We all know the challenges of homeownership. Ranking high on the list of challenges is simply maintenance of all mechanicals and materials. It's expensive, critical to the value your largest lifetime investment, and often much of it is beyond a homeowner's control or knowledge.
Many homeonwers have love/hate relationships with contractors; or really anyone who is hired to do a job around the house. They love getting the job done, and keeping things well-run, but they hate the costs, doing the legwork to find the right source, being unsure of bids and recommendations.
The good news is that doing that legwork is well worth it. There are tons of really qualified contractors in your neighborhood from which to get advice, quality service and at reasonable rates.
My fellow blogger Pat has a couple of ideas about HVAC maintenance in his blog posts; good ideas for
shopping for the right source. and
HVAC Maintenance .
And a great HVAC contractor in New Jersey, Joe DiGanji of Air Group, is quoted on
New Jersey.com ; Alot of good tips here.
Bottom line is that when it comes to getting help with anything around the house, don't be afraid of the process! Ask neighbors, go online, make some calls and give contractors a chance to help. Once you've done some homework, you'll know that you're picking the right person or company for the job.
For anyone who owns an Aprilaire 2000 series or SpaceGardAir Cleaner, you can now upgrade to a higher efficiency filtering media.
If you change filters yourself, you should be asking for the 1213 or 1415 Upgrade Kits to replace your old 201 or 401 filtering media.
If these Upgrade Kits are not available where you usually purchase your filter, then you are either buying cheaper, less-efficient knock-offs at a home store or hardware store, or you are buying filters online or from a dealer who should be offering the upgrade kits instead!
The best way to handle this is to call your local Aprilaire dealer and tell them you want to upgrade!
Why upgrade? The new kits are easier to install, but the best reason is that they are up to 2 times more efficient at removing crap from your air; Better air for you to breathe and better protection for your expensive HVAC system.
Isn't that the reason you have an air cleaner in the first place?!!??!
I am interested in your home ventilation system to provide a healthy air exchange in our house.
----
Mary, thanks for asking. Aprilaire has a couple of choices when it comes to
ventilation systems. One is an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) which is better for larger homes and and in addition to adding fresh air, can reduce excess humidity levels.
The other is the Aprilaire Ventilation Control System, which is less complicated (and less expensive) than an ERV, but still provides fresh air into your home in a much more controlled way than passive ventilation that is often standard in most home construction practices; especially from years ago.
Ventilation Control System uses a sensor to "test" the outside temperature and humidity conditions so that it only allows fresh air into your home when the conditions are less severe from a temperature and humidity standpoint. The results are that you get fresh air in your house without letting in severely humid, hot or cold air. So you can maximize energy efficiency.
It's important to do your homework, Mary; which by your inquiry it appears that you are. Ultimately you'll need to talk to a indoor air quality specialist in your area to assess your home's specific needs before you make a decison. A good place to start is our
Find A Dealer locator on our home page.
It is totally true - properly humidified air is healthier, more comfortable and can save energy. Of all the indoor air quality issues and products made to fix those issues, a whole house humidifier probably addresses the most problems in the easiest way.
A dehumidifier does too, for the same reasons.
Air cleaners, purifiers, ventilation and all those things are important; especially if you have chronic respiratory health problems or allergies.
But even if you don't, being more comfortable while you breathe healthier air is a slam dunk! Humidity control is what it's all about.
Enterprise Community Partners, an affordable housing financier, intends to funnel $4 billion toward affordable "green" housing in the next five years. Read more about it
here.
The not for profit organization obviously realizes how important green building is to the health of a homes inhabitants as well as the health of the environment. An important aspect of a green home is indoor air quality. Many people think a green home means they save energy, but forget about the air quality issue. For more information on making your home both energy efficient and healthy go to
www.aprilaire.com
You know you need a humidifier. You understand all the benefits that come with properly humidified air: health, comfort, protection of assets, and energy savings. Now comes the tricky part; which humidifier do you buy?
Answer these three questions before you purchase
There are three simple questions you need to ask yourself to determine which humidifier is best for you:
1) Is noise important?
2) Do you have children?
3) How much humidification do you require?
We covered items one and two in our last blogs. Let's finish up with number three today by asking how much humidification do you require. Or, put another way, how many rooms do you have and how big are they?
Your house has more than one room
Unless you live in a one-room efficiency, you probably have 2-3 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and more. It would take one portable humidifier for every room in your home to adequately increase your comfort and protect your valuable possessions. That's five or more units to fill and clean every day. And, have the remote control for your TV handy as you'll have to crank up the volume to get over all the noise.
A whole-house humidifier from Aprilaire is your best solution. It works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to add soothing, protecting moisture to every room in your home. It operates quietly and efficiently, with only annual maintenance required: no tanks to fill and clean, no noise, no hassles.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. You'll be glad you did.
Aprilaire - providing all the humidification you need for over 50 years!
You know you need a humidifier. You understand all the benefits that come with properly humidified air: health, comfort, protection of assets, and energy savings. Now comes the tricky part; which humidifier do you buy?
Answer these three questions before you purchase
There are three simple questions you need to ask yourself to determine which humidifier is best for you:
1) Is noise important?
2) Do you have children?
3) How much humidification do you require?
In my last blog we explored question number one. Today, let's look at number two. Why do we ask that? The answer is easy; safety. Warm mist humidifiers use a heating element to heat the water and can have very hot surfaces. These portable humidifiers sit out in the open in your home where your children can touch them. OUCH!
Aprilaire has your safety solution. A whole-house humidifier from Aprilaire works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system, out of sight and out of reach of your curious little ones. And, unlike portable humidifiers that add moisture to only one room at a time, Aprilaire distributes soothing moisture throughout your entire home, protecting your family members from dry air no matter what room they're in.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. You'll be glad you did.
Aprilaire - protecting your family for over 50 years!
Do you lower your thermostat to the point where you are uncomfortably cold just so you can remove excess humidity from your home? Are you tired of feeling cold and clammy, tired of wearing a sweater in your home in the summertime? Did you know there is a whole-house solution that not only removes moisture from your home, but allows you to raise your thermostat setting so you can once again call your home a comfortable place to live?
Aprilaire has your moisture removal solution
A whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire works in conjunction with your home's HVAC system to remove excess humidity from your home. And, unlike an air conditioner that controls to temperature, an Aprilaire dehumidifier is controlled by a dehumidistat that constantly measures the relative humidity (RH) in your home and controls the moisture level to the setpoint that you determine.
What does that mean to you? First of all, your home and other valuable assets are protected from the damage of mold and other moisture-related problems. Second, you can tuck away your sweater and live in comfort once again because your home will be a more comfortable place to live. However, be prepared to host more parties, because once your friends and neighbors have experienced your most comfortable environment, you'll have the most popular house on the block.
Aprilaire - making homes more comfortable for over 50 years.
You know you need a humidifier. You understand all the benefits that come with properly humidified air: health, comfort, protection of assets, and energy savings. Now comes the tricky part; which humidifier do you buy?
Answer these three questions before you purchase
There are three simple questions you need to ask yourself to determine which humidifier is best for you:
1) Is noise important?
2) Do you have children?
3) How much humidification do you require?
Today, let's explore question number one. How important is noise in your home? Portable humidifiers have fans to move the moisture from the holding tank into the room. Fans can make quite a bit of noise. If your humidifier is sitting in your living room, will you have to turn up the television or stereo so you can hear it over the humidifier? If it is in your bedroom, will you be able to sleep with all that noise? Also, portable humidifiers only provide moisture to the room they are in, so you will need several of them to properly humidify your home. That's a lot of extra, unnecessary noise.
If noise is an issue in your home, Aprilaire is your humidification solution. An Aprilaire humidifier installs on your home’s HVAC system, out of sight and out of mind, quietly providing soothing humidification throughout your entire home. And, unlike portable humidifiers, Aprilaire has no tanks to fill and clean and only requires annual maintenance.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today and quietly add soothing moisture to your home tomorrow.
Aprilaire - quietly adding moisture to homes for over 50 years.
Did you know...proper levels of humidity can reduce influenza survival, transmission, and seasonality. Studies done at Oregon State University indicate the key to reducing airborne tranmission of the flu is maintaining the proper levels of humidity as measured by absolute humidity. Absolute humidity is the measure of the actual water vapor content of the air irrespective of temperature.
Adding moisture is the key
In cold winter months when your furnace is heating and drying the air, you cannot sustain proper levels of humidification without adding moisture. In other words, you need a humidifier. The addition of a humidifier to your home will make you more comfortable, protect your belongings from the ill-effects of dry air, and, as this study shows, protect your health from the devastating effects of the flu.
Your local Aprilaire dealer has your best solution for proper humidity. Aprilaire humidifiers work in conjunction with your home's HVAC system to add moisture to every room of your home, ensuring your health and comfort regardless of which room you are in. Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. This is one of the most important calls you can make in protecting the health of your family this upcoming flu season. Maintaining healthy humidity levels is an important part of a comprehensive strategy you can use to reduce the spread of viruses. Keeping surfaces clean and avoiding contact with others infected are also essential.
Aprilaire - protecting your family’s health for over 50 years.
Is your house a hassle? It can be if your indoor humidity is out of whack. An excellent article in USA Today speaks to all the things that can go wrong if your home's relative humidity (RH) is outside the optimal range of 30% to 60%. RH that is out of whack can lead to damaged wood floors and electronic equipment, increased dust, respiratory problems, throat and skin irritation, rot, pests, mold and mildew, dust mites, and allergies. Any or all of these conditions can drive you nuts and cost you money!
Aprilaire has the solution
Aprilaire has a full line of whole-house products to eliminate the hassles of RH that is out of whack. Whether it's a humidifier to add moisture to the air during those dry, winter months, or a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture in the summer, Aprilaire has a whole- house product for you. Aprilaire works in conjunction with your home's HVAC system to add or remove moisture from your entire home, quietly and efficiently. Maintenance is a breeze as well, with only annual service required.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and get your house back in the optimal zone today!
Did you know....There's nothing like a third party endorsement to prove your point. For example, as an Aprilaire employee, I am more than willing to explain all the reasons why you need to install a dehumidifier in your home: comfort, protection, health, and energy savings. Of course, you'll say all I want to do is sell more Aprilaire product. But what if you heard this from someone who did not have a vested interest in any company’s product? Would you be more apt to listen? Probably so.
The Natural Handyman
Jerry Alonzy, a.k.a the Natural Handyman, makes a living by providing homeowners sensible advice pertaining to home-related topics. In an article on dehumidifiers, he talks about everything from why you need one to how to purchase the right one for your needs. He has some excellent advice on brand choice and where to buy. He says he always asks himself the following questions: "If this product needs service or parts, can I get them locally?" and "Will this company be in business a year...or 5 years from now?”
The answer is Aprilaire
Aprilaire is the most respected name in whole-house dehumidification for a reason. First, our products are installed by respected HVAC professionals in your community. Their livelihoods depend on treating you, their customer, the way you wish to be treated. Second, Aprilaire has been doing this longer than anyone else. We are the experts in whole-house comfort and protection. Our reputation for quality is second to none.
Contact your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today. You'll be glad you did.
Aprilaire - providing comfort and protection for over 50 years!
Did you know....Dry air is a pain, literally. But don't take my word for it, ask Jonathon R. Richards of Ezine Articles. You can find his expert advice on this website as well as the Flat Fee MLS website. Mr. Richards has deep insight on how dry air in your home can make your life miserable.
People learn to live with dry air
Most people never stop to think why they wake up every morning with a dry, scratchy throat, or why their nasal membranes are severly dry and cracking (oftentimes to the point where their nose is bleeding). If the air in your home is so dry that your home's plaster and expensive woodwork is shrinking and cracking, what do you think it is doing to your skin? This is not normal and you certainly do not have to put up with it.
Aprilaire has the solution
A whole-house humidifier from Aprilaire provides soothing, relieving moisture to every room in your home. You will no longer wake up with that scratchy throat and you will drastically reduce your usage of skin moisturizer. Plus, Aprilaire works in conjunction with your home's HVAC system, quietly and efficiently. You'll never even know it's there except for the fact that you'll be more comfortable than ever.
Call you Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire whole-house humidifier today. You'll be glad you did.
Aprilaire - Protecting your health for over 50 years.
When it comes to indoor air quality concerns, there are special considerations for
condo owners, apartment dwellers, etc.In some cases, if you can't control the ductwork in your dwelling, you're stuck with portable solytions to humidity control and air cleaning.
For many condo owners, though, there may be avenues if you have control of a ducted HVAC system. Aprilaire now has humidifiers, dehumidifiers and even air cleaners that are small enough for many condo applications.
Your local Aprilaire contractor should be able to determine the products that are right for your home.
From 2000 to 2008 drywall shipped from China and installed in thousands of homes in Florida is causing an air quality nightmare for many Florida residents. Apparently the drywall is emitting sulfate particles that can cause a whole host of health related issues and it’s ruining the homes it was installed in. Read more about the debacle
here.
Pollution from power plants, cars, and other transportation is a well-known contributor to outdoor air pollution, but our indoor air quality is often worse; it can be up to 10 times worse for you than the air outside. Microbial pollutants like mold, pet dander and plant pollen can combine with chemicals like radon and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to create a pretty toxic environment in your home; since we spend an average of 90% of our time indoors and 65% of our time inside our homes, according to theNational Safety Council, that can aggravate allergies, asthma and worse.
Everything that comes in to our homes has the potential to be harmful to our health; this includes things from the building materials and elements that hold our homes together to the furniture we sit on and the paint that goes on the walls. Indoor air pollution can be bad, but it doesn't have to be.
What causes poor indoor air quality?
Indoor air pollution can be easy to manage once you understand where it comes from. Looking at the image above gives you some idea of the more common sources for poor indoor air quality. In many cases, it comes from chemicals that are part of the things that you bring into your home; the polyurethane common in mattresses, formaldehyde and organic chemicals like dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) andpolybrominated biphenyl (PBB) used in lots of furniture and other interior elements are all harmful to us humans. Drapes, carpets and other absorbent fabrics can help trap these nasties, along with dust, mites and other allergens, and our modern, mostly airtight homes keep them inside. Remember this: if there are chemicals and VOCs in a product, there are chemicals and VOCs that could come out, and they won't be good for you if they do.
Poor indoor air can be improved through ventilation. Bringing in fresh outdoor air and/or exhausting stale air will improve your overall indoor air quality. Aprilaire offers systems that can do both.
Do you live in just one room of your house? Do you cook, eat, and sleep in the living room or do you move around from room to room as the mood hits you? How about one floor? Do you spend all your time in the basement? Of course not. Then why would you place a dehumidifier in just one room of your house?
Excess humidity is everywhere
Humidity doesn't just hang out in the living room to watch TV with you. It's in the kitchen, the bathroom, bedrooms, and basement. Excess humidity is everywhere. So why would you purchase a portable dehumidifier and put it in just one room of your house? You wouldn't. In fact, portable manufacturers recommend different size units depending on which floor of your house you’re putting it on, with the overall recommendation to purchase a dehumidifier for every floor. Ouch! Not only do you purchase three dehumidifiers, but you have the hassles of emptying three tanks every day and the joy of paying to operate all three.
A whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire is the solution to excess humidity. It works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to efficiently remove moisture from every room of your home. Aprilaire also means hassle-free maintenance as there are no tanks to empty and clean Also, it's in your equipment room so you aren't constantly tripping over it. Contact your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today.
Aprilaire - providing hassle-free comfort and protection for over 50 years!
As we move into the fall humidifier season, one question that gets asked a lot has to do with our advice on water temperature. When given the choice, why choose hot water over cold water to run to your Aprilaire humidifier
?
There are three main reasons. The first is performance. Our furnace-mounted humidifiers (except the drainless models) can get a performance boost by supplying hot water. We would recommend up to 140°F water to see up to 30% increased evaporation. For example, a model 600M humidifier on a furnace with 120°F air and 55°F water should evaporate 0.7 gal/hr for each hour it runs. By increasing the water temperature to 140°F, it boosts that 0.7 by 30% (.21 additional) for .91 gal/hr. Over the course of a heating season, estimating total usage at 600 hours, this translates to an additional 126 gallons of water put into the air.
The second reason is comfort. The more quickly the humidifier adds water to the air, the more quickly the air feels comfortable. This eliminates common complaints about too-dry air, itchy skin, dry, sore throats and static shocks.
The third is cost. This is often a sticking point. Does it cost more to heat the water with your water heater or to use the additional furnace and humidifier run time to increase humidity? Well, at 0.7 gal/hr, it takes the humidifier an additional 180 hours of furnace run time to create 126 gallons of evaporation. The water still needs to be heated so that it will evaporate. Is it more efficient to heat it with your HVAC system's hot air or with a water heater? Most likely it’s your water heater. Over the course of the humidifying season, the humidifier is evaporating the same amount of water, but by using hot water, it’s actually using less water to reach the same amount of soothing evaporative vapor.
Did you know....Portable humidifiers are a pain. Literally. Here is a list of "Things to Remember" regarding portable humidifiers. This list can be found on a major home improvement retailer's website.
- Always place your humidifier on a hard, level surface that will not be damaged by spilled water. Do not place your humidifier on a carpet or any cloth. Air must be allowed to circulate under the appliance.
- During operation, warm mist humidifiers and steam vaporizers boil water. Keep the appliance out of reach of children and infants to prevent them from being scalded by the hot water in the appliance.
- Use only the type of water recommended by the manufacturer. Some types of water can damage a humidifier. Do not use water that has been treated with water softener. The chemical agents found in water softeners can cause problems in the humidifier.
- Do not use additives in the water that are not specifically recommended by the humidifier manufacturer. Unless there is a manufacturer's recommendation, using additives can cause irreparable damage.
- If a medicine cup is provided, only use liquid medications that are specified by their man
ufacturer for application with the humidifier.
Portable humidifiers are a hassle
If all of the above sounds like a lot to worry about, you're right. Aprilaire takes away all the hassle and worry with a whole-house humidifier. It installs right on your HVAC equipment, out of sight and out of mind. There are no hot surfaces, no special water, no additives, no tanks to empty and clean. Just soothing, properly humidified air that protects your family’s health for years to come.
Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. You'll be glad you did.
Aprilaire - Hassle free for over 50 years!
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