Best Piano Room Humidifier for Humidity Control 2024
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase.
End your search for humidifier that suits the needs specifically for your piano room.
This humidifier is one of the best humidifiers that Piano Technicians trust!
A humidifier for your piano room needs to be effective, inexpensive/efficient, and low maintenance.
It's called the Essick H12 AirCare, which is optimal for piano room for a variety of reasons. I recommend humidifiers as a piano technician that provide the best value, which makes this humidifier an excellent choice.
Essick Piano Humidifier by AirCare
Essick H12 AirCare Humidifier Pros and Cons
I needed to learn more about what it was like to actually own a heavy-duty humidifier that had the capability to humidify a large rooms where pianos are typically located.
Let's compare the pros and cons of this specific humidifier that I learned about through owning this particular model.
Pros:
5.4 Gallon Humidifier Tank = Less refilling
Effective at humidifying large rooms up to 3,700 square feet*
3 style options (Copper, Oak, Burl)
2 year warranty
Intuitive knobs for ease of use
It's not too cheap, nor too expensive!
Effortlessly maintains ambient humidity levels
*While 3,700 square footage humidifying capability sounds like a lot, humidifiers on the market with less capability than that are ineffective, require extra maintenance, and are a complete waste of your time!
Please do not underestimate the value of having a humidifier that will effectively humidify a home. Most smaller humidifiers simply do not have the capability to meaningfully change the humidity in a room with the amount of moisture it emits.
Cons:
The plastic case is a bit flimsy, so be gentle!
It's large
Noise level; sounds like a fan when operating
Does not include wireless monitoring capability
Doesn't have "smart features"
Can't track/monitor with your mobile device
Noise.... While I haven't owned other humidifiers, I am hopeful that there are others that may make even less noise because the one I have sounds like a fan. Though, it all depends on the speed of the fan, which dramatically impacts noise level.
Monitoring/Tracking.... Wireless monitoring capabilities or "smart-home capabilities" are becoming ubiquitous as newer models are being introduced to the market. This dual function can help homeowners monitor relative humidity levels to ensure consistent humidity levels.
The Essick Humidifier (Large enough for piano rooms!)
This humidifier is ranked #5 on our list of 21+ Useful Gift Ideas for Pianists and Piano Lovers in 2024
Levoit Superior 6000S
Another great option (and popular) is the Levoit Smart Evaporative Humidifier.
6 gallons
3,000 square feet
Quiet/Sleep mode
Foldable/storable
Premium filter
"Dry mode" (To prolong the life of the filter)
Wireless monitoring
Set schedule/timer
AirCare Essick Humidifier continued...
After having owned this humidifier through the winter, I can say that I have been completely satisfied with its performance. In fact, I recently began filling it up for the winter of 2025!
Honestly, I have no doubts that this humidifier will prevent harmful dry air from remaining in my home at any given time. The tank lasts for quite a long time, in fact, since I filled it for the first time last week I haven't yet had to refill.
Minimal refills
I've only had to refill this humidifier less than once every other week. The heat in my home is not kept very high in the winter, which helps to maintain ideal humidity levels.
Even when it's warm/hot in the home, this humidifier is plenty strong.
Less Time Humidifying
Within a couple of minutes or less, this humidifier will have sufficiently humidified the piano room against dangerously low-humidity levels.
It's such a relief to be in a humidified home, knowing how effective this humidifier is at doing its job.
On a daily basis, I'm impressed by how quickly this humidifier humidifies my home. I'm completely satisfied with its operation and effectiveness.
At a 2.5 gallon tank capacity and another 2.7 gallons in the housing, this AirCare humidifer has the physical capacity for environments with a high-demand for moisture.
Easily, I fill up the jug with the hose that's provided within the package of the humidifier.
All supplies are provided in ordering this home humidifier.
Though it's a humidifier for homes, it's well-equipped to humidify piano rooms, too.
Energy Savings
Less energy is consumed when using this humidifier because it is effective at humidifying. Ineffective humidifiers waste energy by constantly draining energy "humidifying" while never doing enough to humidify a room.
Furthermore, many inexpensive humidifiers continuously drain electricity by constantly pumping out insignificant "mists" of water vapor that doesn't actually humidify rooms sufficiently. The humidifier described knocks these other ineffective humidifiers out of the water!
“Set it and forget it” qualities
Once I set the minimum humidity parameter, I'm free to walk away and forget about having set it up in the first place.
To verify it's effectiveness, I'll open a window for a few minutes to ensure that it kicks-in when it ought to. As expected, it immediately turns on once the humidity reaches the below parameters I had set.
Unfortunately, this humidifier does not have wireless capabilities to monitor its performance. Though, it does have a built-in humidistat that digitally displays the current relative humidity with great accuracy!
Piano Humidifier Desired Product Specifications
Protects musical instruments with great effect!
Greater than > 5 gallon output
Large coverage of 3,700 square footage
Looks great in your living room!
3 style options:
Copper Night
Light Oak
Oak Burl
Documentation of Humidity Control in Piano Care
Here’s some extra information about the effect of relative humidity levels related to piano Maintenance.
Wikipedia: Piano Maintenance and Humidity
Most piano owners mistakenly purchase room humidifiers that are too small and ineffective at keeping the humidity at an acceptable level for their piano.
Be sure to heed the recommendations of the piano makers and eliminate any worries about humidity by taking control of the humidity surrounding your piano, today!
As a helpful reminder, colder months generally require a humidifier whereas warmer months generally require a dehumidifier.
FAQ
Do I really need to humidify my piano room?
Yes, sufficiently maintaining a constant humidity level of the piano room is the best practice no matter the brand, age, or size of piano.
In fact, before considering the purchase of a Piano Life Saver System / Dampp Chaser, the best way to protect the wooden parts of your acoustic piano is to get the ambient conditions of the entire room under control, first.
Since most piano owners don't know where to start to properly maintain a piano year round, I chose to share my perspective about the best humidifier for this purpose.
I purchased this humidifier myself so that I could write a review showcasing which humidifier I believe has the best price, value, and style.
Here’s the product survey I filled out with some highlights for why I chose this specific humidifier.
How can I keep humidity inside?
If it’s wintertime, low humidity goes hand in hand with cold weather and heating a house.
Leaky doorways/windows, drafty rooms, sunny areas, and unchecked humidity all contribute to poor conditions for the piano.
Do your best to stop humidity from escaping by closing doors and windows. Also, by plugging underneath doorways, increasing insulation, and making sure that windows are sealed.
The best practice is for Piano owners to have a humidifier in one form or another to protect and preserve against dry air in these conditions.
Is Humidity bad for Pianos?
Yes, humidity fluctuations specifically, are bad for pianos.
Especially, if the fluctuations include 34% and lower or 51% and higher relative humidity levels. These levels of relative humidity are strictly out-of-control and must be remedied. At this point, it’s common sense piano maintenance protocol.
35-50% Relative humidity is the ideal humidity level for an acoustic piano. This range provides a safe and stable environment, which is so important for preserving the condition of the piano.
What do piano makers say about humidity?
All major piano manufacturers agree it’s a good idea to maintain the moisture content of the air at a constant level, and above all, avoid sudden fluctuations.
Over-seas piano transportation include silica gel packets within the cabinet of the piano (especially uprights). This is to absorb the humidity shock the piano may encounter in its travels.
Silica gel packets essentially only have a 1 time use threshold after it has successfully returned to a dehydrated state. In other words, the packets must be immersed in a dry/arid environment again in order to be maximally effective at absorbing humidity shocks in each short-term use.
Can I Control Humidity with HVAC system?
Controlling moisture levels using the air conditioner in the summer months or reducing heat in the winter months can be useful.
Modifying humidity with legacy HVAC systems in this way usually requires blasting the AC or reducing the heat to an uncomfortable temperature.
Cranking the AC is much more costly than getting a suitable humidifier to do the job. It also may not get cold enough to produce the desired humidity level.
Reducing heat may be helpful to those struggling with humidity control in the winter. It is also a great technique if no one is in the home for a period of time.
Remedies using pre-existing HVAC systems can be helpful, but not a complete solution. Adding a humidifier/dehumidifier to the piano room will preserve the quality of life in the space by maintaining the temperature you love.
Best Products, Services, and Education in the Piano Industry
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to me at no cost to you if you decide to purchase.