Whole House Humidifier

Higgy · 12-29-10, 11:33 AM

Hey all,

Daox and I were talking as I want to install a whole house humidifier into my house and we found a few decent ones. Does anyone have any recommendations on which one of these to purchase? I know the honeywell one you have to replace the filter. The Air King and Desert Spring you don't have to. The Desert Spring is more expensive but seems to have better reviews.

Here are some links to some we have found:
Desert Spring: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en
Honeywell: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber
Air King: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

Any recommendations out there?

Daox · 12-29-10, 11:39 AM

I have something similar to the Air King model that Higgy listed. Its rebranded a Lasko though. Seems to work fine for me. This year I've set mine to 40% and thats pretty darn close to what my house stays at. I'd say +/- 2% from my minimal humidity monitoring. I did just get a nice weather station for Christmas though. I'll take a few more readings from different points in the house and report back.

I have no idea how much water it uses though. Perhaps I'll put a bucket under the drain tonight to see.

Daox · 12-30-10, 07:13 AM

I checked my humidity last night. The humidistat is set ~40% and it was 38% on average in the house in a couple spots.

Ryland · 12-30-10, 11:43 AM

If your humidity is to high you will get water condensing and freezing inside your walls, not just on your windows.
It's better to humidify your bed room or just the room that you want to have more humidity, you can also have more house plants to add more humidity to the air.

There are alot of heating contractors that will not install whole house humidifiers because of the issues that they create in the rest of the house.

Higgy · 12-30-10, 12:47 PM

Ryland, do you have any recommendations on certain types of room humidifiers?

Daox · 12-30-10, 12:56 PM

I would imagine that if you are using a HRV that a whole house humidifier would be a very nice addition to the HVAC system.

Xringer · 01-04-11, 12:59 PM

I wonder what if warm moist air is much heavier than dry air,
and would warm micro-droplets sink into the cool dense air near the floor.?.

We recently replaced our old (loud) humidifier with a newer
(quieter) more effective unit. The humidity has gone up
from about 20-23 % to a soild 33 to 35 %...

During the last 24 hours, I've noticed what seems to be an increased heating power usage.
(Sanyo mini-split ASHP has been the only heat source).

Is it possible that warm moist air sinks to the floor faster,
and transfers it's heat into the cool floor a little faster (than drier air)??

This fall, we removed the carpet and the hardwood floor feels pretty cool,
since the basement isn't heated.
So, I'm thinking maybe hardwood is a good transfer medium for moving heat into the basement..

In the geothermal-slab cooled basement, the temperature of the uninsulated
ceiling is 4 to 5 degrees F warmer than wooden interior walls (@5' off the floor).

So, I'm guessing those subflooring boards are being warmed by Mr. Sanyo.

I know that air-space is an important part of insulation. Like having
some dry air between the glass of your windows.

Let's say my coffee table is at 22C and there is a nearby picture window
that's sucking heat out of my coffee table.. Does moist air enhance the transfer?

Is humidifying the living area air, increasing the heat loss??

Comments?

Ryland · 01-04-11, 04:11 PM

Moist air holds more heat and transfers heat better the dry air, moisture in your walls will also make them a better thermo conductor.

RobertSmalls · 01-04-11, 06:04 PM

This effect should be much more than made up for by the decreased temperature differential (which drives both conduction and convection) between indoors and out, or indoors and basement slab.

And yes, hardwood is a good conductor of heat. I laid down carpet over my hardwood, and my toes are much happier, as are my knees and ears.

PaleMelanesian · 01-05-11, 08:27 AM

Can I ship you all my excess humidity? I'm this close to acquiring a couple DEhumidifiers for my house.

12-29-10, 11:33 AM	#1
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Whole House Humidifier Hey all, Daox and I were talking as I want to install a whole house humidifier into my house and we found a few decent ones. Does anyone have any recommendations on which one of these to purchase? I know the honeywell one you have to replace the filter. The Air King and Desert Spring you don't have to. The Desert Spring is more expensive but seems to have better reviews. Here are some links to some we have found: Desert Spring: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en Honeywell: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber Air King: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber Any recommendations out there? Last edited by Higgy; 12-29-10 at 11:37 AM..

12-29-10, 11:39 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I have something similar to the Air King model that Higgy listed. Its rebranded a Lasko though. Seems to work fine for me. This year I've set mine to 40% and thats pretty darn close to what my house stays at. I'd say +/- 2% from my minimal humidity monitoring. I did just get a nice weather station for Christmas though. I'll take a few more readings from different points in the house and report back. I have no idea how much water it uses though. Perhaps I'll put a bucket under the drain tonight to see. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-30-10, 07:13 AM	#3
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I checked my humidity last night. The humidistat is set ~40% and it was 38% on average in the house in a couple spots. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

12-30-10, 12:56 PM	#6
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	I would imagine that if you are using a HRV that a whole house humidifier would be a very nice addition to the HVAC system. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

01-04-11, 12:59 PM	#7
Xringer Lex Parsimoniae Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Woburn, MA Posts: 4,918 Thanks: 114 Thanked 250 Times in 230 Posts	is warm moist air heavy? I wonder what if warm moist air is much heavier than dry air, and would warm micro-droplets sink into the cool dense air near the floor.?. We recently replaced our old (loud) humidifier with a newer (quieter) more effective unit. The humidity has gone up from about 20-23 % to a soild 33 to 35 %... During the last 24 hours, I've noticed what seems to be an increased heating power usage. (Sanyo mini-split ASHP has been the only heat source). Is it possible that warm moist air sinks to the floor faster, and transfers it's heat into the cool floor a little faster (than drier air)?? This fall, we removed the carpet and the hardwood floor feels pretty cool, since the basement isn't heated. So, I'm thinking maybe hardwood is a good transfer medium for moving heat into the basement.. In the geothermal-slab cooled basement, the temperature of the uninsulated ceiling is 4 to 5 degrees F warmer than wooden interior walls (@5' off the floor). So, I'm guessing those subflooring boards are being warmed by Mr. Sanyo. I know that air-space is an important part of insulation. Like having some dry air between the glass of your windows. Let's say my coffee table is at 22C and there is a nearby picture window that's sucking heat out of my coffee table.. Does moist air enhance the transfer? Is humidifying the living area air, increasing the heat loss?? Comments?

12-30-10, 11:43 AM	#4
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	If your humidity is to high you will get water condensing and freezing inside your walls, not just on your windows. It's better to humidify your bed room or just the room that you want to have more humidity, you can also have more house plants to add more humidity to the air. There are alot of heating contractors that will not install whole house humidifiers because of the issues that they create in the rest of the house.

12-30-10, 12:47 PM	#5
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Ryland, do you have any recommendations on certain types of room humidifiers?

01-04-11, 04:11 PM	#8
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	Moist air holds more heat and transfers heat better the dry air, moisture in your walls will also make them a better thermo conductor.

01-04-11, 06:04 PM	#9
RobertSmalls Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 344 Thanks: 3 Thanked 17 Times in 15 Posts	This effect should be much more than made up for by the decreased temperature differential (which drives both conduction and convection) between indoors and out, or indoors and basement slab. And yes, hardwood is a good conductor of heat. I laid down carpet over my hardwood, and my toes are much happier, as are my knees and ears.

01-05-11, 08:27 AM	#10
PaleMelanesian Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 118 Thanks: 4 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Can I ship you all my excess humidity? I'm this close to acquiring a couple DEhumidifiers for my house.