Setting Your Humidistat
Setting The Humidistat
There are many factors involved in maintaining proper humidity in
your home. After you've made the first step and purchased a whole
house furnace mount humidifier, you need to make sure you're maintaining
the proper level of humidity. This section tells you how to do that.
The proper relative humidity for your home depends upon factors
such as number and type of people living in the home, outdoor air
temperature, type and placement of insulation, vapor barriers, effectiveness
of weather stripping, type of windows and doors (including frames
and jams ) and whether or not storm windows and doors are used.
With all these variables it is nearly impossible to recommend a
proper humidity setting that is correct for everyone. The best humidistat
setting is one that you are comfortable with.
Refer to the Relative Humidity
Chart above for a starting point for the proper setting for
your humidistat. Generally, in a tighter and better insulated house,
the humidistat may be set higher than in a drafty, uninsulated house.
Also, as the out door temperatures fluctuate, it may be necessary
to adjust the humidity level of your system a few times during the
heating season.
When the amount of water vapor in the air gets to a point where
it is higher than the air at that temperature will hold, it begins
to condense out on colder surfaces such as wall or windows. When
this happens, the humidistat must be adjusted to prevent this. A
prolonged condensation problems can lead to wood rot, bacteria and
mold or mildew growth. When you notice this condition, adjust the
humidistat setting downward, and wait. If it still exists after
several days, continue turning the setting down in 5% increments
until it disappears.
If you experience static electricity problems, or personal health
problems such as dry mouth or mucus membranes, bloody noses the
humidity level is too low and should be turned upward in 5% increments
until the problems disappear.
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