How do you humidify?

[SidecarFlip]

It's proven physics that the lower the ambient humidity is (RH), the colder it feels at any given temperature, plus, low humidity is hard on furniture (drys the wood out), causes static electricity (which can fry your computer or stove control board) causes dry skin and a host of other effects.

What do all of you use to 'humidify' the air in your home? Myself, I use 2 large wick type humidifiers, one at each end of the house to keep the RH at an acceptable lever. Typically, I go through about 21 gallons of water every 4 days.

I have an evaporative humidifier on my central furnace but in as much as the furnace seldom runs, replacing lost humidity becomes an issue.

I try to maintain around 35% RH as measured with a wet bulb hygrometer, which, is not always possible, especially if the outside air temperature is extremely cold.

How to you all do it?

 

[Papelletman]

I use one of these...

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Honeywell...-Bonus-Protec-Cartridge-Value-Bundle/30550534

 

[SidecarFlip]

Actually, it's exactly like mine but I have 2. Seem to be pretty good units (even though wicks are had to fim online). The jugs are a bit hard to fill but seem to be better constructed than my last (Sunbeam units) that the jugs split on, rendering the units useless.).

 

[Papelletman]

So far i like this one alot, it easily keeps my 1300sf rancher at the 40% i am trying to achieve. I also had a medium sized sunbeam last year that was to small and ended up crapping out atbthe end of last winter.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Had the big Sunbeams (2) but the water tanks split on both and the tanks cost as much as the whole unit(s) did. The Honeywell tanks are odd shaped (makes filling hard) but seem (so far) to be better constructed.

 

[Wilbur Feral]

Bought an Idyllis whole house unit at Lowes that holds 14.6 gallons. Keep it in an out of the way area in the kitchen and can just wheel it over to the sink to refill using hose that extends out of the faucet, down about 30 inches. Doing a nice job on the 1st and second floors, about 2300 SF total. Basement office (another 600+ SF) is a little bit dry, though, so may add another one. It's not all that well built, but does beat the small portables we used before in terms of convenience.

Our main heating system is a heat pump, but it rarely comes on with the pellet stoves running, and would be a poor performer anyway as the air isn't warm enough for an evaporative to work. I looked at the Honeywell Truesteam, but at $900 all in plus $4 - $5 / day in operating costs (boils water to make steam, and requires the HVAC fan to run) I decided to pass on that.

 

[tony58]

Got a small Walgreens humidifier.Thats all it takes for me.

 

[bogieb]

I use a Vick's warm steam humidifier. Cheap and works okay - as well as any others I tried. I like it on the dry side - or rather my skin does. Rub wood furniture down with orange oil mixed with grapeseed oil on occasion to keep it happy. Cats and bird don't seem to be affected by drier air, but I really don't have any idea how much moisture is in the air - as long as my nose doesn't bleed from dryness, I'm good.

 

[Smoke Stack]

I leave the toilet seat up.

 

[Bioburner]

Vent the clothes drier back into house and that covers one day a week an nice heat boost.

 

[SidecarFlip]

My big issue is that we have well water thats loaded with calcium so filling from a faucet won't work. I bring water home from work where they have city (Lake Erie) water, bring in home in 7.5 gallon jugs.. only in the winter though. Our water is so bad calcium wise, I have to wash the cars with collected rain water. I use 2 350 gallon IBC totes that collect rainwater from the eavestroughs.

 

[SidecarFlip]

I leave the toilet seat up.

Huh? I know..... Be like dad and not like sis, lift the lid before you pi**.

 

[Bioburner]

My big issue is that we have well water thats loaded with calcium so filling from a faucet won't work. I bring water home from work where they have city (Lake Erie) water, bring in home in 7.5 gallon jugs.. only in the winter though. Our water is so bad calcium wise, I have to wash the cars with collected rain water. I use 2 350 gallon IBC totes that collect rainwater from the eavestroughs.

Been using snow to fill the humidifiers and feed the plants. Water here is borderline toxic with iron. When we built the house and before we got a iron conditioner etc we ruined a toilet in 3 months.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Been using snow to fill the humidifiers and feed the plants. Water here is borderline toxic with iron. When we built the house and before we got a iron conditioner etc we ruined a toilet in 3 months.

Not a bad idea (if you have enough snow). We have some iron too, what make of iron filter do you have?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Vent the clothes drier back into house and that covers one day a week an nice heat boost.

The everything smells like Downey Fabric Softener....

 

[Bioburner]

Water Boss followed up by a cheap GE softner.

 

[Bioburner]

The everything smells like Downey Fabric Softener....

Hey, it beats wet dog

 

[SidecarFlip]

Fair statement. I see you can get a dryer shuttle vent complete with a pantyhose leg filter...for lint.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Water Boss followed up by a cheap GE softner.

I need to get ours under control. It's been getting worse as the drillers across the road keep going deeper for oil. Think they 'disturbed' something down there...

So I put a Water Boss Iron Filter (Potassium Permagnate Regen) in front of a softener? Do I really need a softner with the iron filter?

 

[SidecarFlip]

Would be nice to loose the metallic smell and the red tinged underwear.

 

[Bioburner]

I need to get ours under control. It's been getting worse as the drillers across the road keep going deeper for oil. Think they 'disturbed' something down there...

So I put a Water Boss Iron Filter (Potassium Permagnate Regen) in front of a softener? Do I really need a softner with the iron filter?

Yes. Pretty much standard fair in our area and according to the news the other day MN has some of the hardest water in the US. The water boss also has a whole house filter that also self cleans with the regeneration so saves a couple bucks a month on cartridges. Use resin clean salt pellets in the softener an seems to keep things clean. If don't use the softener the dishes won't dry without spots and baths and showers won't rinse well.

 

[woodmakesheat]

Thanks for reminding me - my eyes were burning tonight and what I needed was to get a new filter for my Holmes whole house unit and get it going. Much nicer in here now.

 

[Bridgeman]

How do you control condensation on your windows and glass doors? I can only humidify to the point where my wood sash stays dry. I have 20+ year old insulated glass that in not latest window technology. I can bump up the humidity a few percentage points but nowhere near the 50% that is recommend.

 

[Bioburner]

How do you control condensation on your windows and glass doors? I can only humidify to the point where my wood sash stays dry. I have 20+ year old insulated glass that in not latest window technology. I can bump up the humidity a few percentage points but nowhere near the 50% that is recommend.

Your doing it right. Wish I had saved a article from paper about moisture control in winter in the home. I had posted it to IBC. Anything basically that causes a buildup on your windows is potentially a problem for other things in the home.

 

[Arti]

Air Infiltration is the reason we need to humidify, another good reason to put an oak on our pellet stoves. We add a lot of humidity to homes by cooking, showers, and doing laundry/dishes.

This chart may be helpful.

When The Outdoor
Temperature is
This Relative Humidity
Should Be Maintained
+40°F 45%
+30° 40%
+20° 35%
+10° 30%
0° 25%
-10° 20%
-20° 15%