Do you use a humidifier in your home?

[Drama]

After living in Denver for almost 5 months and just purchasing a house, my wife and I would like to do something about how dry it is here. So we are going to buy a whole home humidifier. I'm just not sure if I need to plan on running one year round. If so I'm going to buy a steam humidifier, if not, i'm going to buy one that evaporates through the heater. Can you guys give me an idea of how necessary they are and what seasons I need to plan for so I can make a better decision.

My house is currently running around 14% humidity wish kind of sucks.

Do you have a Humidifier?
If so, what seasons do you run it?

[Bueller]

Get an aquarium

[Drama]

Get an aquarium

Lol. I've done that many many times. No more for me right now.

[asp_125]

In my experience the warm steam ones require more care. The heating elements are prone to scale and lime deposits. Especially in HR where we have hard water. Heating the water does kill off some bacteria and mold, but the cool ones with a UV light also do the same. We run ours through the winter.

[Dr. Joe Siphek]

get a cheap humidifier for the winter...if your house has a swamp cooler, you won't need anything for the summer, as it pumps moisture into the house. I've lived here for 20 years and coming from Iowa (very humid) it took some time to adjust to the dryness, but a little extra lotion (after a hot shower or just a warm shower) and always having lip balm..I've never had any problems.

[Drano]

I'm running a Honeywell TrueSteam whole house humidifier in the winter. I haven't found it to be dry enough in the summer to warrant its use. I like it. It's not too pricey and was relatively easy to install.

I have noticed that the humidifier runs a lot. Mine is set up to run when the furnace is heating and to run the furnace fan when it's humidifying without a call for heat. Depending on how much humidity you want, you may find your fan running most of the time if you set it up that way.

As for maintenance, after I switch the unit off in the spring I remove the water reservoir and clean the heating elements. If it's really calcified I fill the reservoir with water and CLR and let it soak for a few hours. That's pretty much all the maintenance you have to perform other than checking your inline water filter.

I think it's a worthwhile investment. Be diligent about cleaning it once a year and you'll be fine.

[birchyboy]

I have an Aprilaire 600 whole house humidifier that we had installed in Dec 2009. It has been an awesome improvement. Low maintenance, integrated with the furnace fan, and is automatic. If you're interested, I can pm you the name of the guy that installed it.

[Drama]

I ended up going with the Aprilaire 700. I plan on installing myself next week. Looking forward to a more enjoyable winter.

[lytehouse]

I ended up going with the Aprilaire 700. I plan on installing myself next week. Looking forward to a more enjoyable winter.

They work great, but just an FYI....turn it down when it gets really cold or you will end up with a bit of ice on your windows.

[Zanatos]

I have a small steam humidifier in my bedroom that I run during the winter.

For dry skin, I got a whole house Rainsoft water softener, and I take fish oil tablets (for high cholesterol too).

[TinkerinWstuff]

we run a whole home on the forced air furnace and run an evaporative style in our bedroom. Baby has a steam style in his bedroom - and a fish tank.

the only one we run year round is the fish tank

[modette99]

When we first moved here I installed one for the whole house. We also as an addition have a fancy stand alone unit airoswiss I think its called.

http://www.gracioushome.com/images/5006994_5.jpg

It works, but a few CONS:
1) To fill water tank is a PAIN in the ass
2) Cost was a lot more then other units
3) Parts are expensive to change out for maintenance
4) Did I mention the water tank, what clown designed this to fill from the bottom!!!


I'm surprised CO homes don't have whole house Humidifiers as standard by the builders...LOL

Cons to whole house:
1) Got to replace the screen material as it breaks down (adds another maintenance item to home to remember to do)
2) At least with our city water, deposits are bad and in time it clogs the rubber hose to drain, that needs flushed out as I have learned or it backs up and water runs down the furnace duct work.

[Darth Do'Urden]

I've also been looking at getting a humidifier for our bedroom. We rent, so a whole-house unit isn't really an option.

As for the standalone single-room units, what should I be looking at? Is there some certain feature that I need to make sure it has? Also, I'm concerned about the room becoming saturated...is this simply an issue of having the unit adjusted too high (operator error), or is this just a natural side effect of having one?

Our sinuses are just terribly dry, and we're hoping a unit running in the room at night will help alleviate this problem.

[asp_125]

Most stand alone units have settings to adjust how much humidity you want. Expensive ones have timers or sensors that shut the unit off if it runs dry, saving electricity and not overheating the elements. Cheaper ones will just keep on blowing air regardless of water in the tank. Look for mold/bacterial killing units if you have allergies.

[Keyser Soze]

I had one in Phoenix. Now I just open the windows :D

[Drama]

I had one in Phoenix. Now I just open the windows :D

lol

[modette99]

I've also been looking at getting a humidifier for our bedroom. We rent, so a whole-house unit isn't really an option.

As for the standalone single-room units, what should I be looking at? Is there some certain feature that I need to make sure it has? Also, I'm concerned about the room becoming saturated...is this simply an issue of having the unit adjusted too high (operator error), or is this just a natural side effect of having one?

Our sinuses are just terribly dry, and we're hoping a unit running in the room at night will help alleviate this problem.


Colorado is soooo dry I would find it hard for a room to become over saturated.

Yeah any good ones have timers and what not. The fancy one I mentioned has all sorts of settings and it turns off when the water runs out.

[DFab]

I've also been looking at getting a humidifier for our bedroom. We rent, so a whole-house unit isn't really an option.

As for the standalone single-room units, what should I be looking at? Is there some certain feature that I need to make sure it has? Also, I'm concerned about the room becoming saturated...is this simply an issue of having the unit adjusted too high (operator error), or is this just a natural side effect of having one?

Our sinuses are just terribly dry, and we're hoping a unit running in the room at night will help alleviate this problem.

I got one of these a year ago off woot.com.

link (http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Guardian-H4500-Ultrasonic-Humidifier/dp/B00446IPB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1357234166&sr=1-1)

It's quiet enough not to bother us while we sleep. I would definitely get an ultrasonic as opposed to one that makes steam. And get one with a big tank so you only have to fill it once a week or so.

[Drama]

I got one of these a year ago off woot.com.

link (http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Guardian-H4500-Ultrasonic-Humidifier/dp/B00446IPB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1357234166&sr=1-1)

It's quiet enough not to bother us while we sleep. I would definitely get an ultrasonic as opposed to one that makes steam. And get one with a big tank so you only have to fill it once a week or so.

FYI, you can get a Aprilaire 700 whole home system for $100 more. I know it doesn't make sense for renters, but homeowners should consider it.

[modette99]

FYI, you can get a Aprilaire 700 whole home system for $100 more. I know it doesn't make sense for renters, but homeowners should consider it.

Or he can talk with landlord and see maybe they will reduce rent if he puts one in...or might put one in just by asking, you never know. There are good landlords and bad ones that just don't give a damn.

[Darth Do'Urden]

Or he can talk with landlord and see maybe they will reduce rent if he puts one in...or might put one in just by asking, you never know. There are good landlords and bad ones that just don't give a damn.

Our landlady is actually pretty good. However, we're trying to do everything in our power to prevent the rent from increasing when we renew in a month or so. That being the case, we've been avoiding asking for anything beyond typical repair things.

However, this might be a good negotiation tool should it come to a possible increase. Thanks for the idea.

[birchyboy]

As a landlord, I'd deny any request from the tenant to modify the furnace in any way. Adding a humidifier adds maintenance, adding cost, adding hassle, etc. It's just another thing that can break.

[Darth Do'Urden]

As a landlord, I'd deny any request from the tenant to modify the furnace in any way. Adding a humidifier adds maintenance, adding cost, adding hassle, etc. It's just another thing that can break.

Totally understandable.

[Drama]

Installed my aprilaire 700 today and Hooke it up to my Nest thermostat. Humidity in the house head already gone for. 12% to 24% looking forward to less dry skin :)

[Drama]

After a week I'm able to keep the house at 30-35% humidity...oh man does it feel great! no more dry skin, bloody noses, etc. I fell like i'm living the life of luxury. I highly recommend getting one of these to anyone in colorado.

[Grim2.0]

Installed my aprilaire 700 today and Hooke it up to my Nest thermostat. Humidity in the house head already gone for. 12% to 24% looking forward to less dry skin :)


I fucking love my Nest thermostat!!!!!!!!

[FZRACE97]

I have an ultrasonic "visible mist" humidifier in the
bedroom and can keep it at right around 40%.

Also if you have dry skin hot showers are bad.

[vort3xr6]

I use a Walmart cool mist humidifier. Goes through about a gallon a night of water, but I am still getting bloody noses and dry skin. Aside from a whole house unit I don't know what to do s