One of the many reasons to get a good humidifier is to help you sleep better at night, especially if you have certain respiratory and/or sleeping issues. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean putting the humidifier right next to your pillow. So, where to put a humidifier then?
There are multiple possible right answers to this question and they all depend on various factors about your needs and your home’s specifics. However, while it is a largely subjective decision, there are quite a few rules of thumb you’d do well to consider.
Where should I put my humidifier?
Figuring out where should a humidifier be placed in a room means considering three things:
- Safety
- Effectiveness
- Comfort
Yes, there are safety concerns with humidifiers and they play a large part in choosing a place for your dehumidifier. So, here are the first three tips:
- Keep the humidifier away from sunlight. Windows and other areas with frequent and direct sunlight are bad spots for humidifiers for one simple reason – bacteria and algae. Humidifiers are large water containers, after all, and too much sunlight can lead to some unwanted growth within them.
- Place the humidifier on a stable, non-slip surface. This is especially important if you have pets or small kids but even if you don’t, the humidifier should b securely placed. This means avoiding carpets or surfaces that are too slick and smooth. It’s also important to make sure there’s no risk of knocking the humidifier or its base off.
- Place the humidifier on a water-resistant surface. This is one of the easier rules to adhere too – just place a small, flat water tray or a water-resistant cover under the humidifier. Still, even with such a protective measure, it’s a good idea not to put the humidifier on a wooden floor or a wooden table to avoid water damage.
Next, you need to ensure that you’ll maximize the effectiveness of the humidifier. Consider these two things:
- Place the humidifier near the center of the room so its effect can be more evenly spread. If you can’t hit the perfect center, that’s fine, just make sure it’s not in a corner somewhere.
- Make sure the humidifier is elevated at 2-3 feet above the ground. This will also help the humidity spread more evenly across the space.
Lastly, there are several comfort consideration as well, particularly when it comes to deciding where to place a humidifier in the bedroom:
- Keep the humidifier ~3 feet away from your bed. Most humidifier models make a bit of noise when they work. It’s not much but it’s usually enough to bother you in the middle of the night. If you need the extra humidity for your sleep you can simply start the machine earlier before going to bed or you can get it closer to the bed and sleep with earplugs.
- Place the device somewhere you can easily and comfortably perform maintenance and refill its water tank.
