Now she wants a humidifier...argh.

oldspark said:

What brand is that, nice looking unit.

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Essick Brand
You can use it as end table.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_299915-12934-EP9 500_0__?productId=3775069&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-HeatingCooling-_-HumidifiersDehumidifiers-_-3775069&CAWELAID=1483820361&kpid=3775069&"cagpspn=pla"

Just went on my must have list.

I use the Holmes whole house humidifier.

To get your girlfriend to change her mind in the cold of winter go one month without heating with wood, and let her see the difference.
The house will be colder and harder to keep warm, heat from a forced air unit will not be as warm as the heat from the insert, the cost of not running it will be a big kick when you get the bill. I would be surprised if she would even allow you to go a full month without it. Then next year she may even want to help you gather wood.

Huntindog1 said:

I have this one, works good , its a whole house one. Its has 6 speed settings and can be set to a low setting you can almost not hear.

View attachment 112000

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I've got the same unit. Works well, and noise level is very low.

MishMouse said:

To get your girlfriend to change her mind in the cold of winter go one month without heating with wood, and let her see the difference. The house will be colder and harder to keep warm, heat from a forced air unit will not be as warm as the heat from the insert, the cost of not running it will be a big kick when you get the bill. I would be surprised if she would even allow you to go a full month without it. Then next year she may even want to help you gather wood.

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Not to mention hand HER the bill
My house is 2400 sqft and I run two whole house humidifiers both rated for 2400 sqft but that's because I keep it so warm. It does make a big difference when your burning 24/7 but I'm on my third fire of the year and the humidify is still reading between 45 and 50 so I seriously doubt one fire is drying it out at all unless its 120 degrees in your house

You can go on line, do a search and find the right filter delivered to your door much cheaper than in any of the stores. I only change mine twice a season. Just wash everything out with a mild bleach solution every couple weeks and you are good to go. You can get a cheap meter to monitor the humidity. I think I got mine at Walmart for less than $10.00
Another option is to redirect you dryer vent inside. You can buy a filter kit that traps the lint in a bucket, the moist air goes into the home. Just make sure it isn't too much. Those kits usually have some flip thing that allows you to quickly change venting to inside or out.

She reacted to the bunt dust from the stove sitting idle. We should all practice the manly art of dusting off our stoves in the fall before the first fire. If I don't, the first fire always does that to me too.

Winter humidity is a GOOD idea, for humans its should be 30-50%RH, you will both get sick less (solid medical data on this). Old houses can def have mold problems though at higher RH, how high can you go? Impossible to say. I think 30% is usually safe, 50% is dodgy in cold climates, unless your house is designed/built for it.

Whether you do evap, cold mist, warm mist, they all take heat to drive evaporation. Even the cool mist and evap will take your space heat. I developed a sensitivity to the ultrasonic dust, and just run a 3 gal/day evap unit. Will 3 gal/day do it for you? If your house is leaky, no way. If it is tight, it'll be more than you need. If you have a leaky house, just put a smaller unit in the bedrooms, rather than schlepping huge amounts of water.

I like it when the wife wants a worthwhile idea....I get to do something worthwhile, and get props for doing it too.

Bster13 said:

Are they noisey? My insert blower is noisey on high for my living room, but just curious.

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I've gone through 3 blowers on my VC merrimack insert due to noise. The things were rattle like crazy after being in for a month or so, so the last time around I decided to just live with it. I then installed the largest Kenmore humidifier I could find in the stove room on my first floor for sickness reasons, and within a couple of weeks my blower seemed to fix itself. The whole setup became whisper quiet without any intervention on my part. Not sure if it's unrealated, or there are components in there that were extremely dry due to the low humidity in my house, but after years of replacing, shimming with rubber, and cleaning, I think keeping the house in the 30-40% range had some unforseen impact.

On the lowest setting I don't even know the humidifier is on. I can see the curtains waving occasionally, but other than that it's like it's not even there.

I dont know how to say this but humidity makes heat feel warmer. They used to say you bring your humidity up and you can still feel warm with your thermostats set a little lower.

Plus alot of sickness starts from dry air. Allergies also. If your nasal cavities and throat get raw from being dried out then your more susceptible to getting a sinus infection or a sore throat infection.