Most people who keep a small fountain in the living room switch the pump off at night. Some do it to save on the electricity bill and some do it because the sound of the pump keeps them awake. But when the pump is off for 8 hours, the water in the bowl stops moving, and still water inside the house is where the dengue mosquito likes to lay its eggs.
So before you put a fountain in the north east corner, which is where Vastu says water should go, this part should be clear to you.
A Fountain Switched Off At Night Can Breed Dengue Mosquitoes
This is what came up when we read the health guidance on it:
- Ornamental fountains are on the health department lists of places where the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, lays its eggs.
- The eggs are laid just above the waterline, and they can stay alive for 6 months or more even when dry.
- One county health department gives very simple advice for homes: keep indoor fountains running or leave them dry.
And yes, this means the bowl has to be scrubbed every week, not only filled up.
When you only pour in fresh water, the eggs that are already stuck on the side of the bowl above the waterline will stay there. Once a week you can empty the bowl, wipe the inside with a soft cloth and then fill it again. India’s own dengue guidance asks for the same weekly cleaning for coolers and flower pots, and a fountain is also one of those containers.
Vastu Puts Water In The North East And Wants It Moving
In Vastu, the north east is the corner for water, and the north and east are also fine, but a fountain should not go in the bedroom. Vastu also says the water should keep flowing and should not stand still. Whether you follow Vastu or not, this is good advice for the mosquito problem too, because a pump that keeps running does not leave still water in the bowl.
For the rest of that corner, the living room ideas one fountain, one plant and some empty space around them, and in my view that looks better than filling the corner with too many things.
Water Sounds Helped Mood More Than Other Nature Sounds
People say the sound of a fountain is calming, and there is research that supports this. When we looked into it, this is what we found:
- A 2021 research review looked at 36 studies on how natural sounds affect health.
- Between birds, water and mixed sounds, water sounds had the biggest effect on health and good mood.
- Bird sounds helped the most with stress and annoyance.
Hmm, so the sound of water helps more with mood than with stress, and that is quite close to how people describe their fountains.
But those studies were mostly about real rivers, rain and waves, not a small pump in a flat, so the effect at home will probably be less. There is no doubt that it still helps a little.
Newer Fountains Are Made In One Piece Of Plastic
Many of the fountains sold now for indoor corners are rotomoulded. In this process plastic powder is heated inside a mould that keeps turning, so the plastic spreads evenly and the fountain comes out as one single piece with no joints that can crack or leak. The plastic water tanks on our terraces are also made like this, so it should handle the summer heat well.
For a living room corner, a tabletop sphere of about 26 cm across and 24 cm high is a good size. It fits on a side table or a low stand without taking up all of the corner, and it comes in stone colors that match most floors.
Electricity Cost Of The Pump And The Price
- The pump is the only running cost. Small tabletop pumps are usually rated in single digit watts, so please check the label on yours. If it is 8 watts and runs all day, it will use about 5.8 units in a month, which is close to ₹46 at around ₹8 per unit.
- The pump should also stay fully under water, because when the water level goes down it starts making a buzzing sound and can get damaged, so in summer you should check the water level every 2 or 3 days.
People often say these fountains are very cheap, but this is the one claim we could not check. Many makers do not show prices on their websites and ask you to call a dealer, so the best way is to ask a dealer near you and compare the price with a similar fountain from another shop. If you are also planning the rest of the room, the home decor of this site has more ideas for the same corner in different budgets.