Diagnosing Whole Home Humidifer

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AgronAlum

Well-Known Member
Jul 12, 2014
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I had the same issue awhile back. I checked the filter and it was corroded so bad the whole system failed. Check that.

I’ve replaced the filter each time I’ve fired up the furnace at the beginning of the year.
 

1100011CS

Well-Known Member
Oct 5, 2007
15,718
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Marshalltown
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.

At my last house we had one that was installed on the cold/return side too. It didn't make any sense to me. The water is being put into the air before being 'burnt up' in the furnace. Seemed really inefficient.
 

herbicide

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
10,814
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Ankeny, IA
At my last house we had one that was installed on the cold/return side too. It didn't make any sense to me. The water is being put into the air before being 'burnt up' in the furnace. Seemed really inefficient.
It won't "burn up" in the furnace, it just won't be as effective humidifying the air. The warmer the air the more water it can hold.

This chart demonstrates why you want the humidifier acting on the hot side:

Relative-Humidity-Graph-e1367505504127.jpg


This concept is why air conditioners in the summer remove humidity, and why dew and frost form as well. And of course why you'd want a humidifier in the first place, as the cold air outside is naturally dry in terms of actual moisture content.
 

2forISU

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2008
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That was my problem and I had to bypass the control that was provided for the humidifier and use the Nest control settings, plus I had to have the fan blowing for the humidifier to work. There are numerous videos out there on this, but here is reddit column on this.