Whole house humidifiers

[cvairwerks]

Anyone have a good suggestion on a whole house humidifier? Rule out any that are inserted in the HAVC system, as the current house system will most likely be replaced in 2026 and trying to insert one into the current system would be extremely expensive due to the configuration and location of the current system.

We're running multiple humidifiers now, but it's getting to be a pain to keep them all filled. Even though they run 24/7, we can't keep the humidity where we need it. We need to keep it in the 50 to 65% RH range, but I just looked and we are down to 24% in the house. The other day, outside it was 70% and we were down at 29%.

I need to find one that holds several gallons and will do the entire house without make the area around it a swamp.

 

[teknikfrog]

I had one of the hvac pad ones for a couple years and it was a nightmare.

At a new house now and I use one of those funky old console units with the fake woodgrain. Yes they still make them. Works fine for about 3500 sq/ft including woodstove usage (massive airflow sink of moist air exiting your house). Like $200.

 

[starquestMM]

Thats a pretty high target. Your house will need to be pretty well sealed to get that high.

 

[knotdust]

I have one I picked up a few years ago. It is sitting in my main living area. When I start the heat in the fall, I start running the humidifier. It runs almost 24/7 just to keep the air around 40% . With the frigid temps we've had this week it struggles to even reach that. If I don't have it running I get an runny nose and an annoying dry throat. It uses tap water and I run through 3-4 gallons a day. I use Biostat treatment in the water. I suppose I could use distilled water but in the quantity I'm going through I'm not buying that much water. I just keep several buckets in a spare bathtub, ready for filling. That's my chores for the day fill the furnace and the humidifier several times.

 

[dcg9381]

Anyone have a good suggestion on a whole house humidifier? Rule out any that are inserted in the HAVC system, as the current house system will most likely be replaced in 2026 and trying to insert one into the current system would be extremely expensive due to the configuration and location of the current system.

You're in TX. You have dealt with the power drama. I try to avoid "aux heat" as my highest bills incurred during a very small number of days in winter where heat pumps kick into Aux.

I added ventless propane. It's disadvantage is humidity. It's advantage is that I can heat most of the house on one 30k unit.

TX "in general" does not need humidity control. We run HVAC 95% of the year. So I assume you're talking about a winter problem?

 

[justinjoyal]

You can look into something like this :

AprilAire 865 Whole-House Steam Humidifier with Fan Pack

MODEL 865 RECALL NOTICE - Steam Humidifiers affected by the recall were produced from June 2010–Jan 2015. AprilAire Steam Humidifiers can help you maintain optimal humidity in your home which has been shown to reduce the incidence of respiratory infections and symptoms related to allergies and...

shop.aprilaire.com

 

[mike93lx]

50-65%? Wow. You're going to have condensation on the windows when it gets cold.

I was using this one, it's now running at my folks. Not super loud and it runs through water.

https://aircare.com/humidifiers/space-saver-831000/

Depending on how big the house is, a couple will probably be needed.

 

[PopcornSutton]

I've had humidifier systems and they are a pain. I took them out. If we need it, we use local units per room. Not ideal, but even with those, keeping them clean is almost a daily chore.

 

[racecougar]

I added ventless propane. It's disadvantage is humidity. It's advantage is that I can heat most of the house on one 30k unit.

Surprised that is legal in a residence.

 

[dcg9381]

Surprised that is legal in a residence.

They are "portables", not made for perm install.

 

[PoorUB]

I've had humidifier systems and they are a pain. I took them out. If we need it, we use local units per room. Not ideal, but even with those, keeping them clean is almost a daily chore.

Seriously? I have an Aprilaire bypass with a pad, I forget the model. It has been in for twenty years. In that time I have replaced the pad every other year, (maybe?), and replaced the water solenoid once.

Many guys don't like the bypass pad units, but i like them as they are so trouble free. I have installed everything including the steam units, plus the large commercial steam, and every thing else was a bit more hassle. People mention the water usage with the bypass pad units, but I don't notice it on my water bill.

 

[racecougar]

^^^Ditto. Works great and has been entirely trouble free for decades.

 

[loganb]

Seriously? I have an Aprilaire bypass with a pad, I forget the model. It has been in for twenty years. In that time I have replaced the pad every other year, (maybe?), and replaced the water solenoid once.

Many guys don't like the bypass pad units, but i like them as they are so trouble free. I have installed everything including the steam units, plus the large commercial steam, and every thing else was a bit more hassle. People mention the water usage with the bypass pad units, but I don't notice it on my water bill.

Use the same solution here, works pretty well. New pad at the start of heating season, when spring comes around flip the damper from winter to summer and turn the water off. It's integrated with the thermostat for control so only maintenance it takes during the season is any adjustment of the desired humidity level.

 

[cvairwerks]

50-65%? Wow. You're going to have condensation on the windows when it gets cold.

I wish we did....We're running 3 ultrasonic units right now, 24/7 and can barely maintain 20-35% RH now. The wife and one kid are having all sorts of breathing problems with that low of humidity. The wife is also getting nose bleeds from the dryness. I just looked at the hygrometer in the kitchen and we are at the same humidity right now as Las Vegas, 20%....The RH at the airport near us is 43%.

Will be looking at the Aircare units the next day or so.

 

[PopcornSutton]

Seriously. I had Skuttle brand in two houses, bypass systems. Both houses were/are on well water. Cleaning has to be at a minimum of once a week. The drum media pad gets hard from minerals, the pan gets real gunky and you have to wonder about bacteria. So once a week the whole thing got pulled out, I would change the pad with one I had cleaned from the last week, then clean and bleach the pan. The pads went into a CLR bath the break down the mineral buildup. It just wasn't worth the time and trouble to me.

 

[mike93lx]

I wish we did....We're running 3 ultrasonic units right now, 24/7 and can barely maintain 20-35% RH now. The wife and one kid are having all sorts of breathing problems with that low of humidity. The wife is also getting nose bleeds from the dryness. I just looked at the hygrometer in the kitchen and we are at the same humidity right now as Las Vegas, 20%....The RH at the airport near us is 43%.

Will be looking at the Aircare units the next day or so.

I'd get a blower door test done and chase down air leakage.

I have the same problem in my house and am using a aprilaire steam unit now, but still need individual humidifiers in the kids' rooms at times.

 

[racecougar]

Seriously. I had Skuttle brand in two houses, bypass systems. Both houses were/are on well water. Cleaning has to be at a minimum of once a week. The drum media pad gets hard from minerals, the pan gets real gunky and you have to wonder about bacteria. So once a week the whole thing got pulled out, I would change the pad with one I had cleaned from the last week, then clean and bleach the pan. The pads went into a CLR bath the break down the mineral buildup. It just wasn't worth the time and trouble to me.

Yes, you can't expect to be anywhere near maintenance free if you're running hard water through it.

 

[fitter30]

RH travels from high to low just like temperature. Need to contact your electric company to see if they offer a blower door test with a energy audit. The audit tells how tight the house is. RH above 40% can grow mold. Steam humidifiers use a lot of electricity because their boiling water.

 

[PopcornSutton]

Yes, you can't expect to be anywhere near maintenance free if you're running hard water through it.

My first house didn't need a softener for the well water. This house does and has a softener. You won't find me drinking municipal water.

 

[racecougar]

My first house didn't need a softener for the well water. This house does and has a softener. You won't find me drinking municipal water.

I’m not requesting that you do, but you can’t expect a whole house humidifier to be maintenance free with hard water. If your softener is working properly, your humidifier pad shouldn’t need daily demineralization/cleaning.

 

[mm08822]

am using a aprilaire steam unit now, but still need individual humidifiers in the kids' rooms at times.

Which aprilaire unit and what size house? What setpoint that you need individual units?

 

[mike93lx]

Which aprilaire unit and what size house? What setpoint that you need individual units?

Its the 800, on the 1st floor hvac. My first floor usually stays 5-10 points lower than the second and I don't feel like it's doing what it's really supposed to, but I haven't had a lot of time to mess with it. I have it set to the highest output on the humidistat and at the highest power level.

House is about 3500 sq ft, not all that well insulated and poorly sealed

 

[mm08822]

What are the pro's and cons between steam units vs. by-pass with pad for forced hot air systems? I was also thinking about filtering the water before humidifier. I'm on city water.

 

[mike93lx]

What are the pro's and cons between steam units vs. by-pass with pad for forced hot air systems? I was also thinking about filtering the water before humidifier. I'm on city water.

I have city water too.

I ripped out an old bypass aprilaire when we replaced the furnace and a/c that was an absolute mold factory. I know lots of people run them without problem, I just didn't want to go back with one.

Bypass are a lot cheaper to run and purchase.

 

[mm08822]

I have city water too.

I ripped out an old bypass aprilaire when we replaced the furnace and a/c that was an absolute mold factory. I know lots of people run them without problem, I just didn't want to go back with one.

Bypass are a lot cheaper to run and purchase.

I have an atomizing unit that was a PIA as calcium buildup clogged the filter, nozzle and sv stopped working. One summer sv stuck open, I found my 1st 10' of duct dripping during the ac season b/c of it......and then the duct started rusting out. Haven't used it in 3 years. (Duct replacement needed when I replace furnace/ac.)

 

[wssix99]

I had something like this in a large condo once that got us by, but it required hooking up an indoor garden hose so I could fill up the 6 gallon tank every day without breaking my back: (We rolled it into a utility room where the hose was hooked up and then rolled it back out into the living space.)

AIRCARE 6 gal 2700 sq ft Digital Humidifier Mfr# 831000 - Ace Hardware

This space-saver humidifier from AIRCARE is sure to complement any decor. Our humidifiers work by adding invisible moisture to your environment by moving dry air through a saturated wick. Maintaining proper humidity levels between 30 to 50 percent in your home/office/workplace has been...

www.acehardware.com

 

[wssix99]

I would still by a built-in steam humidifier! It will be plug-and-play with your new HVAC system! The steam humidifier hangs on the wall and the output is a hose that screws into the main duct coming out of your furnace feeding the house. When you get your new system, just unscrew the steam fitting from your duct and then screw it into the new system. (If your new system doesn't disturb the duct work, then you may not even have to touch it!)

 

[Hobby_Man22]

Anyone have a good suggestion on a whole house humidifier? Rule out any that are inserted in the HAVC system, as the current house system will most likely be replaced in 2026 and trying to insert one into the current system would be extremely expensive due to the configuration and location of the current system.

We're running multiple humidifiers now, but it's getting to be a pain to keep them all filled. Even though they run 24/7, we can't keep the humidity where we need it. We need to keep it in the 50 to 65% RH range, but I just looked and we are down to 24% in the house. The other day, outside it was 70% and we were down at 29%.

I need to find one that holds several gallons and will do the entire house without make the area around it a swamp.

Same here. I have a headache from all this dry air and i'm at 22 percent humidity right now. I'm ready for it to warm up so the heater quits running so much.

 

[brewchief]

We install a ton of aprilaire 600 bypass humidifiers, they work well if hooked up to hot water and if the digital control with outdoor sensor is used, they do require regular maintenance, media pad needs to replaced once or twice a year.

I've done a few aprilaire steam humidifiers, they work well but also require maintenance, they have a steam canister that require periodic replacement and they use a lot of power, depending on setup from 11.5 amps at 120v to 16 amps at 240v, obviously the more power used the more steam.

The 800 steam humidifiers also have an option to be used standalone with no ductwork with the use of an extra kit.

 

[PoorUB]

Its the 800, on the 1st floor hvac. My first floor usually stays 5-10 points lower than the second and I don't feel like it's doing what it's really supposed to, but I haven't had a lot of time to mess with it. I have it set to the highest output on the humidistat and at the highest power level.

House is about 3500 sq ft, not all that well insulated and poorly sealed

The 800 is a great humidifier. It can provide up to 34 gallons a day if set up properly. With a 3500 sqft house you should be able to make it a tropical rain forest.

A couple points. It will run on 120 volt, or 240 volt. The output at 120 volt is half of what it is with 240 volt.

Some installers don't wire it to run the furnace fan on a call for humidity, so it only runs when the heat is on. If you wire it to 240 volt and let the humidifier control run you furnace fan it will humidify the house.

 

[mike93lx]

The 800 is a great humidifier. It can provide up to 34 gallons a day if set up properly. With a 3500 sqft house you should be able to make it a tropical rain forest.

A couple points. It will run on 120 volt, or 240 volt. The output at 120 volt is half of what it is with 240 volt.

Some installers don't wire it to run the furnace fan on a call for humidity, so it only runs when the heat is on. If you wire it to 240 volt and let the humidifier control run you furnace fan it will humidify the house.

Its setup for max power already (240v, I think 16a). I have the fan to run constantly to try to and maximize output. I can hear the water fill running and it's making steam, but humidity doesn't seem to be coming up

 

[PoorUB]

Its setup for max power already (240v, I think 16a). I have the fan to run constantly to try to and maximize output. I can hear the water fill running and it's making steam, but humidity doesn't seem to be coming up

Weird! Something isn't right. That 800 should turn your house into a swamp!

 

[PopcornSutton]

I’m not requesting that you do, but you can’t expect a whole house humidifier to be maintenance free with hard water. If your softener is working properly, your humidifier pad shouldn’t need daily demineralization/cleaning.

I mentioned weekly earlier. Even without the need to clean the pad of minerals, you are pulling return air through that media which is soaked in the pan water, it's a breeding ground. A squirt of bleach in the pan daily wouldn't hurt a thing.

 

[racecougar]

Duplicate

 

[racecougar]

I mentioned weekly earlier. Even without the need to clean the pad of minerals, you are pulling return air through that media which is soaked in the pan water, it's a breeding ground. A squirt of bleach in the pan daily wouldn't hurt a thing.

Sure, but that sounds like an awful lot of unnecessary effort.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I wish we did....We're running 3 ultrasonic units right now, 24/7 and can barely maintain 20-35% RH now. The wife and one kid are having all sorts of breathing problems with that low of humidity. The wife is also getting nose bleeds from the dryness. I just looked at the hygrometer in the kitchen and we are at the same humidity right now as Las Vegas, 20%....The RH at the airport near us is 43%.

Will be looking at the Aircare units the next day or so.

i used to do what you do. My house came with a bypass pad humidifier. based on vent measurements it did ZERO humidification when the heat was off (even while continuing to consume water and fan energy), and a token output when the heat was on (based on Rh and temp compensation).

we did the "truck water around the house" thing for a while, and now i've got this:



controlled by my main thermostat. I feed it RO water, and it requires zero maintenance (aside from changing the RO filters). I'm very happy with it.

The ultrasonic is now the "bump up" for a bedroom, instead of running full tilt 24/7 (except when it would run out and then the whole house dried out and took days to recover).

I wouldn't go back.

 

[Skooterj]

Seriously. I had Skuttle brand in two houses, bypass systems. Both houses were/are on well water. Cleaning has to be at a minimum of once a week. The drum media pad gets hard from minerals, the pan gets real gunky and you have to wonder about bacteria. So once a week the whole thing got pulled out, I would change the pad with one I had cleaned from the last week, then clean and bleach the pan. The pads went into a CLR bath the break down the mineral buildup. It just wasn't worth the time and trouble to me.

Hook it up after your water softener and filter. I have a well and mine is fine. And my water is stupid hard.

 

[DGersic]

I don’t see how any single humidifier can elevate your whole house without being part of the HVAC system, and without turning the area closest to it in to a swamp. Humidity has to travel from the source to the rest of the house. Maybe with a bunch of fans to move the air around. But as low as you’re reporting here (is your hygrometer accurate?), I think your best bet is several units until you can replace the HVAC, then get a whole house one installed.

Here, I’m running an AprilAire bypass pad unit. Works great. Has the outdoor sensor, so it self adjusts. Currently, it’s 40F outside and raining. Inside is 69-70F with 49-51% humidity, depending on which room I look at. I have a small digital thermometer/hygrometer in each room, originally used to balance the system, but now handy to check things like this.

Maintenance is pretty simple. I replace the pad mostly every year. I probably do forget occasionally. The system is on city water and after the water softener. The pad doesn‘t build up much scale at all.