Humidifiers are important appliance to help keep your home healthy and comfortable.(1) When it comes to humidifiers, a lack of knowledge can make them seem a little mystifying, especially when it comes to where to place them. To get the most benefit from your humidifier, finding the right location is important!
Deciding where to put your humidifier can be confusing- should it be next to your bed? How close to the crib is best? Is it ok to put it in the living room or next to the dining table? We’ll answer all your queries on this topic by walking you from room to room.
How To Place Your Humidifier in the Bedroom
Before we start any process to setting up your humidifier, we think it’s a good idea if you use a hygrometer. What is a hygrometer? It’s a device that reads how much humidity there is in the air.
You’ll probably see that there are different levels of humidity in different areas of your bedrooms. The best spot for the humidifier is where there is the least amount of humidity, this can clear up the frustration in choosing a spot.
Where you can put your humidifier is determined by a couple of factors: how many people are sleeping in the room and the size of the humidifier. If multiple people are sharing sleeping space your humidifier should be larger. For big models the optimal place is in the corner of the room, make sure the humidifier 3 feet or more away from the bed.
Related Post: Best Humidifiers for the Bedroom
Here comes the part where it gets a little bit complicated. Depending on the type of humidifier you choose determines where it will be placed in the room. For example:
Warm-Mist Humidifiers
These are fantastic humidifiers for the common cold, allergies or general chronic congestion. Nevertheless it’s important to be careful where you place this type of humidifier(2). You need to place it far from your bed, preferably in the other corner of the room. During the day you can position it closer to the bed in order to moisten the air before you go to sleep.
Cool-Mist Humidifiers
Cool-mist humidifiers function with different mechanisms, they are much more secure to have close to you at night while you are sleeping. For instance, if you are suffering from a cold or allergy you can place it close to your bed. On non-symptomatic days it’s recommended to keep it at least 3 feet from you while you sleep.
With placement something else you should remember is to leave some separation between the device and a wall. Some machines require a specific kind of circulation to work properly. By placing the machine very close to the wall you are hindering the air intake and ability to function at full capacity.
Where Does A Humidifier Fit In My Living Room?
Placing your humidifier in the living room is a great way to offer health benefits for everyone in the household. Since you’re all awake and alert most of the time in this room you don’t have to worry as much about where the humidifier is placed. That said, there are still some suggestions for placing your humidifier in the living room.
Where Is It Needed Most?
Simply the best place for the humidifier is where moisture in the air is needed the most. In order to find the place where it’s driest, we suggest you get out of the hygrometer again. This reading tells you where in the room isn’t vulnerable to mold, mildew, other water damage. Make sure to place the humidifier a good distance from the following items: technology, wooden furniture and electrical sockets.
Think About Room Size
When choosing the size of your humidifier and where to place it, it’s important to consider the room size. If you have a small humidifier in a large room it may not do too much, likewise if you have a big humidifier in the small room it may make the room too moist and cause problems later on.
Eventually living in an over humidified environment could make you feel sick, particularly if you are already susceptible to allergens.(3) Medium or large rooms are best for humidifiers and they can be placed basically anywhere. These machines will distribute the steam equally throughout the room.
Avoid Radiators and Vents
One last thing you’ll want to remember is to keep the humidifier away from radiators or vents. Putting the device near a source of heat could be dangerous and it also might confuse the humidity readings. If your humidifier has a hygrometer buil-t into it, it will give false readings due to low humidity in the air from the heating source. Overcompensating for the low reading it will pump out more mist than is necessary.
What’s the Best Place For A Humidifier?
You can put your humidifier on a table or on the floor, it depends on the context. Bigger humidifiers aren’t great for a table or stand as they could fall over easily if pushed by a pet or child.
If you’re interested in placing the machine on the floor it’s important to have a covering between the device and the ground. This could be a large tray or plastic covering that will catch any stray water droplets, protecting your carpet and flooring.
If there are pets or mobile babies in the home, keep the humidifier out of their reach. Ensure they aren’t able to push any settings or buttons, altering the humidifier in any way.
Nevertheless, if plausible, elevate the machine as much as you can to allow an equal dispersion of mist into the air. With cool-mist humidifiers, for instance, try to put them as high as you can. The mist coming from this device needs time to integrate into the air. If you keep this machine on the floor the mist will drop without proper time to evaporate.
The best kind of table for a humidifier is a small plastic one that can’t be damaged by moisture. If you don’t have a plastic table just use a towel or cloth to protect the table from becoming too moist.
Bathroom Placement
It isn’t necessary to place a humidifier in your bathroom. The whole concept of these machines is to regenerate humidity in a room with drier air. In a bathroom the air is typically moisture-heavy due to the water usage in a small space.
However, if your bathroom is unusually large or you have come down with a cold and/or allergies, placing a humidifier in the bathroom can improve the air quality. Use your trusty hygrometer to assess the humidity levels in different parts of the room and place your machine according to the readings.
It’s not recommended to use the humidifier after showering or taking a bath because it could generate harmful excess vapor that could promote mold or mildew growth. Make sure to ventilate the bathroom after usage to avoid the build-up of mold. (4)
Putting It In the Kids’ Room
Placing a humidifier in your kids bedroom is a great method for reducing the risk of arid skin, allergies and viruses. When you’re considering placing the machine, think about the number of kids sleeping in the room and the size of the unit.
Bigger rooms and more children necessitate a larger humidifier and conversely the opposite is also true. Yet again use the hygrometer for placement; this time keep the machine at least 3 feet from the sleep area. It is also advantageous to find a placement higher up so it won’t be easily knocked over or malfunction due to changed settings.
Only For Cool-Mist Humidifiers
Never use a warm-mist humidifier in a child’s bedroom. It’s too risky of a choice for them to get burned or accidently knock it over.
Placing the Humidifier In The Nursery
Humidifiers are equally beneficial for babies as they are for adults and children. The instance of placing a humidifier in a nursery is another time you’ll want to use the hygrometer to find where the moisture is more necessary.
Don’t place it right next to the crib if you have an older baby. They can wake up and knock it over or even pull it down into the crib with them. If you have a piece of furniture, a dresser or table on the opposite side of the room from the bed then that’s the best place.
When you turn on the machine, leave the door open a little bit. This will prevent the air from becoming too humid, which could create an overly damp environment for your baby(6).
One final word about nursery placement: make sure to choose a quiet humidifier. Many models will make some kind of noise but there are others that make loud bubbling sounds which could rouse your baby during sleep.
Related Post: Best Humidifiers for Babies
Avoid These Dangerous Places for Humidifiers and Extra Advice
While there are some good places to put your humidifier there are also some spots you should avoid. Here are those places:
- Adjacent to electrical outlets: placing these machines, which produce vast amounts of steam, near an electrical outlet can lead to all kinds of electrical problems in your home. Not to mention rusting and short circuits.
- Far from tech and electrical devices. Bypass places close to TV’s and computers. Steam or water spills can destroy these devices or start an electrical fire in your home.
- Out of direct sunlight: Don’t put your humidifier in front of a window. The sun can heat up the water in the tank when it’s not being used and promote bacteria growth. When the machine is running it then vaporizes this bacteria laden water, which you then inhale. This can lead to a host of health issues including dangerous conditions for individuals with allergies or asthma.
- Keep It Off Carpets: Putting your humidifier directly onto cloth or carpet will not just wreck your carpet, but bacteria and mold could also grow around it. Make sure to put a plastic plate or some other kind of protective material underneath.
- Someplace You Will Forget About It: It’s not advisable to put your humidifier in a place where it’s out of sight out of mind. Finding a place where you’ll remember to clean or service it when necessary is ideal. Also, if it overheats or has some other kind of mechanical issue you will know to turn it off.
- Clean It Regularly: If the humidifier is put close to where you sleep it’s important to clean it on a schedule. The stagnant water in the tank is the perfect environment for bacteria to grow, then to become vaporized out and inhaled.(7)
- Be Aware of the Level of Humidity: We are told so much about the benefits of having a humidifier, but it’s not advisable to have our indoor air over 25-50%. Make sure you keep track of this and be mindful.(8)
The Humidifier Is There For You
Utilizing a humidifier is a great way for protecting your home from airborne allergens and viruses. Remember it’s important to know how to place your humidifier for best results.
he best case general guideline is to always go where the hygrometer tells you to go. Where there is a lack of humidity is where the machine will serve its purpose the strongest.
Remember not to place it too close to where you sleep and try to have it elevated as much as possible, at least 3 feet from your bed. For a nursery or children’s room never use a warm-mist humidifier(5), only a cool-mist humidifier to prevent potentially dangerous accidents.
If you have any questions or comments, please add them below in the comment section. Similarly, please let us know if you spot any mistakes or omissions. Thanks!
Sources:
Use and Care of Home Humidifiers. United States Environmental Protection Agency.
Heterotrophic Plate Counts and Drinking-water Safety. World Health Organization. ISBN: 1 84339 025 6
Benn, Troy et al. The release of nanosilver from consumer products used in the home. Journal of environmental quality vol. 39,6 (2010): 1875-82. doi:10.2134/jeq2009.0363
