Cost To Install a Whole-Home Humidifier in Michigan

If you’re considering purchasing a whole-home humidifier to combat the effects of dry air, you’re probably wondering how much installing one will cost you.

In general, Michigan homeowners will typically pay anywhere from $800 to $3,500 to install a whole-home humidifier.

Why is this range so wide? It’s because the installation cost depends on three main factors:

• The type of humidifier

• The size of the humidifier

• Any additional features you want

Let’s take a closer look at the above three factors and how they can affect the price of your humidifier installation.

Want a precise estimate for how much your whole-home humidifier will cost to install? Contact Thornton & Grooms to schedule a same-day estimate!

Michigan homeowners can choose between three types of whole-home humidifiers to install: bypass, fan-powered or steam. Steam humidifiers are the most expensive to install, fan-powered humidifiers are mid-priced and bypass humidifiers are the most affordable.

All three types of humidifiers perform the same function in that they add moisture to your indoor air, but they differ in how they add the moisture. Each type is designed a different way and the more complicated the design, the more complicated the installation and the higher the installation cost.

Let’s review how these humidifiers are different from one another.

Steam humidifiers:

Steam humidifiers are the most complicated in design and the most expensive. That said, they are also the most efficient and precise type. They offer the fastest and most natural form of humidity by using water vapor.

They work by heating water in a reservoir using tiny electric heating elements. The heating elements boil the water until the water becomes vapor. That steam is then pushed into your air ducts and absorbed by your home’s indoor air.

A big benefit of a steam humidifier is that it doesn’t need to be hooked up to your HVAC system, which means it can provide constant humidification regardless of whether or not your HVAC system is running.

Fan-powered humidifiers:

Fan-powered humidifiers are less complicated and expensive than steam humidifiers but are still more advanced than bypass humidifiers.

The main difference between steam and fan-powered humidifiers is that fan-powered humidifiers don’t use a heater to boil water. Instead, fan-powered humidifiers use a “water panel,” which is basically a pad soaked in water. The humidifier’s built-in fan first pulls air through the panel then the air absorbs the moisture and circulates it throughout your home.

Similar to steam humidifiers, fan-powered humidifiers operate independently of your HVAC system and can humidify your home whenever needed. However, fan-powered humidifiers require additional maintenance to keep the water panel and internal fan components in optimal condition.

Bypass humidifiers:

Bypass humidifiers are the least complicated and the most affordable humidifier type.

They work almost exactly like fan-powered humidifiers in that air passes through a water panel and the air absorbs the moisture and pushes it into your home. However, bypass humidifiers do not have a built-in fan and must rely on your HVAC system’s blower motor fan to push air through the panel.

Unlike the other two types of humidifiers, bypass humidifiers can only run when the HVAC system is running.

All in all, the best way to decide which humidifier is best for your home and budget to talk to a professional.

The bigger the humidifier, the more it will cost to install. Humidifiers are sized by how many gallons of moisture they can add to your indoor air per day, measured in gpd (gallons per day). In general, humidifiers will cost more to install if they have a high gpd.

To determine what size of humidifier your home needs, you’ll want to hire a technician to assess your home’s square footage and insulation levels. The better insulated your home is, the smaller humidifier you need.

You can approximate how well your home is insulated by reviewing the following questions. The more questions you can answer “yes” to, the less likely you’ll need a big humidifier.

• Is your attic insulated?

• Does your home have storm windows and doors?

• Have you checked your storm windows/doors for air leaks?

• Have you weather-stripped and sealed any leaks?

• Is your fireplace dampened?

Now that we’ve reviewed the two most important factors for your whole-home humidifier installation (e.g. type and size), let’s cover extras.

The more additional features you want to install, the more your humidifier installation will cost.

You can choose additional features like:

• Smart programming. This feature allows your humidifier to “read” your home’s humidity levels. If your humidity levels dip below a certain number, your humidifier will then automatically kick in to restore your levels to the ideal range. Smart programming also allows you to pre-program a schedule for when you want your humidifier to kick on during the week.

• Digital displays. Having a display on your humidifier is handy for checking your unit’s statistics in real time. Some displays also will alert you when the unit needs to be maintained.

• Stable memory. A humidifier with a non-volatile memory will remember your pre-programmed settings even if your unit loses power so you won’t need to manually input your settings again.

At Thornton & Grooms, we want your whole-home humidifier installation to be as affordable as possible. We offer free estimates on our same-day installations and we’ll offer system recommendations that take your budget into consideration. And we always back up our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.