these different types of machines includes:
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Central humidifier advantages
- Works for entire houses up to around 4,500 square feet
- Increased levels of comfort as moisture are added to the air.
- Better health since you can avoid dry skin, easy spreading of colds and flu, and even respiratory infections
- Lower damage to the inside of your home from dry air, including wood furniture splitting or warping
- It saves energy and money in your home.
- Very durable and will last for many years before needing to be replaced.
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Portable humidifier advantages
- More affordable than the central humidifiers
- Ability to move the machine around to various rooms based on the needs
- Lower usage of energy over time
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Central humidifier disadvantages
- Requires installation by an HVAC professional
- It needs regular maintenance done by professionals to keep it operating smoothly.
- It can be expensive to purchase at the very beginning
- Most often, the installation kit would need to be purchased separately.
- Replacement parts can be a bit on the expensive side.
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Portable humidifier disadvantages
- It can only handle smaller rooms and not an entire home
- Not permanent like the central systems
- Not as long-lasting as the central system
- Water would need to be refilled regularly.
If you know the advantages and disadvantages of both types of machines, you can use this as a way to choose which one is the best for you. This is just some information you need to know that can help you decide what you want to do and what will benefit you the best.
Central Air Humidifier Maintenance
You will have to do many things when it comes to the maintenance of these units, and sometimes it would be better to hire experts to handle it. The maintenance would depend on the type of unit you have purchased, and the entire unit would have to be taken apart to get to the main elements. Once the main elements have been removed, they can be cleaned and dried off before replacing them. However, there will also be parts that can’t be cleaned, but need to be replaced, so make sure that you have spares on hand for when this would need to be changed out.
This maintenance would need to be done regularly, including at the end of the winter and before using it for heating. This is important since if you don’t keep the elements clean, they won’t work as efficiently as they have been. The experts would tell you when you would need to schedule your next appointment to get the cleaning done, saving you money in the long run. The experts can also ensure that everything is put back together properly when the cleaning is done, preventing any damage from leaking water or other issues.
Proper maintenance is something you should always make sure you are doing because when the experts are looking at the unit, they can see if any other problems might be cropping up. However, if you don’t want to hire experts to do all of the work, you can do part of it by keeping your unit’s exterior clean. This can be done using warm water or even vinegar water, and you would need to wipe them down thoroughly to get all dirt, debris, and other items off. Every few months, this needs to be done to keep the dirt and debris from getting into the system and the air you and your family breathe.
Final Thoughts
There are so many different models and units for central humidifiers that it can be hard to decide which one to purchase. However, if you know what others have thought about the various models, you can make the right choice, including knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Another thing to consider is the price and how much you would pay for the entire unit installed in your home.
We think that all of these units that we have reviewed are great, and they can fit any budget that you might have, so go ahead and think about which one is right for you. They are all perfect for your entire home, and they can be installed by experts to ensure that you are getting the right humidity level for your needs. So why not keep your family healthy and save money at the same time by installing one of the central units rather than purchasing smaller machines that won’t last as long or have as much efficiency or power in terms of output?
