Have you noticed that the last and final leg of winter is usually the most annoying part where the weather can get extremely indescribable? It could get extremely cold and dry inside the house.
Humidifiers should be your ally in resolving low humidity issues at home and it must not cause other hassles such as making the room too moist. If your humidifier is making the floor wet, then you are probably doing it wrong.
Understanding where to put a humidifier inside your house can avoid making the floor wet. Humidifiers need to be raised off the floor otherwise, the area directly around the humidifier can become wet and moist.
This will create several problems such as slippery wet floors and damped rooms, which by the way, we all don’t want to happen.
I feel like I needed to write a post about this ever since I started receiving wet floor concerns from my readers at the start of winter. So I gathered all the essential details plus my expertise on humidity and came up with tips on how to avoid making the floor wet and other problems related.
Yes, A Humidifier Can
Make the Floor Wet!
A humidifier can be both a make or break device depending on how you select the right unit, where to place it and how to set it up. So to better give you insights, I have broken down the answers into two.
Yes, your humidifier can be the culprit in making the floor wet and the room moist, especially in using portable or tabletop units and DIY whole-house humidifiers This is because of several concerns, and here are some major reasons:
Wrong humidifier size
The bigger the unit you have, the more moisture output it has. So depending on the room that you want to be humidified, your unit size should also vary.
The moisture output rate is more or less accurate if the device is used in the square feet, like for example, I have a room of about 360 sqft, I would go for a medium-sized model to ensure that the entire area will be covered.
No customizable features
Perhaps, your unit has basic on and off functions only which can cause too much moisture and create condensation on the walls and make the floors wet, if you leave it unattended. Usually, conventional types are cheaper but you need to monitor them from time to time to ensure that they don’t put extra moisture than the required amount.
There are upgraded humidifiers that offer auto shut-off features that automatically turn off the unit once the desired humidity is achieved.
Incorrect device placement
I have always emphasized that humidifiers should be placed in key areas of the room that you want to humidify, otherwise, it will only forfeit its use and might cause other issues. To better be safe, place your unit at a central point, elevated, and away from your children’s reach.
Where to place it greatly affects the way the unit resolves low humidity. Also, it must be raised above the floor of at least 2 feet to ensure that it won’t get the floor wet and its surrounding area.
Considering and practicing the above reasons, no, a humidifier will not make the floor wet.
6 Easy Tips to Prevent Your Humidifier from Making the Floor Wet
Winter dry air leads to a lot of health and home issues that is why using a humidifier, whether portable, console, or whole-house can definitely help you maintain a balanced and comfortable indoor humidity.
Apart from the dry air issues, there is also an overwhelming concern about humidifiers making the room too damped and the floor wet.
Having a wet floor will cause unexpected falls, molds and bacteria growth on carpeted floorings and damages on wooden floors. These concerns are a perfect example of a domino effect where a tiny issue can result in many unwanted problems.
Install a Hygrometer
To make sure that you won’t over humidify your room, you need to install a hygrometer, which is an instrument that keeps a reading of the level of moisture inside a given room. This device is helpful, especially in this season.
Remember, you still need to use a hygrometer even though your humidifier has a built-in humidistat. The humidistat won’t give you an accurate reading of the current air moisture inside the room.
The humidistat only regulates the humidity levels of a room, so don’t get confused between the two. A hygrometer will help you decide whether you need to install a humidifier or not.
Check your humidity levels frequently and don’t let the humidity surge beyond the limit and reduce it quickly if the room feels unusually moist and dense.
2 Feet Rule
The best way to place the humidifier is on a small table about two feet off the ground, where you need it the most. The best position for humidifier placement and settings will ensure clean and safe usage and experience.
Most of the dirt in the house thrives on the floor and will make your unit dirty faster than expected. Apart from that, your kids, pets, or even adults can accidentally bump on the unit is placed on the floor.
You see, most manufacturers and brands advise placing a humidifier a few feet off the ground such as on a table, stool, or nightstand so as to prevent its surroundings from becoming too moist and cause furniture damages. If you are placing it on a nightstand, be sure that it’s not directly beside the bed, at least 3 feet away to avoid accidents.
Reading the device manual can help you where to place or not place the humidifier to prevent inevitable issues.
Use a Waterproof Mat on a Solid Platform
Given that your current humidifier has basic functions only and makes its surroundings damp, you can place a waterproof mat under the elevated unit to prevent the surface it’s standing on from getting wet.
Using a waterproof mat is better and more convenient than using a towel because the latter will also get wet and damped which will help breed mold and bacteria, plus you need to change it every now and then.
The same goes if you have a carpeted flooring, carpets will get moist and damp. Always place the device on a solid surface and considering the 2-feet rule.
Getting the Right Size
Another thing you have to consider to avoid your unit from making the floor wet and everything damp is to right-fit your humidifier. This means that the bigger the unit is, the more mist output it has. Bigger-sized humidifiers are better when you have a larger space and high-ceiling rooms.
I don’t recommend everyone from using a bigger unit in a small or medium-sized room. Although a bigger unit can humidify the room quicker, there is a tendency that it will overdo it and cause another string of issues. Before installing one, check out the specific features like room size, capacity, mist output, and more.
Getting the right size of your humidifier is essential because humidifiers are rated for a specific coverage area and most manufacturers actually put on labels the size square footage of the room their units can cover.
Avoid Putting your Humidifier Near a Vent
Never place your humidifier near any source of dry air especially if your unit has a built-in humidistat.
The air coming out of the vent is drier than the rest of the air inside the room and if you place your humidifier near or beside it, the humidity gauge will likely read a lower relative humidity, and you might end up adjusting the settings to compensate the moisture based on the reading.
Instead, place the unit on a central area where it can sit safely and will not interact with your heater, vent, and other factors that can alter the humidity reading.
Auto Shut-Off and Adjustable Mist
Control Features
Wouldn’t it be nice if your humidifier turns off automatically when the right level of humidity is reached?
If you are still looking for a humidifier, I suggest that you look for a humidifier with key features like auto shut-off and with customizable mist output.
The auto shut-off works by letting you set the desired indoor humidity and it will turn off by itself once achieved. I like this feature best because I don’t have to monitor the unit from time to time.
The same goes for adjustable mist control, you can use a low, medium, and high mist output, depending on the humidity scenario.
With these features, everything will be set accordingly and you would get rid of wet floors, damped room, and have a good night’s rest.
Conclusion
It all boils down to choosing the right size, and the correct placement of the humidifier, plus added features that could help you achieve the right balance of air moisture.