What’s The Best Place to Put A Humidifier? [Floor or Nightstand]

where to put humidifier

Placement of humidifiers in your home can be a difficult task because you have to keep in mind its possible adverse effects.

Overusing humidifiers can result in condensation, which can cause dampness in the room and even damage the furniture in your room.

All this might make you consider eliminating the idea of a humidifier and opting for an evaporative version in place of it.

But ultrasonic versions of humidifiers are great for your home because of the quiet working of the machine, which makes it peaceful for your bedroom and even your kid’s room.

Some of the models have in-built humidistat, which automatically shuts down the unit in case the air is filled with required humidity levels.

This saves you from the dangers of over-humidifying.

But the question remains, what is the best place to put your portable unit, whether you should put it on the floor or nightstand to get the maximum benefits?

Let’s address all these questions here in this guide…

Where to Place a Humidifier?

Figuring out the perfect height for the humidifier can be tricky.

You have to consider all the factors such as distance from the ground, recommended height, the place you are placing it, etc.

It doesn’t matter what kind of humidifier you are using; you have to place them at a certain height above ground level.

You must keep in mind that the area beneath and close to the humidifier can become damp and ultimately slippery because of the moisture.

This dampness can cause mold or even damage to carpets or furniture.

The humidifier should always be positioned on a table or furniture three feet above the ground.

This is the ideal height for placing a humidifier. It is also recommended that you place an absorbent towel beneath the humidifier.

1- In an Office

For people who work in cubicles or in open office spaces, the air in your office environment can become very dry.

For places like these, usually, large humidifiers are required to meet the needs of keeping the air humid around the place.

Other than this, if you are looking for a humidifier for small office spaces, you can also get a travel-sized humidifier that is also portable.

This humidifier may not work exactly like a large functioning humidifier. Still, if you keep it close to your own space, it will make the air and environment around you better and more comfortable.

2- In a Living Room

The living room of any home is the most significant space in the house, and it is used at all times by everyone.

Because of this reason, placing a humidifier in the living room is necessary so that everyone benefits from it.

Remember to be careful while placing the humidifier in the living room. Avoid any wooden surface which may be damaged by moisture.

A small plastic tray or a towel can be used under the humidifier to save it from damaging the wood and surface around it.

Avoid positioning your humidifier close to a vent or near any register; because the heat in your room can rise because of the moisture in no time and cause breathing issues.

As a solution to this, humidifiers now come with built-in hygrometers that will automatically detect low moisture and run accordingly to bring the air back to normal.

3- In the Baby’s Room

A humidifier is sort of a necessity in a baby’s room, as well as a critical problem at the same time. Babies are susceptible to air changes and temperatures.

You have to keep a close eye on the humidifier working in the baby’s room so that no cords can be pulled by your baby, he/she may not knock it down easily thus placing it at a considerable height, etc.

Other than this, the cleaning of the humidifier is also important.

You have to clean the filters of your humidifier with a soft, damp cloth and change the water to avoid spreading possible bacteria in your baby’s room.

humidifier on floor

Humidifier on Floor or Nightstand?

Usually, the ultrasonic type of humidifier works by emitting tiny droplets of water, almost like mist within the air.

But this use of water can sometimes assimilate to the humidifier itself.

This is why a two- or three-foot height is recommended to place the humidifiers, as it gives the water droplets space and time to evaporate into the air before they hit the floor.

For this purpose, using a nightstand is highly recommended. If you do not own a nightstand, you can opt for a table.

In both cases, you still have to be careful about placing a towel or plastic tray under the humidifier to save the table from any possible water damage.

The ideal position for placing a humidifier on a nightstand in your bedroom is about a distance of three feet far from your bed.

Care that you do not place a humidifier on the floor unless it’s too heavy (like in the case of a console type or a pedestal humidifier).

How Close Should A Humidifier Be to Your Bed?

When deciding the perfect place to put your humidifier, you should take the help of a hygrometer to find out the dry air places in your bedroom.

Then place your bedroom humidifier according to which place requires it the most.

The recommended size of your humidifier is directly proportional to the number of people that stay in your bedroom.

This means that the fewer the people, the smaller the humidifier and vice versa.

For large cool-mist humidifier humidifiers, the ideal place is at the corner of your bedroom.

✅ For people who opt for small-sized portable cool-mist humidifiers, it is safe for them to place them near their bed for a good and comfortable sleep.

However, for people who use warm-mist humidifiers, you need to be very careful in terms of placement.

✅ The warm-mist humidifiers ease your discomfort of allergens and cold, but it has to be placed far from the bed because they can disrupt your breathing while you are asleep if placed near the bed.

Conclusion

Knowing where to place a humidifier in your home or bedroom is very important as it can affect the air and sometimes even result in dangerous consequences for your family and your home.

Different types of humidifiers have different properties, which makes them unique in terms of their placement.

So check with your humidifier manufacturer too and place them accordingly as recommended by them in their instructions manual.