Aprilaire 500M Whole House Humidifier Review [May. 2020]

If you’re looking for something a little easier on your pocket, the Aprilaire 500m may interest you. The humidifier is designed to cover up to 3,000 square feet, so it is perfect for medium-sized houses. With a capacity to dispense up to 12 gallons of moisture daily, your humidity needs would surely be catered for if you opt for this humidifier.

Aprilaire 500m Budget Humidifier, Premium Performance

Aprilaire is renowned for its innovation in the air humidifiers industry, and the 500 model delivers on its promise of humidifying living spaces for optimal health of inhabitants. The unit, like most of its kind in Aprilaire’s range, comes in both automatic and manual variants. The automatic version is pretty easy to navigate- set it to your preference just once and the system would maintain the atmospheric humidity to suit that setting at all times. The manual version is not as easy, but it’s just as efficient.

The 500M is a bypass humidifier, which means it uses warm air from the heating ducts in the home and passes through a water tray. The air then gathers moisture which is returned to the house. This way, water is optimally conserved, so you can save a couple of hundred bucks from the water bill with this humidifier.

It’s also fitted with an integrated system drain to flush mineral build-up. Plus, no standing water inside the unit so humidified air stays fresh and clean at all times.

Humidity For General Wellness

It has been proven that low humidity can cause numerous health issues, and even damage your furniture. Breathing is generally difficult in dry air, but the same can be said for air that is too dense. Aprilaire humidifiers keep humidity at normal levels of 35%-45%, and at that level, breathing is easy, throats don’t get sore, eyes don’t water, skin doesn’t itch, leather doesn’t crack and plants do well. So, you’d be doing yourself real good if you opt for this humidifier. 

It’s not great for large spaces, and the humidity output is low compared to say the Aprilaire 400M, but if you’re working with a small space (or a small pocket), then this will do. 

Also, you have to keep in mind that you’d spend on the replacement for the water panels at least once a year. If you have really bad water, you may also have to change out the pads frequently. 

You’d need a professional HVAC technician to install this unit, so if you’re a DIYer, please sit this one out. If you use one and install it right, Aprilaire backs you up with a 5-year warranty. For DIYers, no support, most likely because the instruction to use a professional installer is declared right when you get the unit. The loss of warranty would be the consequence of your self-confidence if you do not get installation right. However, if you’re confident in your skills, you may give it a shot.