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QUESTION:I've been looking at getting a whole house humidifier
that works for my application. We have a large house
(6,500 sf) on the Colorado Front Range (REALLY dry).
I've read old postings and they don't answer my
questions.
So far all I have is conflicting stories from various
salesman and friends. All these people are from my
geographic area so they should be able to agree.
I've heard about the health issues with ultrasonic
types and didn't consider them.
One salesman pushed a "steam type" humidifier since
our house was so big. He quoted the Honeywell HE420
which has the ability to turn on the blower fan on
its own. It's 1,500 watts for the heating element.
That sounded good until...
I talked to another salesman who claimed that you don't
want the steam type since they're so effective it would
corrode your duct work and furnace in a few years. He
pushed a "bypass type" quoting the Aprilair model 600.
I guess this type simply takes hot water and trickes it
over a sponge in your duct where it evaporates. He also
stated that if you really need a steam type then you
want a 220V model anyway (not the 110V that I was quoted).
Unfortunately a friend of mine has a "bypass type" and
reports that he's unable to get much of an increase in
humidity at his house at all with this system and is
unsatisfied. I have also heard other people complain
about not getting enough humidity with "bypass type"
humidifiers.
Keep in mind how dry it is here in Colorado. I just
looked at a weather site and it's quoting the current
outside humidity at 20%.
So what's the real story?
I just want something that works and don't want to earn
my PhD in humidifiers.
ANSWER: I would not, under circumstance, install any type of humidifier
that has a reservoir full of water. I have inspected hundreds of these
(typically the evaporative-pad type, with a rotating drum) and they are
nearly always full of microbial growth. Most of the time, after the
nozzle has clogged, the unit malfunctions, either by leaking into the
furnace or by ceasing to operate.
The only central humidifier unit that I have found to be free of
significant microbial growth is the trickle-type Aprilaire, with the
aluminum mesh evaporative pad. In these units, water flows down the
mesh pad and evaporates into the hot air flow from the furnace. Excess
liquid water must be drained from the bottom tray into a condensate pump
and discharged; in one installation, there was no drainage and
unevaporated water leaked continuously into the furnace! The humidified
air is drawn into the return air so no duct condensation occurs.
If you install a steam system, make sure that there is an
observation window at the misting unit so you can watch the operation
and check it regularly. Be sure that there is a clean tray under the
unit in the event of leakage. All humidification equipment should be
checked weekly, cleaned at least monthly if type needs it.
An important component of this system will be the furnace filter, as
you will want to be sure that there is no dust in which mold can grow.
Do not use inexpensive fiberglass filters or washable filters of any
type. Use only a media filter (minimum 40% efficiency), preferably four
or six inches deep, such as an Aprilaire or Air Bear; these require
installation of housings. (Electronic filters require too frequent
cleaning, at least monthly.) Until you can install the deeper filter,
use a one-inch media filter.
Be sure to look at my book "My House is Killing Me! The Home Guide
for Families with Allergies and Asthma," just published by Johns Hopkins
University Press. The books has lots more tips for heating and cooling
systems as well as the whole house.
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