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Furnace Repair | Top Humidifier Questions Answered
The only thing worse than buying something you do not need is talking yourself out of something you did not realize you needed so much. This is what comes to mind when purchasing a humidifier for your home. You may already have a great furnace and air conditioning system. This is not the time to overlook having a well running humidifier for your home. If you are not sure what the need for this is, then you will want to keep reading to find out how it can help you in your home. It is beyond just adding more comfort.
There are many reasons why, especially in Alberta, you will want to have a well-functioning humidifier in your home. This is not something you will want to skip or cut corners on. Hot to Cold Mechanical is here to help you install or even make sure your humidifier is doing what it is supposed to be doing for your home and ultimately you. The good news is when you have Hot to Cold install a new furnace, they will also give you a free humidifier.
Most important of humidifier questions
One of the first humidifier questions you might ask is how much does a humidifier cost. The short answer is it all depends on how big your home is. Generally, you are probably going to spend anywhere from $500 to $600 for the average humidifier.
If you are finding that you are experiencing a lot of static electricity in your home, then you either have no humidifier or it may not be functioning well. The dry air in our Alberta climate causes this scenario and having a good humidifier functioning well and set to the proper level will eliminate this nuisance.
If you are just realizing now as to why you need a humidifier you may actually go and see it and what it is set to. This is a good idea to check that everything is functioning properly now that you know how important it is for your home and your comfort levels. You go to the furnace room to check things out, but what if you discover it is not working at all. There are some DIY fixes you should try first. Of course, if the next tips do not solve the issue you will want to call a professional furnace company like Hot to Cold Mechanical to help you out further.
The Top Humidifier Questions Are Answered
There are two typical reasons that your humidifier is not functioning properly or ultimately not working at all. The first has to do with the humidistat. This is also commonly referred to as humidistat control. This device works with the heating and cooling systems in the home. Its job is to control the moisture in the air so that it reaches a certain level of humidity in your home. This is an automatic function. If it is not functioning, then your humidifier will not work.
The other problem you may be experiencing is plugged or too old or worn filter pads on the humidifier. The job of the filter pad is to regularly catch any debris or minerals from flowing through as the humidifier does its job of putting moisture back into the home. Once that pad builds up deposits on it, it becomes an issue for water to flow through. Just as you change the furnace’s air filter often to allow the air to flow without restriction, you need to change the filter pads often to allow the water to flow freely too.
Last but not least of humidifier questions
This last point leads us to the next question people have about humidifiers. They ask why the humidifier has white crusty stuff on it. Essentially this is a buildup of calcium. Think about your taps and how the calcium and minerals build up on them over time. Unless you clean them properly it will just keep building up with repeated use. Again, we go back to the filter pads. Their job is to keep the debris and minerals from circulating. You will want to check that the pads are in good working order.
The next question you may be asking is how often you should change the filter pads. In Alberta, the winter months are the driest ones, so a good rule of thumb is to check as often as every three to four weeks in the winter and less often in summer. What you want to look for is that there is no buildup. Some humidifiers have a flashing light on them that is set by a timer. This means it is time to check the pads to see if they need changing.
We are here to help you answer the most common Humidifier Questions
Typically, in Alberta and dry climates like it, you will want to set your humidistat control to 35% either on the dial or in the digital settings, dependent on what type of humidifier you have. This is the most common setting where you will feel less dry but also not feel like you are getting sweaty or having the windows fog up.
One of the most common humidifier questions people ask is how does a humidifier work. There are two parts to the humidification system, the return, and the supply. The humidifier takes air from the return over to the supply and this is done through the ducts. From the return the air needs to pass through the filter pads effectively in the humidifier. Be sure these pads are in good working order and have no buildup of calcium on them. The humidifier adds the water to the air, and through the supply it is pumped back into the home.
At Hot to Cold Mechanical, we find it is best to install the humidifier on the supply side of the duct work because it has less area for the humid air to travel before going back into the home. It makes the most sense that once the water is added to the air it goes in the most direct fashion to the ducts. There is less wastage and water used when done this way. Efficiency is key to setting up your humidifier alongside your furnace.
