Aprilaire

We received a question from Ancha:

"HI, I moved to a new house, my Aprilaire 760 humidifier works, but makes sound (I mean, when it works, the sound is really uncomfortable upstairs). Is it supposed to work like this?  I mean, I will buy a new unit and install, but are humidifiers supposed to make so much noise? Or can I fix this noise in the existing unit?  Thank you for reply"

Aprilaire response
The Model 760 is a fan-powered humidifier, meaning that there is an on-board fan that draws air across the evaporator water panel to achieve maximum humidification.  Fans do create sound, however, the sound is generally not audible over the blower of your HVAC system.  It can be noticeable if you have a variable speed HVAC blower, and you are operating on low speed while humidifying.  Even then, however, it should not be an "uncomfortable" sound. 

That said, it sounds like the fan motor in the humidifier may need some attention.  Please contact your local Aprilaire dealer, who can diagnose the problem and offer you the best solution.

Thank you for your question and thanks for choosing Aprilaire!
 

We received a question from Jinho regarding his Aprilaire humidifier: 

"Looking at the wiring, it appears the R - C and W/G - Cf wires go to the respective furnaces R - C(ommon) and Humm - C(ommon) connections.  Is there any way to wire it so that it comes on any time there are necessary relative humidity changes?"

Aprilaire response
The wiring configuration you have limits the humidifier to operating only during a heat call.  There are a couple of options your dealer can look at to increase your humidifier run time and corresponding level of relative humidity. 

One is to wire the control through the EAC terminals (if your furnace has them).  EAC terminals are 120V, requiring your dealer to wire through a transformer.  This would allow you to humidify any time the HVAC blower is operating.  So, if you wanted to humidify outside of a call for heat, you could flip your thermostat fan setting from "Auto" to "On" and the humidifier would operate, provided there is a call for humidity.
 

Another option is to install the Aprilaire Blower Activation Relay, part number 4851.  With this device installed, the HVAC blower is automatically activated on a call for humidity, with no thermostat interaction on your part.

Thank you for the question, Jinho, and thanks for choosing Aprilaire!

It's hard to believe with all the cold weather we've experienced this month that spring is less than two months away.  Soon, the furnace will stop running and we'll be in that waiting period before the air conditioning season begins.  This is the time when your home’s indoor relative humidity (RH) begins to rise and gets to levels that are not only uncomfortable, but could also be damaging to your home. 

Since dehumidification is a natural byproduct of air conditioning, you could turn on your air conditioner to remove this moisture.  But to do this, you must turn your thermostat down to levels that are too cold for comfort.  You could purchase a portable dehumidifier, but then you have to constantly empty and clean the tank.  And don't forget to turn up the  television, because you need to hear it over the sound the portable makes.  Bottom line, neither of these are good solutions to your moisture problems. 

Aprilaire is your whole-house solution
Aprilaire has a complete line of whole-house dehumidifiers that work in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to quietly and efficiently remove excess moisture from every room of your home.  Aprilaire is also user-friendly, with no tanks to empty and only annual maintenance required.  Not only will your home be a more comfortable place to live, but you will also prevent damage caused by mold, mildew, and more.

Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today.  You'll be glad you did.

Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.

With the recent cold snap, did you notice any condensation on your home's windows?  If you have either a portable humidifier or a whole-house humidifier with manual control, odds are you had water pouring off your windows when the mercury dipped way down.  This forced you to either turn down or turn off your humidifier to prevent damage that comes from this excess moisture.

Question - did you remember to turn your humidifier back on once the weather warmed back up?  Chances are you did not.  Maybe you did, but probably not until you began to suffer some or all the ailments that come with dry, winter air: stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and itchy skin, just to name a few.  What can you do to ensure your home is properly humidified, day after day, regardless of outdoor temperature?  The answer is simple - install an Aprilaire humidifier with premium digital control.

Automatic control is the key

The Aprilaire premium digital humidifier control works in conjunction with an outdoor temperature sensor, automatically raising and lowering the relative humidity (RH) in your home to achieve the optimal level of humidification.  This protects your home from the damage that can come from excess RH while still providing the comfort and health that comes from properly humidified air.  This "set it and forget it" feature means you'll never have the hassle of raising and lowering your control setting again.

Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire humidifier with premium control today.  If you already have a whole-house humidifier but do not have automatic control, ask your dealer about upgrading.  You'll be glad you did.

Aprilaire - Protecting you and your home, automatically, for over 50 years!

 

The EPA says indoor air can often be many times more polluted then outdoor air.  Further they say we spend as much as 90% of our time indoors.  In the winter when it's cold outside the percentage is probably even higher so it's important to understand what you can do to make sure your homes indoor air is clean. 

There are some real basic things that can be done including use non toxic cleaners, dust often, use fans when cooking, wash your bed sheets in hot water, if you have an attached garage pull your car out right after you start it, don't smoke indoors, and the list goes on.

Despite doing the aforementioned items you're still going to end up with particulate and pollution in your homes air.  Due to the fact that in the winter there is very little fresh air getting into your home that pollution can build up and cause everything from cold symptoms, sore throats, stuffed up noses, allergy symptoms to much more serious long term effects like asthma and other long term respiratory health problems.  

That is why it is important to have a whole home air cleaner to remove particulate in your homes air before you breathe it.  Aprilaire offers 3 different levels of air cleaning with different efficiency ratings and control options.  Control is a very important part of any air cleaner; most air cleaners only run based on temperature, which doesn't make much sense...you need to clean the air when your air is dirty and that has nothing to do with when you need to change your temperature.  Look for more on the importance of controlling your air cleaner from me in future blogs.

A question from E. Roth:
 
"Pls explain difference between model 600 and 700. Do they both work in same way and mount in same way? I currently have a kennmore 3000 mounted on plenum at supply side. It is wired into fan switch on furnace. Water supply valve not working properly and I can no longer get parts. My house is approx 4000 sq ft."

Aprilaire Answers
That's a great question.  The Kennmore 3000 is a reservoir-style humidifier.  A media wheel picks up water from the water tank, and this moisture is transferred from the wheel via air flow from your HVAC system.  This type of humidifier requires a lot of maintenance to prevent mold, mildew and other nasty things from growing in the tank and on the wheel and getting into your home’s air stream.

The Aprilaire 600 and 700 Series humidifiers utilize flow-through technology with no standing water.  This highly efficient method provides maximum evaporative performance and only requires annual maintenance. 

The 600 Series humidifier is a bypass humidifier, utilizing the pressure differential between the return and supply plenums to drive air through the water panel evaporator, where moisture is picked up and transferred throughout your home.  The 600 can be mounted on either the supply or return with equal effectiveness. 

The 700 Series is a fan-powered humidifier, utilizing an on-board fan to move the air across the water panel evaporator.  It is typically installed on the warm air supply.  The 600 Series is rated for a 4,000 square foot, tightly constructed home.  The 700 Series is rated for a 4,200 square foot, tightly constructed home.  Both are available with manual or premium digital control.  We recommend the premium digital control for maximum comfort and protection.  Your local Aprilaire dealer can recommend the right unit for you, based on your home’s needs and your current HVAC requirements.

Thank you for your questions and thank you for considering Aprilaire!
 

A very long question from Sam:

"Thank you for all of the information you are sharing. I have the Aprilaire humidifier, which works in conjunction with home’s heating system. It had been working for few years and recently a solenoid started to fail and would not ever shut the water off. It was detected that the Relay is bad and it was replaced. Under the normal configuration the humidifier’s solenoid should release the water whenever the HVAC’s blower starts. Well it does, while the humidity level is below the set value and then it interferes with the entire system. Here is what happening: 1. Set the Humidifier to 35%. The unit is installed with a Manual Mode. 2. Whenever HVAC air blower starts, I can hear the solenoid open and water flows into the humidifier. The solenoid shuts the flow as soon as the blower stops. So far as it should be. Problem starts in a few hours (and my guess is whenever the humidity level reaches the set value): 1. The HVAC furnace starts and I can see the gas burning inside the furnace for about a minute. 2. Then I can hear a signal/attempt (to start) to the blower. 3. This fails, the air blower does not start and then furnace stops too. 4. Within 2 seconds, it goes into the same cycle and this continues until (my guess again) the humidity level drops below the set value (35%). The HVAC thermostat upstairs always set to 68, but now shows 66. This is supposed to start the heating cycle, sends the signal to HVAC, it fails to start blower and so on. 5. I then turn off the Humidifier, power cycle the HVAC and everything back to normal. I tested this for few days now and results are consistent. No Humidifier – everything works fine. As soon as I turn it to 35% - within hours it does as described above. Any idea what could be wrong? Thank you."

Basically, Sam is wondering if his humidifier could be affecting the operation of his furnace.  The simple answer is no.  Aprilaire humidifiers detect the operation of the furnace or blower and will then operate if, and only if, humidification is required.  After Sam answered some additional questions, we determined he needed to contact his dealer to have his furnace repaired.

Thanks for the question, Sam, and thanks for buying Aprilaire!
 

Question from Rick:

"From what I read, it says to hook up to hot water? Is this for all installations or just the fix when not getting enough humidity using the blower activation relay? My solenoids fail after a couple years and will not flow. Appears there is a build up within the solenoid. Anything I can do to prevent this from happening?  EXPENSIVE replacement for every couple years."

Aprilaire Replies

Thanks for the question, Rick.  You need three things to humidify your home: water, air flow and heat.  Plumbing to hot water is not generally required if you are running your humidifier in conjunction with your furnace, as the air is typically 120 degrees or higher.  To give a little extra boost, we do recommend you plumb to hot water if you have a heat pump, which provides air temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees.  Also, plumbing to hot water is required if you are using the blower activation relay to operate the HVAC outside of a call for heat.  With no call for heat from your HVAC system, you need to heat the water to provide humidification.  As long as your installing dealer sized your humidifier correctly, any application will provide you with all the comfort and protection of proper humidification throughout your entire home.

As for your solenoid valve issues, certain water conditions can lead to a shortened life.  Plumbing to softened water can help lengthen the life of this device.  Another solution is to contact your plumber and ask about an in-line filter that captures any particles that may be causing the failures.

Thanks again for your question, Rick, and thanks for buying Aprilaire!

Comments for Comfort Made in the USA!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by Larry L:

I have a question more than a comment. We moved into a home which has an Aprilaire whole house humidifier, but I think it is installed incorrectly. The humidifier unit is installed on the outgoing heated air duct from the furnace. Aren't they supposed to be installed on the cold air return? With the duct from the Aprilaire unit then stretching to the heated air? Should I swap this so it is installed correctly or will it make much of a difference? Thanks.

Larry,
If it is on the supply side, it is most likely installed correctly since either a power or bypass humidifier would be installed there.
 
A bypass humidifier gets its air movement through the Water Panel® by the differential pressure between the supply (hot air) plenum and the return (cold air) duct. The supply plenum is under positive pressure and the return duct is under negative pressure.

One of the advantages of a bypass humidifier is that it can be installed either on the supply plenum or on the return duct with equal effectiveness. No matter which duct the unit is mounted on, the airflow always goes from the supply to the return through the humidifier.

If your unit is a power humidifier, it would be correct to be mounted on the supply side.

Hope that helps.

I've written about this interesting phenomenon before; that certain types of plants might act as air filters, absorbing pollutants in our homes and releasing cleaner oxygen.

Did you know...mold is a four-letter word?  It can also lead to other four-letter words as you work to remove it and prevent it from occurring again.  Mold can also be dangerous, as it can trigger allergic reactions and asthma attacks.  Complaints of flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue syndrome, memory impairment, migraines, sick building syndrome, dizziness, and nosebleeds are also commonly associated with mold.  The question is, what can you do to prevent mold from occurring in your home?

Aprilaire helps in mold prevention
Mold thrives in dark, moist, warm locations.  As such, one of the keys to mold prevention is keeping your home dry.  Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from your entire house, preventing mold growth and protecting your family.  With several models to choose from, you can be assured that Aprilaire can meet your dehumidification requirements.


Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today.  Your family will thank you for it.

Aprilaire - protecting your family and home for over 50 years.
 

Did you know...the most common cause of frequent nosebleeds is dry air?  According to Dr. Ruben Mesa, hematologist at Mayo Clinic, dry air dries your nasal membranes and makes the lining of your nose more susceptible to bleeding.  Other medical conditions that may cause nosebleeds include: allergies, sinusitis, colds, and a deviated septum.

Aprilaire to the rescue
Fortunately, there is no need to suffer from the ill effects of dry air.  An Aprilaire whole-house humidifier adds soothing, protecting moisture to every room of your home, making your home a sanctuary from dry air.  In fact, keeping your house in the optimum relative humidity zone will also reduce or eliminate other harmful contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, mites, respiratory infections, and more.

Call your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today.  Your dealer can recommend the model that will work best in your home to ensure you get all the benefits of a properly humidified home.

Aprilaire - protecting you and your family for over 50 years!