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We do have a whole house humidifier on our HVAC. Before that, we had a console humidifier my husband used to fill with buckets of water every few days (it was just as much fun as it sounds like.) We live in Virginia, so we don't get the cold like you do in Michigan, but we find it valuable in winter to keep the air more breathable and to keep nasal passages from getting dried out. It also reduces static in the air. All of which you probably know. So I say yes, get it.
Trying to decide if should add or subtract these options from new furnace & A/C install -
Whole House humidifier
Field Control 30 Watt UVC Germicidal Light With PRO-CELL Technology & Carbon Odor Absorption
New house (mid-century construction) in mid-Michigan 4 blocks from a river. Home has sump pump, basement, and crawl space.
Does anyone else have and recommend these 2 options?
Yea or Nay?
Do you know what the relative humidity is in your house over a period of time? Since you are 4 blocks from a river and have a sump pump, I would guess that it might be higher rather than lower (having lived in similar circumstances previously). Before investing in the equipment I would buy several inexpensive hygrometers and place them around the house to get an RH reading over a period of time. Your heating system can affect the RH as well, as will the seasons: usually the RH will drop in the winter and rise in the more humid summers, air conditioning notwithstanding. The ideal RH is around 45% to stave off static but avoid mold and mildew.
I would skip on the second option. If odor is an issue there are pleated filters that have some charcoal in among the fibers to help remove odors. I’m not familiar with the climate in your location. What is the humidity like in the summer months? If it’s high you may need some form of dehumidification controls. Improved air quality is more than improved filtration. There are systems designed to bring conditioned fresh air into the home and exhausting some air out of the home. We’re looking into this system when we can afford to have it added to our new AC unit installed last month.
Trying to decide if should add or subtract these options from new furnace & A/C install -
Whole House humidifier
Field Control 30 Watt UVC Germicidal Light With PRO-CELL Technology & Carbon Odor Absorption
New house (mid-century construction) in mid-Michigan 4 blocks from a river. Home has sump pump, basement, and crawl space.
Does anyone else have and recommend these 2 options?
Yea or Nay?
For whole house humidifier, many factors impact performance. Floor zoning, duct work type and where it is ran, how tight the house is, etc.....
I have an Aprilaire system with an automatic humidity controller (includes outside air temp sensor) that really makes a big difference for house comfort in the winter. I left it at 35% the first winter we were there.
My house is single floor, in the south west high desert, with low humidity most of the year. Mid winter night temps average 28F, but the house is tight with good windows and door seals. No young kids, so doors/windows tend to stay shut.
I have a whole house power humidifier and I love it. It's 10 years old. The filter/pad is replaced every fall in preparation for winter use. The power humidifier kicks on when the RH falls below a set point I set on the thermostat. I do have to adjust the RH set point down when it gets below 20 degrees outside or I get moisture on the inside of my north facing windows. Utah is the second driest state in the nation. So the humidifier helps with our very dry winters.
I use this furnace filter. It's replaced every spring. My HVAC guys said once a year is appropriate for my house.
Decided yesterday. We are going to try the whole house humidifier. Went with a all Daiken FIT system - furnace, condenser, air purifier, and whole house humidifier.
Should be about four weeks before installed, though.
Decided yesterday. We are going to try the whole house humidifier. Went with a all Daiken FIT system - furnace, condenser, air purifier, and whole house humidifier.
Should be about four weeks before installed, though.
I’ve never seen a used house with a working humidifier. I’ve looked at hundreds of used houses over many years. I’ve seen more broken, leaking & disabled humidifiers than I can count - seen lots of ductwork that’s been patched where old humidifiers were removed. I’d never install one in a rental.
If you must allow them to install a humidifier, insist that they run a proper water line, and that they don’t use a “saddle clamp” to tap into an existing pipe. A saddle-clamp is guaranteed to leak in just a couple of years, if it survives that long.
As for “purifiers”.. meh.. change the filters regularly. Overpriced and usually junk.
We've had a whole house humidifier for about 10 years now. Best thing ever. I change out the pad once a year, and that's all I have to do.
We also have a smart thermostat that varies the humidity called for based on outside temperature, that has been tremendously helpful with preventing condensation on the windows. When we moved here, the adjustment was manual and something I kept forgetting to adjust.
I’ve never seen a used house with a working humidifier. I’ve looked at hundreds of used houses over many years. I’ve seen more broken, leaking & disabled humidifiers than I can count - seen lots of ductwork that’s been patched where old humidifiers were removed. I’d never install one in a rental.
If you must allow them to install a humidifier, insist that they run a proper water line, and that they don’t use a “saddle clamp” to tap into an existing pipe. A saddle-clamp is guaranteed to leak in just a couple of years, if it survives that long.
As for “purifiers”.. meh.. change the filters regularly. Overpriced and usually junk.
Weird- I've never lived in a house with a non-functioning whole house humidifier. I love the whole house humidifier- can't stand (a) dry skin or (b) filling humidifier tanks. That said, I wouldn't want to put one in a rental as it needs attention a couple times a year.
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