I’m sure you’ve heard all the reasons you should get a humidifier. It can add moisture to a room, treat dry skin, hair, sinus, and a sore throat. But where is the right spot to put it?
Before you turn on your humidifier, read this guide to learn our 11 tips on where to put a humidifier in your home.
I’ll be going over what you need to know about which part of your home to place it and which ones to avoid!
Where in the House Should You Place Your Humidifier?
You should place your humidifier in any part of the home that needs humidity. Your kitchen or bathroom is far less likely to encounter excessive moisture.
So, you don’t need to put a humidifier in these areas.
If you have a larger living room that requires some moisture, place it in the spot where people congregate.
If your living room includes three huge sofas and a piano, let it stand close to everyone’s favorite couch.
It is also ideal to place your hygrometer close to your humidifier. It lets you understand the humidity at home, especially if your humidifier does not have a built-in humidistat. This way, you’ll know if your humidifier keeps your space at 30% to 50% RH.
Why Can’t You Place a Humidifier in the Bathroom?
You can’t place a humidifier in the bathroom because it can cause mold or mildew buildup. Your bathroom and kitchen are already moist enough after cooking or bathing. What they need is a dehumidifier to eliminate the excess moisture.
Is it Okay to Sleep Beside Your Humidifier?
It is acceptable to sleep next to a humidifier as long as it is within the appropriate distance. A humidifier will eliminate dry air and produce moisture as you lay in bed, giving you a good night’s sleep.
A humidifier is essential in the winter. It avoids seasonal inflammation and irritation of the skin, sinuses, and lips. You don’t have to worry about waking up with chapped lips and unhealthy hair!
However not all humidifiers are made equally. It is essential to know which humidifiers are safe for bedtime use and which ones are not. For instance, do you need a large humidifier to cover the entire bedroom? Or will it make your room overly damp?
What Type of Humidifier Should I Get for Sleeping?
A humidifier will help you sleep more soundly at night. This is especially true for those who live in a dry climate. Have a peek at these essential features to look for when getting a bedroom humidifier.
Ultrasonic Humidifier
There are three types of humidifiers to pick. An ultrasonic humidifier is the latest technology you can try that produces a visible mist through a high frequency. This energy then sends vibrations through the water.
Evaporative Humidifier
An evaporative humidifier is a common humidifier type that uses a wick filter, fan, and water reservoir. It uses a more straightforward system that adds humidity to any room, like a cool-mist humidifier.
Central Humidifier
The third type of humidifier is the central humidifier. It comes pre-installed in your home’s HVAC system, so purchasing them for a room may not be practical. It is effective at offering humidity but can be expensive if you only want a quick fix.
Ultra sonic Humidifier
An ultrasonic humidifier is better for bedtime use because it can stabilize your room’s moisture more quietly. It will help you with bloody noses, sore throat, snoring, and breathing issues. You’ll also stay more hydrated and refreshed compared to other models.
I also recommend getting an ultrasonic humidifier instead of an evaporative one because it is more silent, easier to clean, and there’s no heat. It consumes less energy, making your electric bills lower.
Operating a cool-mist humidifier at night guarantees a good night’s sleep knowing you are safely humidifying your space. You don’t need to worry about risks like scalding.
Cool Mist vs. Warm Mist
Both warm and cold mist is okay for bedtime use. However ultrasonic humidifiers that produce a cool mist are better. It hydrates and refreshes your bedroom while using less electricity.
Cool-mist humidifiers are also safer than warm mist for children. While warm mist features a quiet operation, it can present a burn risk. If your baby knocks a humidifier over, hot water might spill on the ground.
A cool-mist humidifier is typically more affordable. It is also ideal for hot and dry climates. You don’t want to feel hotter when you live in a warm yet dry area.
Quiet Humidifier
There’s no reason to get a humidifier that makes a lot of noise while you’re trying to sleep.
Sleep disruptions can lead to insufficient muscle recovery, migraines, emotional distress, and performance deficits.
A quiet humidifier will put you into a deep sleep without interruptions. You can also reap the advantages of a silent humidifier even if you’re not sleeping. You will feel and look better when using a cool-mist, quiet, ultrasonic humidifier.
Should a Humidifier Run All Night?
Many people hesitate to leave their humidifiers overnight because of safety reasons. But if you have one that is well-built from a reputable brand, you can lay to sleep while it’s operating. It will safely create a comfortable space while vaporizing the air.
One essential factor to consider is its placement. Take a look at these other conditions to see if your humidifier can run all night.
You Should Have a Hygrometer
Some humidifiers have built-in hygrometers to ensure your room is between 30% and 50%. But their margin of error can be higher than a separate indoor hygrometer. A hygrometer or a digital humidity gauge is a tool that obtains an actual humidity reading of your space.
Don’t Use Tap Water.
Avoid using tap water to supply your humidifier because it has a high mineral content that can cause plaque and bacteria buildup in the air. Microbes and mold can also accumulate in your surroundings, including your furniture and bed.
Invest in pure, demineralized water so that only clean water will circulate in your environment. It will also avoid white stains and other colors on your furniture.
Aside from not using tap water, you should also replace the water more frequently. Doing so will extend your filter lifespan and make your room purer.
Clean the Filters Regularly
Having dirty filters means you’re breathing air that isn’t entirely purified. Instead of feeling better at home, you become more vulnerable to respiratory infections.
That said, it is necessary to clean the filters several times a week, so you’ll breathe healthy air. Opening and closing the tank makes it dirtier because portions of dust get inside it.
Cleaning the filter is an easy process. Just let it soak in white vinegar and distilled water for twenty minutes. Once you’ve followed all these conditions, you can finally run your humidifier overnight.
What Type of Water Do You Use in a Humidifier?
The number one kind of water to avoid is tap water. Use these types of water instead.
Distilled Water
Distilled water is boiled water that has cooled down. It is an easy way to get rid of impurities like salt, minerals, and bacteria. It works by trapping the steam with the lid to turn it back into clean water.
Since impurities cannot rise, only distilled water remains in the container. Aside from boiling, you may also buy distilled water in stores. These commercially available products undergo an additional filtration process for 100% purity.
Demineralized Water
Demineralized water is another type of water you can use for your humidifier. The process involves removing the dissolved minerals through membrane filtration or deionization.
Other methods for demineralizing include electrodialysis, which is more economical than distillation.
But unlike distillation, demineralization cannot remove viruses and bacteria. It is also not for drinking because it tastes gross and does not quench thirst. Despite this, demineralized water can only contain up to 1mg of minerals per liter.
How to Prevent Mold in Humidifiers
One concern you might have about your humidifier and its nearby objects is mold accumulation. Add these ingredients to your water to keep the space clean:
- White Vinegar. Add a cup of white vinegar to a water tank to prevent mold.
- Humidifier Tablets. If you dislike the smell of vinegar, drop a humidifier tablet.
- Tea Tree Oil. This antibacterial essential oil can prevent mold buildup too.
- Chlorine Bleach. Make sure only to add a small amount.
What to Consider When Positioning Your Humidifier
There are many areas to choose from when determining your humidifier placement. But consider these three factors so you can optimize your environment.
Proximity to Objects
Your humidifier must not be in the same spot as any object that shouldn’t be wet. This device adds moisture to the air. Sometimes, droplets of water also form when it produce too much mist.
The excess moisture condensates on nearby objects like your rug, books, or nightstand. Keep these objects away from your humidifier, along with electronics and wooden pieces of furniture.
Portable humidifiers need refilling and cleaning too. So your placement option should be somewhere accessible.
Room Size
Measure the smallness or largeness of the room that you want to increase humidity. If it’s small enough for your humidifier to cover, you can place it away from where you usually stay. For example, try positioning your humidifier at the edge of your small bedroom.
Keep the device close to you if you have a large room and a compact humidifier. The ideal distance is around three feet away from your bed or couch. You can also put it in a central location to guarantee an even distribution.
Airflow
Avoid barriers and other restrictions to airflow when choosing the right location for your humidifier. Obstructions like walls, doors, and cabinets can lead to excess moisture in a remote location. Avoid air vents and windows because they will interfere with your humidity readings.
11 Tips on Where to Place a Humidifier
Humidifiers have proven to provide distinct differences in our health and comfort. But their effectiveness depends on where you put them. Here are eleven tips on where to place a humidifier.
1. Place Large Humidifiers on the Floor.
Manufacturers recommend putting large humidifiers on the floor, especially if it’s tall. The rule is to position it on a flat area if it’s over 2 feet in height and has wheels. If it’s short without wheels, you can arrange them on tabletops.
However placing humidifiers on the floor may also have downsides. For instance, it may not increase the moisture level in higher parts of the room.
2. Place Ultrasonic Humidifiers Close to Your Couch or Bed.
Placing your ultrasonic humidifier close to your bed is ideal for anyone with asthma or respiratory issues. But make sure that it doesn’t create loud noises to interfere with your sleep.
Light sleepers need to locate their humidifier at a safe distance because the mist and sound can interfere with sleep. Have a stable platform close to the couch where you can let your device stand. It will guarantee an even spreading of the mist throughout the night.
You can also place your ultrasonic humidifier in a spot where you’re always lounging. It can be your bed, reading nook, or couch. It’s the perfect location for when you want to use it at night.
3. Place it Away from Your Bed.
Sometimes, positioning your humidifier beside your bed isn’t the optimal choice for your space. Place it at least 3 feet away from your bed. This distance is perfect because it’s close enough to moisten your atmosphere but far enough to trigger dry sinuses.
Placing your device close to your bed can trigger allergy symptoms because of mold accumulation. Others may experience cold or allergy flare-ups.
4. Ultrasonic Humidifiers Should be High.
They say ultrasonic humidifiers work best when they are on top. Placing it very low on the ground promotes moisture output on the floor. The mist droplets only accumulate on the floor instead of ensuring proper air circulation.
5. Position it on Your Table.
You can’t go wrong with putting your ultrasonic models on top of your table. Placing it on your center table ensures the even distribution of mist around your room. But its size shouldn’t be too big, so it won’t fall off the tabletop.
Cool mist humidifiers that are short also benefit from a tabletop position. It allows the device to dissipate more moisture into the air.
If your portable humidifier has a modern design, it will look lovely, like a piece of furniture emitting water vapor! Have a cloth or water-resistant tray to collect the water if it leaks.
6. Keep Warm Mist Humidifiers Away from Kids.
There are no rules on whether to place warm-mist humidifiers high or low. But a correct location would be anywhere away from children. You may secure it at an elevated height or an inaccessible corner of the house.
An evaporative humidifier generates heat. It can be a safety hazard if there is a baby or pet roaming around.
You also don’t want to place humidifiers in baby rooms, especially warm-mist ones. Moist discharge can trigger different sicknesses since babies do not have strong immunity. It also increases the risk of burning.
7. Place it In the Baby Nursery Room.
Having a humidifier in a nursery room is not advisable, but if the air in your nursery room is too dry, you may consider a cool-mist model. Make sure to keep it at a far distance for safety reasons.
Humidifiers can have plenty of benefits for babies. But they should be gentle enough to prevent dry skin, allergens, and airborne viruses. A quiet operation is also vital for your baby to have a better quality of sleep.
Avoid placing the device close to nightstands and cribs, especially if you have a toddler. They might play with it and know it down. Instead, try positioning it on top of your baby’s dresser.
Leave the door open when the machine is on, or the air will get too damp and make your baby sick. Excessive humidity can lead to mold growth. It can also cause bacterial growth, which leads to respiratory infections.
8. Proper Placement in the Kids’ Room.
Having a humidifier in your kids’ room also makes a massive difference in health. Aside from creating a comfortable bedroom at night, it keeps your kids safe from allergies.
Consider how many kids are sleeping in the room and the size of the appliance. If you have a more extensive space, you will need a giant humidifier. Put it on a solid, flat surface away from their reach so they won’t change the settings or play with it.
Avoid wooden surfaces because water droplets may cause molds and bacteria to form. And always test its effectiveness by monitoring the accurate humidity level.
9. Make Sure It’s Away from Windows.
Keep your humidifier away from windows and direct sunlight. Consider dark parts of your bedroom or the opposite of your window instead. Direct-sitting sunlight can promote algae growth in the water.
10. Where to Place Humidifiers in Your Living Room
It’s essential to have a living room humidifier, especially if you spend most of your days in the area. You also need one if you entertain a lot of guests. There are a couple of aspects you should remember in determining the perfect spot.
First, where do people congregate in your common spaces? If they enjoy hanging out on one of your sofas, place your humidifier close to it. But don’t place it too near that they have contact with water.
Experiment with the shelf or a table. Just be sure it won’t produce water damage if any leaks occur.
The second factor to consider is the consistency in humidity readings. Use your digital hygrometer to test whether the placement of the humidifier is making a difference. If the level of humidity is not consistent, adjust the nozzle to make it spray in another location.
11. Positioning the Humidifier for the Whole House.
If you wish to boost the air quality in your whole home, you may consider a whole-house humidifier. You can attach whole-house humidifiers to a furnace or stand-alone, depending on your preference.
Be careful not to place your humidifier close to electrical appliances or a vent. It can produce rust on the electrical outlet. The water can also increase the risk of a short circuit.
Avoid Placing Your Humidifier in These Areas
You already know 11 good spots to place your humidifier around the house. But it is also essential to know where you should not position it.
- Near electrical outlets. Electrical outlets can result in short circuits or rust.
- Carpets. Wet carpets can lead to mold. Use a plastic tray to protect the surface.
- Electronic appliances. Place it away from computers to avoid accidental water spills.
- Wooden furniture. Water leaks on wooden furniture can lead to warping and bending.
- High-traffic spaces. Easy-to-access spots make your device more prone to damage.
Get the Most Out of Your Humidifier
Having a humidifier at home can reduce dryness, allergens, and viruses. But you can only reap its maximum benefits if you know where to place a humidifier. Remember to position it at least three feet away from you on a flat, elevated surface.
Did you enjoy reading our tips? Knowing your humidifier’s correct distance and height can avoid home damage, sickness, and discomfort. Let us know where you placed your humidifier in the comments below!
