What is a "normal" humidity level and how to achieve with an insert?

[BlueMule]

I've had the PE Summit running non-stop from the time of install last Saturday afternoon. I knew about the associated drop in a home's interior humidity levels beforehand and now I'm experiencing it. Hands are dry and rough, I'm thirsty more than usual. What are you insert owners doing for humidity? Are there water kettles or whatever they're called that fit on the top of an insert? Will they mark the surface?

 

[altmartion]

what is your primary heat source?

 

[Baker_Falcon]

Tea kettles, water pans, etc... performance is marginal at best and yes it will mark the surface. That may be acceptable for a big ugly stove in your basement but a nice new insert like that I wouldn't want to chance making any marks on the top. Go to Lowe's (or wherever) and pick out a humidifier. I do not burn 24/7 but I am happy with this unit's performance: http://www.lowes.com/pd_302448-1293...s&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=humidifiers&facetInfo=


Here is what they say in the instruction booklet:

 

[Sons924]

I use a humidifier. I try to keep levels between 35-45

 

[altmartion]

I use a humidifier. I try to keep levels between 35-45

that's good for me too. optimal is 50- 60 believe it or not. I am not comfy at that level. when I use my hot tub it skyrockets. every window in the house gets fully fogged up. I need to bring in some air I guess. I just recently tightened the house up a lot. if you have forced air as primary heat then it's an easy fix. the small portable ones work they can be a pain unless you buy one for each floor / area. you can buy big ones though, but I haven't seen them in a while.

 

[oldspark]

optimal is 50- 60 believe it or not

Not according to the info baker posted, as the temperature lowers so does the recomended humidity in the house, makes sense.

 

[jharkin]

50% is indeed optimal for your sinuses etc, but in the winter when its cold outside and the walls/windows are cold you can get condensation that encourages mold. This is why there are charts that provided suggested humidity levels relative to outdoor temp. The colder it is outside the lower you want your humidity.


Note that the instert isn't causing the air to dry out. Dry winter air is. If this is a change from your previous heat source likely that heat source had build in humidification (was it forced hot air with built in humidification?).

Get a standalone humidifier.

 

[altmartion]

temperature does effect humidity. it kind of makes sense to me, but how would the humidistat work correctly if it has to adjust for the highs and lows associated with the average forced air system?

 

[cableman]

I picked up 2 small units from amazon, ones a monkey the other an owl lol. They really do work! Better then a kettle on the stove. My wife is a pain with her dry nose and these work wonders for her.

 

[BlueMule]

Primary source is the insert. Turned off the heat pump last Saturday afternoon and haven't turned it on since. My Walmart temp/humidity digital meter says we're at 31% humidity on average in the 1st floor rooms. I haven't measured upstairs yet. I have a humidifier which I bought years ago but never used. I'll experiment with it on low and see how that goes.

 

[altmartion]

Primary source is the insert. Turned off the heat pump last Saturday afternoon and haven't turned it on since. My Walmart temp/humidity digital meter says we're at 31% humidity on average in the 1st floor rooms. I haven't measured upstairs yet. I have a humidifier which I bought years ago but never used. I'll experiment with it on low and see how that goes.

is the heat pump water or air?

 

[BlueMule]

Air

 

[altmartion]

Air

what about a humidifier to run off the air handler? it may cost as little more but will be more effective because of distribution.

 

[firebroad]

Where I live, humidity is high, even in winter sometimes. So I kind of like it dry. However, Amazon sells these:
http://www.amazon.com/Chimney-46290...F8&qid=1386778458&sr=8-1&keywords=half+kettle

 

[Nick Mystic]

We have a 2.5 gallon Hunter wickless humidifier that seems to do a decent job keeping the humidity level high enough that we aren't getting static electricity shocks every time we touch something. It has a digital control setting that lets you set the humidity level you want to maintain that seems to work well. It has three speeds and I usually leave it set on the medium level and set it for 45%, but it pretty much runs all the time unless we have some rainy weather, then it starts to cycle on and off as needed. I fill the reservoir about once a day, so it's putting between 2 - 3 gallons of moisture in our air each day. I have it sitting out of the way in the dining room of the upper level of the house, which is around 1400 sq. ft. There is an open stairway to our 1100 sq. ft. lower level nearby so I don't know home much humidity we lose down there. I just checked and the exact model we have is currently offered on eBay at $20 used. We got ours some years ago and don't recall what we paid for it, but it was probably around $50. We heat exclusively with our wood stoves.

 

[madison]

Home Depot, Sears, Lowes or online - search Essick Moist Aire whole house humdifier. Has a humidistat, adjustable fan and large cassettes/tanks that are easy to fill once per day in the heavy use time of yr. Different sized units by sq/ft of home.

 

[SteveKG]

Primary source is the insert. Turned off the heat pump last Saturday afternoon and haven't turned it on since. My Walmart temp/humidity digital meter says we're at 31% humidity on average in the 1st floor rooms. I haven't measured upstairs yet. I have a humidifier which I bought years ago but never used. I'll experiment with it on low and see how that goes.

Humidity here, outdoors, is often in the single digits or low to mid teens. Your 31% is triple what my house is currently. What is it when you are not using the insert? I know people who would kill to get up to 30%. I am not indicating you should accept 31%, I am just curious about how much negative effect your wood burning is having in your situation.

By the way, tea kettles and etc. on my wood stove top simmer away all day but I see no change in the relative humidity reading inside the house. We leave them on the stove anyway.

 

[USMC80]

I don't. Have gotten used to it and don't mind it anymore. Not nearly as bad as when I was running the forced air wood furnace

 

[oconnor]

Another way to control the humidity is to work on air sealing the house. There is nothing magic about stove heat that dries the air out - it just gives a lot more heat at a time, and the resultant air exchange from stack effect in the house dries it out.

Once our house was air sealed, humidity never was an issue in the winter - now we need to dehumidify in the summer.

 

[Spinny]

I have a forced air wood furnace. Keeping humidity is a real issue.

I installed a humidifier on the plenum over my geothermal unit. I decided I didn't want to have to refill a humidifier every day for four months out of the year.

As was posted above, humidity levels need to adjust with outside temps or you will get condensation on the insides of your windows. The humidifier I have has a temperature sensor that runs to the outside of the house. This senses the outside temp level and adjust the humidity level automatically. It really works well. You need to tap into a hot water line and have a drain line for excess water. Some have an air return on them. I didn't want more ductwork so my unit has a fan built in that forces the air. I'll post some pics...

 

[Spinny]

 

[Spinny]

http://www.westsidewholesale.com/aprilaire-700.html

(broken image removed)
This is the link to the one with auto control. There is a sensor in the cold air return also that I forgot to mention. That is where the little control panel mounts.

 

[Lundrunner]

I run 2 (two) Essick 2500/2800 sq ft whole house humidifiers 24/7 into a 2800 sq ft house and am lucky to maintain 41% humidity....that is pumping 20+ gallons of water a day and it is still too dry. A tea pot on the stove will do absolutely nothing to get the humidity to where it needs to be. I have heard it it said on here to take towels out of the washing machine and hang them on a drying rack in front of your stove and that will help.....yet to be tried by me but will soon find out.

 

[altmartion]

I run 2 (two) Essick 2500/2800 sq ft whole house humidifiers 24/7 into a 2800 sq ft house and am lucky to maintain 41% humidity....that is pumping 20+ gallons of water a day and it is still too dry. A tea pot on the stove will do absolutely nothing to get the humidity to where it needs to be. I have heard it it said on here to take towels out of the washing machine and hang them on a drying rack in front of your stove and that will help.....yet to be tried by me but will soon find out.

sounds like you have a leaky house. those machines should humidify the house.

 

[Lundrunner]

Before I put the Princess in I could run one of the units and maintain 45% all day long...not so much anymore. I couldn't believe the difference the stove made in the drop in humidity...and the cold temps obviously, but with out a doubt the stove made a huge difference.