Whole house humidifier

**dmclone** · 01-11-2010, 09:00 AM

Can anyone recommend a certain brand/size? Also what have you paid to have these installed?

**dmclone** · 01-11-2010, 09:02 AM

Also the names of local (dm) companies that install these?

**brianhos** · 01-11-2010, 09:05 AM

I had mine done 2 years ago by 72. It was only a few hundred bucks, and took them probably 2 hrs. Mine is an aprielair or something like that. it helps a lot, but even it could not keep up well enough in the last 2 weeks to make our house comfortable, and I had it on the highest setting.

**1100011CS** · 01-11-2010, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by brianhos

I had mine done 2 years ago by 72. It was only a few hundred bucks, and took them probably 2 hrs. Mine is an aprielair or something like that. it helps a lot, but even it could not keep up well enough in the last 2 weeks to make our house comfortable, and I had it on the highest setting.

We have a Lennox (actually, I think they bought aprilair?) and I installed myself with the help of a friend in the HVAC business. They are not hard to install. But, as brianhos said, it still isn't enough for this kind of cold.

**zmanzbo** · 01-11-2010, 09:10 AM

Honeywell: Honeywell Power Flow-through Bypass Humidifier - HE360A at The Home Depot

Install it yourself.

**Bobber** · 01-11-2010, 09:16 AM

I think I read somewhere humidity travels fairly easy through a house with a central heating or a/c system. A simple cabinent unit would probably get the job done.

That's what we use. Between that and not really running bathroom fans when it's cold out our house maintains a good level.

**Cyclonepride** · 01-11-2010, 09:37 AM

I just have a 4 gallon unit that sits on the floor, and it maintains the humidity level in my home (1800 sq ft) pretty well (right now, it's about 30%), and it's turned down pretty low to keep from condensing on the windows.

I've heard from several furnace guys that the add-on humidifiers are notorious for crapping out, though that may have changed in the last couple years.

**tec71** · 01-11-2010, 09:44 AM

I have a honeywell I think installed by neighbors this fall. couple hundred bucks and a few hours. I agree even it couldn't keep up through this past cold spell. But otherwise it's been great.

**ruxCYtable** · 01-11-2010, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by zmanzbo

Honeywell: Honeywell Power Flow-through Bypass Humidifier - HE360A at The Home Depot

Install it yourself.

I second this nomination. I am not a handyman and this was easy to install, even for me. It has been easy to maintain and has performed flawlessly.

**HILLCYD** · 01-11-2010, 09:59 AM

I have a Honeywell HE220. I think they run around $200 for the unit, maybe little less. The installation is very easy for someone with nominal do it yourself ability.

**dmclone** · 01-11-2010, 10:03 AM

I don't know how easy the plumbing would be. 72 degrees is quoting a price of nearly $500, which seems excessive.

**HILLCYD** · 01-11-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by dmclone

I don't know how easy the plumbing would be. 72 degrees is quoting a price of nearly $500, which seems excessive.

I would agree that is excessive. There isn't much plumbing to it. You have to tap your water line to provide a source of water to the unit. The hardware to do that is included with the unit. Not any different than what you do for running water to a ice maker in a fridge. You also have to run a rubber tube to a drain for the excess water runoff.

**Chad** · 01-11-2010, 10:20 AM

Have an Aprilaire Model 600 Whole-House Humidifier, seems to work well and very easy to operate. I also have a Venmar whole house Air Exchanger, and i'm still learning how to work the two units together to get the right amount of humidity in the air to feel comfortable using the humidifier, but reduce or eliminate condensation on the windows and any stale air using the air exchanger.

**Steve** · 01-11-2010, 10:25 AM

A word of caution - be careful of the combination of whole house humidifiers, high efficiency furnace, premium windows, and cold weather.

I had all of the above last year and thought my roof was leaking one day when I went into the attic storage area. I called the roof installer when I noticed moisture dripping from damp roof joists. The roofer first asked me if I had the combination listed above as they get a lot of calls about excessive attic moisture with those conditions.

It turned out that he was correct. I turned the humidity down to the lowest setting and the problem disappeared. I was lucky to find it in time. The roofer knows of cases where the moisture was not dealt with resulting in mold developing to the point that all of the insulation and many of the roof decking had to be replaced.

It turns out that if you have a tight house that the normal steam from showers and cooking is almost enough to maintain proper humidity. If you pump more moisture into the air than cool air can hold, it ends up condensing on cold temperatures in your attic.

**HILLCYD** · 01-11-2010, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Chad

Have an Aprilaire Model 600 Whole-House Humidifier, seems to work well and very easy to operate. I also have a Venmar whole house Air Exchanger, and i'm still learning how to work the two units together to get the right amount of humidity in the air to feel comfortable using the humidifier, but reduce or eliminate condensation on the windows and any stale air using the air exchanger.

Condensation on the windows is due to the humidifer being run on a high setting. If you are getting condensation, the humidity level in your house is extremely high. The operation instructions for my unit call for it to be turned down if condensation is present.