Consumer question:

We have two separate Lennox Heat Pump units in our home -- one with a 2200 & the other with a 2400 Aprilaire Air Cleaner.  I have been considering upgrading these with the 1213 & 1413 kits to use the new 213 & 413 media.  However, one unit is installed with the Air Cleaner in a vertical position.  Your video and the various sites I have researched only show the replacement in a horizontal air cleaner.

Can either of these new media (213 & 413) be used in either a vertical or horizontal position?  The Upgrade kit seems straightforward enough, but will the media drop or sag when installed in the vertical position?

I like the idea of upgrading to more efficient media, but if it won't work in the vertical setup we have, I'll just have to stock up on the old 201's or 401's.


Aprilaires' response:

Yes, you may use the upgrade kit in the vertical or horizontal positions.  It will work fine either way.  Even if in the horizontal position where gravity may be pulling the filter downward, there are support pieces for hold the frame in place that will not allow the filter to hang down sideways.

Consumer question:

I was reading the most recent CR evaluation on air cleaners and they warn against ozone generation by some cleaners. There was no mention of ozone in your FAQ. How much ozone does the aprilaire 5000 produce?


Aprilaires' response:

Aprilaire shares our customer’s concerns about ozone, and wants to reassure you that our Model 5000 Whole Home Electronic Air Cleaner is not designed to produce a significant amount ozone.

Ozone is produced as a result of many factors, some are man-made and some originate from nature. On any given day in the US, outdoor levels can be as high as 150 ppb.  More polluted areas typically have higher outdoor ozone levels because there is a greater concentration of the components that create ground level ozone. 

Levels of ozone inside our homes typically range from 10 to 70 percent of the level found outdoors, primarily depending on whether windows and doors are left open. (ref. “Ozone Decay Rates in Residences”, Harvard School of Public Health, Environmental Science and Engineering Program).  The reason indoor levels are lower than outdoor levels is because ozone readily reacts with other gases and surfaces.

As a manufacturer we look to government organizations to set the standards as which to develop and produce products by.  As such, we offer an air cleaner that produces 2 ppb, well below the established FDA standard of 50 ppb for medical devices and the UL standard to evaluate products for consumer safety.

The high voltage power supply contained in this (and any other) electronic air cleaner produces ozone only as a byproduct of operation; the small amount of ozone generated dissipates by the time clean air filters out and into your home. In addition, the Model 5000 removes particles from the air that have proven by research to be harmful to humans. 

There are a select group of people who are sensitive to ozone.  For these people, we recommend using the Aprilaire High Efficiency air cleaners Model 4200 or 4400.  For everyone else, the Aprilaire Model 5000 is the best air cleaner for your home.

If you have any other questions please contact us at 800-334-6011..

Consumer question:

I have an aprilaire 2250 unit installed in my ceiling, I want to change the filter and now see that you offer an upgrade kit for the 2200/2120 - I assume that I cannot upgrade my 2250 thought I would double check before I purchase filter.


Aprilaires' response:

That is a true statement... you cannot upgrade the 2250 air cleaner.  The other models that are listed for the upgrade are designed to have the filter 'slide' out like in a dresser drawer.  On the 2250, you need to pull the inner frame straight up and out.

The upgrade is designed to slide out the side, so we can not use that on the 2250, and we have not created an upgrade for that model as of yet.

Consumer question:

Can your furnace mounted humidifiers be configured to turn on the furnace
fan when humidification is needed but heating is not?  We live at 9100 feet
in the mountains and it is very dry in the summer so often we need
humidification but not heat.


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for your email regarding our Aprilaire humidifiers. Your HVAC installer can wire any of our humidifiers to turn on the HVAC fan when humidification is required. They simply need to purchase our model 4851 blower activation relay and wire this with our humidifier control. You will also want them to supply hot water to the humidifier. This is because heat is required for evaporation and hot water is the only source of heat when the HVAC fan is operating without a call for heat.

Consumer question:

I am looking for a portable because I have FHW heating and cannot use 
a wholehouse. But, according to your discussion of advantages/
disadvantages, even your 1710A would not be recommended. Does your 
portable meet the same standards as your wholehouse? and if so where I 
can I purchase one.


Aprilaires' response:

Thanks for contacting us about your interest in our dehumidifiers. Our whole home dehumidifiers are best used for home that have the proper duct work. You mention that you have forced hot water heat but you do not mention if you have Air Conditioning and if so what type. If you have forced air cooling, you may be able to use a whole home unit. Can you inform me to your A/C situation?

Our 1710A is our portable unit and we recommend it for situations where you need to dehumidify a certain area without the need of ducting. But with the laws of humidity, it is impossible to allow a dehumidifier to only  a given space and not effect the surrounding area. For instance, if you were to place our 1710A in your lowest level to help with humidity, you would eventually notice a change in the humidity level in the upper levels  because as the air in your lower levels dry out, the humid upper level air will trickle down to the drier parts of the home. This will cause a indirect dehumidification of the whole home. You may notice that the areas furthest from the area being dehumidified  are more humid however.

Hopefully, This gives a little more insight to your decision.

Please let us know if we can help you any further. I'd be happy to assist you.

Consumer question:
Is it possible to install Humidifier Aprilaire Model 600 in the attic?
I live in Massachussets and sometimes the temperatures in the winter could be low.


Aprilaires' response:

The installation of a humidifier in an attic is not recommended if the space is unconditioned. We strongly discourage installing our products in areas that have the potential for freezing temperature to occur. If the attic is an unconditioned space and freezing temperature may occur we would recommend not installing the humidifier in that area. We would be happy to further assist you with any questions relating to the installation of the Aprilaire model 600 humidifier. If there are any further questions please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Consumer question:

I currently have an Aprilaire whole house humidifier, and it does a good job in the winter keeping the house's humidity level up.  I do have high humidity problems in the summer (of course, the whole house humidifier is off).

My question is whether or not it is recommended that whole house humidifiers for the winter and dehumidifiers for the summer should be installed in the same central air system?  I have gone through several different brands of portable dehumidifiers in 6 years, and I am looking for a better solution to summer humidity.


Aprilaires' response:

Yes, you can have a humidifier on the same system as a dehumidifier. Typically, there's no overlap in the seasons that they're used. Dehumidifiers won't often run during the winter, nor humidifiers in the summer. Just make sure the control for the unused unit is off during its off-season. Please review this brochure for more information on our products

Consumer question:

When I'm running the AC, the cool indicator next to the temperature setting is constantly blinking. Is that indicating some type of problem?


Aprilaires' response:

When the "Cool" is blinking, the thermostat is indicating that there is a call of cooling. This is normal operation. The same will happen during a heating call. You should see "Heat" blinking while your furnace is running the heat.

Consumer question:

I have the aprilare old type furnace filter with plastic inserts. Do you have anything new that will replace the plastic inserts, I ordered from you a few years ago for a 2200 stlye 201 and it would not fit the old box, any up dates on a new filter


Aprilaires' response:

Consumer question:

We are building a new home and the HVAC contractor has recommended Aprilaire 5000 as a possible air cleaner because I have allergies. We have had an electronic air cleaner for many years in our current home and have been pleased with it. Newer homes are designed and built tighter, leading to a concern that small amount of ozone which most electronic air cleaners emit is potentially harmful to our health. The latest issue of Consumer Reports of September, 2010, declined to rate electronic air cleaners for that reason.  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/appliances/heating-cooling-and-air/air-purifiers/air-purifier-buying-advice/types-of-air-purifiers/electrostatic-precipitators/closeup-electrostatic-precipitator-advice.htm
What amount of ozone is generated by the Aprilaire 5000?


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us with regards to our Model 5000 Electronic Air Cleaner. Aprilaire shares our customer’s concerns about ozone, and wants to reassure you that our Model 5000 Whole Home Electronic Air Cleaner is not designed to produce ozone.

Ozone is produced as a result of many factors, some are man-made and some originate from nature. On any given day in the US, outdoor levels can be as high as 150 ppb.  More polluted areas typically have higher outdoor ozone levels because there is a greater concentration of the components that create ground level ozone. 

Levels of ozone inside our homes typically range from 10 to 70 percent of the level found outdoors, primarily depending on whether windows and doors are left open. (ref. “Ozone Decay Rates in Residences”, Harvard School of Public Health, Environmental Science and Engineering Program).  The reason indoor levels are lower than outdoor levels is because ozone readily reacts with other gases and surfaces.

As a manufacturer we look to government organizations to set the standards as which to develop and produce products by.  As such, we offer an air cleaner that produces 2 ppb, well below the established FDA standard of 50 ppb for medical devices and the UL standard to evaluate products for consumer safety.

The high voltage power supply contained in this (and any other) electronic air cleaner produces ozone only as a byproduct of operation; the small amount of ozone generated dissipates by the time clean air filters out and into your home. In addition, the Model 5000 removes particles from the air that have proven by research to be harmful to humans. 

There are a select group of people who are sensitive to ozone.  For these people, we recommend using the Aprilaire High Efficiency air cleaners Model 4200 or 4400.  For everyone else, the Aprilaire Model 5000 is the best air cleaner for your home.

Question submitted from the consumer blog:
 
We have a small Whirlpool dehumidifier that is run by compressor generally it's designed for one room or a certain amount of square feet. Are we using more electricity by using this in the summer...as it blows out hot air..basically it's in my opinion a small window air conditioner reversed as a heat pump would be, question is can't tell much difference with it on or off except in the room it is in..but since there is a 10 volt compressor at work and our forced air system is running a huge 240 volt compressor does this make this little unit effcent enough to use it, since we are re cooling the hot air it blows out, it is Green star energy rated..and in a day will remove about 3 gallons of water......could this make our electric bill way higher than usual, and should we think of a whole house instead of buying other dehumidifies for the rest of the house. Any info would be of great help.


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us with regards to your dehumidifier. Certainly, you are using energy to condition the space it's in. Generally, the way a dehumidifier saves you energy is by making the home more comfortable so that you can raise the temperature on your thermostat by a few degrees. By running your A/C less, your energy bill goes down. Whole-home dehumidifiers can remove 8 to 17 gallons of water per day, depending on unit size and capacity. Compared to portables, they will use 1/2 to 1/3 of the energy to do the same work. You can find our product brochure at http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php?znfAction=Download&fn=RP_835_.pdf&u_fn=Dehumidifiers_brochure.

Comment submitted on the consumer blog:
 
I was shocked to read the Consumer Reports story on the ozone generated by the Aprilaire 5000. If the machine only produces 2 PPB, why hasn't this information been given to CR?


Aprilaires' response:

Consumer Reports is an independent testing agency that performs unbiased testing of products. As a result they do not consult with us or any manufacturer on the performance of products so their results may remain unbiased. This is why we were unable to inform them of the amount of ozone generated by our Aprilaire model 5000 air cleaner.

Consumer question:

I am inquiring about pricing and also units. Is there a whole house humidifier/dehumidifier/air filter all in one? Or is is necessary to purchase the units separately? My home is 2 years old (new construction) and is energy efficient. I have approximately 1800sq ft. What is the approximate cost to have humidifier/dehumidfier/air filter?


Aprilaires' response:

Consumer question:

I want to extend the 10"; exhaust duct further under my home.  Is there any limit to the length of that line?  I understand that this will lower the static presure.


Aprilaires' response:

The maximum length of ductwork we allow for use with our 1700 is 70 feet. This is a total of both inlet and outlet sides. As long as you stay under this length you will still have enough pressure to dehumidify. Please take into a account that elbows actually use a little more length than just their measured length. For example: A 10" duct that is 12" long is the equivalent to 3 feet.

Consumer question:

With our humidifier (model 700)a major amount of cold air from our a/c escapes through the humidifier vents without a chance to circulate throughout the house. Why is there not a damper for this model for annual summer shutdown? This looks like a flawed design to me.


Aprilaires' response:

The model 700 is a powered humidifier that requires the vents on the cover to allow ventilation for the motor of the fan on this particular model. There will be a small amount of air that will escape through the vents of this particular model but will not affect the operation of the humidifier or the HVAC system. The model 700 creates humidity through a different process than our bypass humidifiers and does not require the use of a damper in the application. In the event that you are wanting to eliminate the air escaping out of the vents of the humidifier in the summer months, you can cover them during this period to eliminate the lose of cold air from the duct work of the HVAC equipment. However, we do want to advise you to not cover these vents when the humidifier is in operation. It is extremely important that the fan motor be able to vent when it is operating during the humidification season. We would be happy to further assist you with any questions relating to the Aprilaire product line. If there are any further questions please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Consumer question:

We wish to purchase a whole house dehumidifier on our furnace.  We have the Aprilaire 5000 currently installed.  Where would the dehumidifier be installed, in relation to the furnace, the uv light and the Aprilaire 5000?


Aprilaires' response:

The UV light should shine on the evaporative coil of your air conditioning system. The model 5000 should be on the return side of your system, just before the furnace. An Aprilaire dehumidifier should pull air from the return, upstream of the 5000, dry it and discharge that air into the supply duct, downstream of the UV light.

Consumer question:

AC is not coming on is it a problem when the COOL is flashing?


Aprilaires' response:


Thank you for your email regarding your model 8363 Aprilaire thermostat. Whenever your 8363 makes a call for cooling the word cool will flash on the 8363 screen. This means the cooling relay inside the thermostat has closed. If your Air Conditioning is not operating there appears to be a problem with the Air conditioning system. We ask you contact your HVAC installer to have them review your installation.

Consumer question:

Where are your filters made?


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us.  Our filters are made in the USA.  Please contact our Customer Service Department if we may be of further assistance.

Consumer question:

The Aprilaire 1770 Whole-Home Dehumidifier does not have an installation option in the manual for connecting the supply from the unit to the A/C return plenum. Do you feel there is a negative in connecting the supply of the  Aprilaire to the A/C return plenum rather than the supply plenum. (I don't have any room on my supply plenum) 


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us about your dehumidifier interest. If you would like to connect the inlet and the outlet to the return duct work, you can but with a couple of minor efficiency issues. The reason we do not recommend installing our dehumidifiers is because the dehumidified air will pick up the small amount of moisture that is left on the coil of the A/C unit. It will also push warmer air of the coil causing it to take a little longer to cool down your given space. Neither of these issues will warm you system, it will simply take a little longer to reach desired Humidity level/Air Conditioning Temp.

Again, can do this but take into consideration these two effects:

1. Dehumidified air will pick up remaining moisture off the coil cause a small rise in humidity.
2. Dehumidified air is warmer cause your A/C to run a little longer to reach its set point.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Consumer question:

I am interested in a whole house ventilation.  I love the idea of fresh air and lower ac bills.  Can you give me more information on a ventilation system and how noisy are they?


Aprilaires' response:

The 8126 consists of a 6" damper and a ventilation controller. By themselves, they produce almost no noise. They're designed to work in conjunction with your central HVAC blower, which will be the source of the noise. As your HVAC system runs throughout the day, the control will make sure that the fresh air damper is open for a preset amount of time each hour. If that need is satisfied during your normal heating and cooling schedules, the control is also satisfied. If the need is not met by the end of the hour, the control can call for your central blower to activate, open the damper, and finish off the hour with the remaining time required. Please review this brochure for more information.