Diagnosing Whole Home Humidifer

[AgronAlum]

I’m fairly handy but don’t even know where to start. Our house was at 30% according to the thermostat on the main level, so I turned it up. We are now down to 27 and I have it set between 40 and 45. I don’t think it’s doing anything. Not sure it did much last year but had no way of knowing.

I know there’s water flowing from when I changed the filter. Outside of that, it makes no noise, there’s no readout and it’s a closed system.

 

[herbicide]

It's probably simply not keeping up with the colder outside air which naturally drops the RH in a warmer house. Colder air has less water holding capacity, which means the same air heated up will have a lower RH than the colder air.

 

[AgronAlum]

It's probably simply not keeping up with the colder outside air which naturally drops the RH in a warmer house. Colder air has less water holding capacity, which means the same air heated up will have a lower RH than the colder air.

My thinking is the furnace is pushing air from the return which should already be at or near room temperature. The furnace is also running more than normal with colder temps, which means the humidifier should be running more. I guess if it can’t keep up in cold temps, I’m not sure what the point of it is.

 

[kbud]

Is the air damper open allowing warm air to pass across the media? Or does this unit have its own fan, is the fan operating?

 

[isuno1fan]

It may not keep up but having humid at 25 and not 5 still makes a ton of difference.

 

[AgronAlum]

Is the air damper open allowing warm air to pass across the media? Or does this unit have its own fan, is the fan operating?

No damper. It’s hanging right on the return. I can barely see the humidifier itself because of the positioning. I’ll have to turn the furnace up to see if I can hear anything. This is the setup that was installed before we bought the house.

 

[AgronAlum]

It may not keep up but having humid at 25 and not 5 still makes a ton of difference.

Having a kid that’s less than year old, the difference between 25 and 40 makes quite a bit of difference as well.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

No damper. It’s hanging right on the return. I can barely see the humidifier itself because of the positioning. I’ll have to turn the furnace up to see if I can hear anything. This is the setup that was installed before we bought the house.

View attachment 68561

Looks like a Model 700 from the profile. If so, their website says it has a built-in fan.

 

[Acylum]

Those can play hell with your HVAC system. I would stop using it and just get a console unit.

 

[herbicide]

That looks like a ductless model, which should have its own fan to draw air across the duct. Fan working?

Or is the duct on the other side where we can't see it in the picture?

Also, is it on the cold air side or the hot air side?

 

[AgronAlum]

That looks like a ductless model, which should have its own fan to draw air across the duct. Fan working?

Or is the duct on the other side where we can't see it in the picture?

Also, is it on the cold air side or the hot air side?

No ducts running anywhere. The only thing coming out of the unit is a drain line, the power supply and a water line. It’s on the cold air side.

I’ll have to check the fan. I can’t hear anything with the furnace on but it might just be the furnace drowning it out.

 

[herbicide]

No ducts running anywhere. The only thing coming out of the unit is a drain line, the power supply and a water line. It’s on the cold air side.

I’ll have to check the fan. I can’t hear anything with the furnace on but it might just be the furnace drowning it out.

It "should" be on the hot side, as the hot air will hold much more water.

Also, a typo on my first post; the fan should draw the air across the pad.

 

[h-man64]

I always wondered if mine was working, so I bought a cheap humidistat which i placed on my mantal upstairs and adjusted the humidity accordingly.

 

[CYdTracked]

I have the same humidifier as you do and I haven't even turned mine on yet and still have about 40% humidity in my house. If you crank it all the way up do you hear it spraying mist when the furnace fires up? Do you get your HVAC inspected by someone before the winter? You could have a plugged line or bad sensor if it is not kicking in. I have a service plan with my HVAC so they check everything out before I even use it and the best way to tell if is working is to turn it way up and see if you hear it.

 

[2forISU]

Do you have a Nest thermostat?

 

[BigBake]

Is there a a blue switch on the opposite side of that housing to open and close the dampener to send air thru it. Mine has a dampener you have to open to get it to function in Winter.

 

[TexCyted]

I had the same issue awhile back. I checked the filter and it was corroded so bad the whole system failed. Check that.

 

[AgronAlum]

I have the same humidifier as you do and I haven't even turned mine on yet and still have about 40% humidity in my house. If you crank it all the way up do you hear it spraying mist when the furnace fires up? Do you get your HVAC inspected by someone before the winter? You could have a plugged line or bad sensor if it is not kicking in. I have a service plan with my HVAC so they check everything out before I even use it and the best way to tell if is working is to turn it way up and see if you hear it.

I did not have anyone go through the furnace this year. I just spent 4 grand replacing the AC in August so the coil and everything else was replaced. Furnace is going fine.

I’ll have to check it out more when I get home.

 

[AgronAlum]

Do you have a Nest thermostat?

Yes.

 

[AgronAlum]

Is there a a blue switch on the opposite side of that housing to open and close the dampener to send air thru it. Mine has a dampener you have to open to get it to function in Winter.

No ****? I’ll have to feel around for it. I cannot see the left side of the unit.