7 Best Stall Hygrometers For Humidity Control That Prevent Common Issues
Accurate hygrometers prevent mold and respiratory issues in stalls. We review the 7 best models for maintaining optimal humidity and ensuring animal health.
You walk into the barn and smell it first—that damp, heavy air that clings to everything. It’s more than just an unpleasant odor; it’s a warning sign. The silent threat of uncontrolled humidity can lead to respiratory infections, moldy feed, and a host of other problems that are far easier to prevent than to cure. A simple tool, the stall hygrometer, is your first line of defense in managing this invisible risk.
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Why Stall Humidity Matters for Animal Health
High humidity is a breeding ground for trouble. When moisture hangs in the air, it settles on bedding, walls, and in feed, creating the perfect environment for mold, mildew, and harmful bacteria to flourish. For animals like horses, this can trigger or worsen respiratory conditions like heaves; for goats and sheep, it can contribute to pneumonia, especially in young or vulnerable stock.
The problem isn’t just about what grows; it’s about air quality itself. Damp, stagnant air is heavy with ammonia from urine-soaked bedding, which irritates sensitive respiratory tracts. A hygrometer doesn’t just tell you it’s damp—it gives you a number. A reading consistently above 70-75% is your cue to increase ventilation, whether that means opening a window, turning on a fan, or improving your barn’s overall airflow design.
But it’s not just about high humidity. Overly dry air, often a problem in heated barns during winter, comes with its own set of issues. Low humidity can lead to dry, cracked skin, irritated nasal passages, and an increase in airborne dust, which is another major respiratory irritant. The goal is balance, typically maintaining a relative humidity between 50% and 70%. A hygrometer is the only way to know for sure where you stand.
Govee H5179: Best for Remote Stall Monitoring
Monitor your home's temperature and humidity remotely with the Govee WiFi Temperature Sensor. Get real-time alerts on your phone and track up to 2 years of data with its accurate Swiss-made sensor.
The biggest advantage of the Govee H5179 is its Wi-Fi connectivity. For the hobby farmer who also has a day job or has to be away from the property, this is a game-changer. You’re not just guessing about the conditions back in the barn; you know for sure.
Imagine you’re at work and a sudden, humid thunderstorm rolls through. With the Govee, you can check the stall’s humidity level right from your phone. If it spikes, you can call a neighbor and ask them to open the top of the Dutch door or turn on a circulation fan. You can also set custom alerts, so your phone will buzz if the humidity or temperature goes outside your preset safe range.
This device also logs data over time, which is more useful than you might think. By looking at the graphs in the app, you can see patterns. Maybe you’ll notice humidity spikes every morning, telling you that you need better morning ventilation to clear out the moisture that builds up overnight. It transforms you from being reactive to proactive in managing your animals’ environment.
ThermoPro TP65 for Multi-Stall Readings
Easily monitor indoor/outdoor temperature and humidity with the ThermoPro TP65. Features a large, backlit touchscreen for easy reading and a 500ft wireless range to track conditions from multiple locations.
If you manage several distinct spaces, the ThermoPro TP65 is an incredibly practical solution. It comes with a large, backlit base station and one remote sensor, but you can add two more. This lets you monitor up to three different locations simultaneously from one central spot.
Think about the applications. You can place one sensor in the main run-in shed, another in the more enclosed kidding or foaling stall, and a third in your feed or tack room to protect grain and leather from mold. Instead of walking to each location to check a separate device, you get all the information on one screen inside your house or workshop.
The key tradeoff here is the lack of Wi-Fi. The sensors communicate with the base station via a dedicated radio frequency with a solid range, but you have to be near the base station to see the readings. For someone who is primarily on the property, this is a highly efficient and cost-effective way to get a comprehensive overview of your barn’s microclimates without the complexity of a smart-home setup.
AcuRite 00613: The Reliable, Simple Choice
Easily monitor indoor comfort with the AcuRite thermometer and hygrometer. It displays temperature and humidity at a glance, tracking daily highs and lows, and offers versatile mounting options.
Sometimes you don’t need an app, a graph, or a remote alert. You just need to know the humidity right now, in the place where you are standing. The AcuRite 00613 is the epitome of reliable simplicity. It’s a small, inexpensive, and durable digital hygrometer that does one job and does it well.
This is the perfect tool to hang just inside the stall door. As you go in for morning chores, a quick glance tells you everything you need to know. There’s no setup, no pairing, no worrying about a Wi-Fi signal reaching the barn. You just put a battery in it and hang it on a nail.
Don’t mistake its simplicity for a lack of utility. Having this immediate, at-a-glance data point is often all you need to make a decision. If the reading is high, you open the window a little wider. If it’s low, you might reconsider using that dusty fan. For the farmer who is hands-on every day, the AcuRite provides the essential data without any fuss.
SensorPush HT1 for Serious Data Logging
The SensorPush HT1 is for the person who wants to truly understand their barn’s environment. While other smart devices send data to the cloud, the SensorPush stores an incredible amount of detailed data—up to 20 days of minute-by-minute readings—directly on the device itself. You connect via Bluetooth with your phone to download and analyze it.
This level of detail is invaluable for troubleshooting persistent issues. Are you fighting a condensation problem on your metal roof in the winter? The SensorPush data can help you pinpoint the exact time of day and the specific humidity level when it starts to form. This allows you to target your ventilation efforts with precision instead of just guessing.
While it works great as a standalone Bluetooth device, you can also add the SensorPush G1 WiFi Gateway later. This gives you the best of both worlds: hyper-detailed local data logging and the ability to check in remotely. It’s a scalable system for the hobby farmer who loves data and wants to make decisions based on hard evidence.
Inkbird IBS-TH2: A Smart, Budget-Friendly Pick
The Inkbird IBS-TH2 hits a sweet spot between basic digital models and more expensive Wi-Fi systems. It’s a compact, Bluetooth-enabled sensor that offers the convenience of an app without the higher price tag or the need for a strong Wi-Fi signal in your barn.
Its practical advantage is clear. You can walk up to a stall, and without even opening the door and disturbing a resting animal, you can pull out your phone and get the current humidity and a graph of the last 24 hours. This is incredibly useful for checking on a new mother and her babies or monitoring a sick animal in quarantine.
For its low cost, the Inkbird provides a surprising amount of functionality, including data export. It’s the perfect entry-level "smart" hygrometer. It gives you the power of data logging and remote viewing (from a short distance) and helps you build better habits of monitoring your barn’s climate.
Taylor 1732 for Its Large, Easy-to-Read Display
The defining feature of the Taylor 1732 is its huge, high-contrast digital display. In the often dim and dusty light of a barn, being able to read crucial information from a distance is a significant practical advantage. This isn’t a tool you have to walk right up to and squint at.
This is the hygrometer for the person who is constantly moving and working. You can glance over from the other side of the aisle while mucking out or check the conditions from the doorway before you even step inside. It removes the small but real friction of having to stop what you’re doing to get a reading.
It offers no connectivity or data logging. Its value is purely in its exceptional readability. For older farmers or anyone with less-than-perfect vision, this feature alone can make it the best choice. It prioritizes instant, effortless access to the current conditions above all else.
Extech RHT20: The Most Durable, Rugged Option
The Extech RHT20 isn’t a hygrometer you mount on a wall and leave there; it’s a tool you carry with you. This is a professional-grade, handheld data logger designed for durability in tough environments. It’s built to be dropped, get covered in dust, and still provide precise, reliable readings.
This is your diagnostic tool. If you suspect one corner of your hay storage is getting damp, you take the Extech and leave it there for a few hours to log the data. If you want to verify that the cheap hygrometer in your chicken coop is accurate, you use the Extech to get a trusted second opinion. It also has user-adjustable alarm setpoints that will beep when a humidity threshold is crossed.
While it’s the most expensive option on this list, it’s a different class of equipment. It’s not for passive, everyday monitoring. It’s for active problem-solving and ensuring the accuracy of your entire environmental control system. For the serious hobby farmer who wants precision and a tool that will last for years, the Extech is a worthwhile investment.
Ultimately, a hygrometer is a small piece of equipment that provides critical insight into your animals’ world. The best one isn’t the most expensive or the one with the most features; it’s the one you’ll actually use. Whether you need remote alerts from your phone or just a big number you can see from across the barn, making a conscious choice empowers you to stop reacting to problems and start preventing them.
