Humidifiers - Some Helpful Basics
There are many different ways to search for a humidifier
on the internet. There are also quite a few different types
of humidifiers. Humidifiers can be identified in the following
ways:
- whole house humidifiers
- house humidifiers
- home humidifiers
- furnace humidifiers
They're all the same thing: a humidifier that provides proper
humidity for your entire home.
Here are the different types of humidifiers we carry:
Steam Humidifiers
Steam humidifiers are units that create their own humidity from boiling water and creating steam that rises from the water pan into the ductwork to be carried throughout the home by the forced air system.
These top of the line models have the following features:
- A computer watchdog circuit to allow the unit to momitor itself during every phase for operation that can tell you if, and exactly what is wrong with the humidifier with a series of LED lights
- An automatic drain/flush system that gives you an automatic maintenance mode that makes it almost self cleaning.
- Wiring ports to connect a fan proving system.
- This system works even when the furnace isn't or cannot be on.
- It comes with a top of the line digital humidistat for controling the unit
- It's UL Listed and is compatible with all heating systems
Evaporative Humidifiers
Bypass Humidifiers - can be either self contained, recirculating, or drain models
Self Contained - These units have no connection from the humidifier body to the return air duct and are only connected directly to the warm air plenum. This design is very simple with the only moving part a solenoid water valve which opens and closes when the humidistat call for water, and then the water flows down the pad - there's not much to go wrong here. They use an expanded aluminum mesh pad and come complete with a humidistat and a 24 volt transformer. The air scoop baffle sticks into the duct, catches the hot airflow, and pushes the air through the wet pad and the now humid air is returned back to the duct and distributed to the home. When this style of humidifier is operating, water will be flowing down and out the bottom drain, requiring that the drain line be connected to a sink, a sump pump, or a condensate pump drain. These models complete with a humidistat and a 24 volt transformer
Recirculating - Bypass Models - These simple models utilize the pressure difference between the positive pressure hot air supply duct, and the negative pressure return air duct to get the air flow through the wet pad. The air comes out of the hot air duct and is sucked into the return air duct. . These models can be mounted on either the warm air supply duct or the cold air return duct. A simple aluminum flex duct is run from the side of the unit to whichever duct the unit is not on. These models complete with a humidistat and a 24 volt transformer. They can be two different style of units - Recirculating or Drain
Recirculating - This type of model utilizes a form pad mounted on a rotating wheel the turns through a waterpan keeping the pad wet whenever the wheel is turned by a small 24 volt motor that operates only when the humidistat calls for moisture. The water level in the pan is kept constant by a float assembly connected to the main water line.
Drain - This type of humidifier is one of the most simple models available with the only moving part being a water Solenoid Valve that opens and closes when the humidistat calls for water. When the valve is open water flows over and down the expanded aluminum mesh pad and the hot air flows through the pad, picks up the humidity ,and flows through the bypass duct and into the system. The drain type of humidifier is typically used in areas where the mineral content in the water is high, such as where the system is on a well. When this style of humidifier is operating, water will be flowing down and out the bottom drain, requiring that the drain line be connected to a sink, a sump pump, or a condensate pump drain.
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