Automatic Temperature Control

Is My Indoor Relative Humidity OK?

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 by Dennie Plomedahl

Question from Jim Brockway

"At 68 degrees in home, my humidity is 25. Is that OK?"

Excellent question, Jim. The answer is...it depends. The critical temperature is not the temperature inside your home, but the temperature outside your home. Have I confused you yet? Let me explain.

The proper level of indoor relative humidity (RH) is a moving target based mainly on the outdoor temperature. The lower the outdoor temperature, the lower your indoor RH% should be. This is to prevent condensation from forming on your windows and in your walls. An example would be a glass of your favorite beverage with and without ice in it. Without ice, the beverage is warmer and the outside of your glass stays dry. When you add ice to chill it, the outside surface of the glass is cold and begins to sweat. Unless you have a coaster, you get water all over the surface it's sitting on, which can ruin it.

Proper indoor RH is no different. An Aprilaire whole-house humidifier with premium digital control utilizes an outdoor temperature sensor to continually adjust your indoor RH, providing maximum comfort and protection 24/7.

Now, to answer your question, 25% indoor RH is about perfect when your outdoor temperature is at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. That's pretty cold. At 20 degrees Fahrenheit, you should be around 35%, and at 40 degrees or higher, you should be at 45% indoor RH. I'm going to guess that your outdoor temperature is not zero and that you are in dire need of humidification. Please contact your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire humidifier with premium digital control today.

Thanks for the question, Jim.

I am interested in your home ventilation

Monday, October 26, 2009 by Tom Ruse

I am interested in your home ventilation system to provide a healthy air exchange in our house.

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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.

Green Renovation

Friday, August 7, 2009 by Tom Ruse

This is kinda cool. Aprilaire is sponsoring a big green renovation project in Florida. I just wrote the press release about it so you can read all the gory details below.

Cool site about it too.

And here.

And here's the press release......

Aprilaire Sponsors Terre Verde Green Renovation Project

Control of indoor air quality at the forefront of “Greenovation”

Madison, Wis. – Aprilaire, manufacturer of products that provide whole-house solutions to indoor air quality problems, is sponsoring a massive renovation project in Florida by providing the latest technology in air filtration, humidity control and zoned temperature control systems.

The project is Terre Verde, a 1970’s Florida-style ranch home adjacent to the Ocala national forest in central Florida. The home has been virtually untouched with any improvements in its entire 40 years.

Dr. Anna Marie, health specialist for The Weather Channel and host of the syndicated better living show YOUR LIFE WITH DR. ANNA MARIE, is leading this green renovation project to transform this home into an eco-friendly, energy efficient and ultimately healthy home.

Part of the renovation will employ new building technologies to make Terre Verde much tighter in order to save energy. While good for the pocket book and the environment, these kinds of advancements lead to the increase of indoor air pollutants – houses that don’t breathe like they use to.

Working with local Aprilaire representatives and indoor air quality specialists, Aprilaire has installed the latest in air cleaning technology with One Touch active control, allowing the homeowner to control when and how much air cleaning takes place based on their lifestyle and need. Also provided is Aprilaire high-capacity Central Dehumidification and Zoned Comfort Control; a system which provides for focusing temperature control in specific areas of the home only where and when it is needed.

“These products help save energy by providing comfort while running air conditioning less often, but that’s just the beginning, noted Dr. Anna Marie, “They also provide for a much healthier, more sustainable environment by dramatically controlling the growth of mold and mildew, and trapping airborne allergens and other harmful particles from the entire home. Aprilaire products work together to protect the home’s furnishings, materials and of course it’s inhabitants. And that’ll be me, eventually!”

“Aprilaire is committed to the project and to help promote sustainable living, said Tom Ruse, Marketing Communications Manager. “We’re excited to help showcase the latest technologies available to make homes healthier, more comfortable and energy efficient”.

Terre Verde will be showcased at the Lake County Florida Builder Association’s Parade of Homes in March 2010.

Aprilaire (www.aprilaire.com)

Aprilaire has been a brand leader in the indoor air quality industry for over 60 years. The company designs, develops, manufactures and distributes whole-home indoor air quality products that provide comfort, health, energy efficiency, and the protection and preservation of the home. For more information on central air cleaners, visit www.aprilaire.com.

In Hard Times Do Preventative Maintenance

Wednesday, August 5, 2009 by Pat Reid

Even though it's summer time, you need to make sure that your HVAC system (which pushes the cold air from the air conditioner through your house) has plenty of air so the motor isn't straining. Much of the new equipment being installed today has a variable speed motor. This means that the motor has multiple speeds to move the air through you house.

This equipment is expensive and will run on high unnecessarily if the filter isn't changed often. Imagine trying to run with a towel over your face! When you cannot get enough air your breathing becomes more and more labored. This is what's happening to that expensive stuff in your basement that heats and cools your house! And it's totally preventable.

To prolong the life of your investment and to make it run as efficiently as possible, make sure that you check your filter every couple of months and change it per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

The filter in Aprilaire media air cleaners can last one year or more and can keep your HVAC equipment clean and help it last as long as possible. Contractors throughout the country install Aprilaire air cleaners because many of them see it as the best protection for their customers’ equipment and homes; not to mention because they provide a cleaner, healthier home environment.

Why is the relative humidity not changing on my humidifier control?

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by Tom Ruse

The other day I was doing laundry and happened to notice the Aprilaire humidifier control installed on my HVAC system was indicating the relative humidity was 60%. This seemed odd to me since I have never noticed the humidifier operating during the summer. Then I talked to my HAVC installer and found my humidifier control is wired to only operate the humidifier during a heat call. Even though the humidifier control will only control humidity up to 45% relative humidity, it will measure relative and display humidity up 99%. Since my heat is never on during the summer, the reading on the control is the relative humidity the last time the heat ran.

Tips for Reducing Excess Moisture in the Home

Friday, July 24, 2009 by Tom Ruse

Studies show that a typical 2,000 square foot house will have an average of 50,000 gallons of water run over it in a year. This is why it is so important to prevent water from entering the home and removing the excess moisture that does.

Tips for Reducing Excess Moisture in the Home:

Clean and repair roof gutters regularly – use covers to keep leaves and sticks from building up in the gutters. (show gutter guards on gutter)
Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers and stoves to the outside where possible.
Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation, so that water does not enter or collect around the foundation.
Use down spout extenders that carry water at least six feet away from the foundation. (show gutter extender)
Seal unwanted air leaks, such as around holes for plumbing and wiring, this is where humid outside air sneaks into the home. (leak sealer spray)
Use a dehumidifier in the home to remove moisture that infiltrates into home. (Aprilaire whole-home dehumidifier)

To control the conditions that lead to moisture damage and mold growth, keep indoor relative humidity below 50 percent by installing a whole-home dehumidifier. The Aprilaire Model 1700 whole-home dehumidifier works in tandem with the heating and cooling system remove up to 90 pints of moisture from the home’s environment each day.

Experts warn against setting the thermostat temperature lower and using the air conditioner to remove excess humidity, as it does two things that are counter to the goal of reducing the moisture content in the home. It actually increases the indoor relative humidity and more importantly it decreases the temperature of the materials in the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home, thereby significantly increasing the potential for moisture condensation on these elements of the home.

Birthday Parties and Humidifiers

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 by Dennie Plomedahl

I was at my brother's house a few weeks ago for my nephew's birthday. While there, my brother expressed some displeasure with his Aprilaire humidifier. He said that it works great, but when it gets cold outside, his windows get a lot of condensation on them and he has to dial down his humidifier control to eliminate the moisture and prevent potential water damage. Then, he has to remember to turn it back up when it gets warmer outside to maximize comfort and protection.

His question was; why isn't there a humidifier control that raises and lowers the humidity level automatically so he doesn't have to? My answer, of course, was that there is. In fact, when I inspected his installation, I discovered that he did have an automatic control, but that it was set up in the manual mode. The Aprilaire automatic control is convertible to manual mode for those cases when the dealer just can't get an outdoor temperature sensor installed. A good example is when the humidifier is located in a finished basement and the dealer has no access to the outside.

My brother's humidifier is installed in an unfinished basement and we will have no problem replacing the manual mode resistor with an outdoor temperature sensor so he can operate in automatic mode. He was thrilled to hear this and is looking forward to the day when he no longer has to run up and down the basement steps every time the mercury heads south.

Comment on Error Codes

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 by Dennie Plomedahl

Comment:
Why aren't the error codes listed so we can troubleshoot stuff ourselves? Or where can I find them? Please help!
Response:
The error codes are listed in the Digital Humidifier Control "Safety and Installation Instructions" booklet. Your dealer should have left this with your other humidifier literature. If not, the error codes are as follows:

E1 - RH sensor failure, replace the control
E2 - Control Knob failure, replace the control
E3 - ODT circuit failure, after ensuring that all wire connections are intact and terminal connections are tight, replace outdoor temperature sensor if installed in automatic or, if installed in manual mode, replace the manual mode resistor
E4 - Indicates a communication error between the humidifier control and an Aprilaire 8570 thermostat. You will only have this code if you have this thermostat. A dealer would have to determine the cause of the error code.

I hope this helps. Thanks for buying Aprilaire!

Save Your Marriage - Install an Aprilaire Humidifier

Tuesday, January 20, 2009 by Dennie Plomedahl

A neighbor called me last weekend asking if I could assist him with installing his Aprilaire humidifier. A plumber by trade, he was comfortable with all of the installation except the wiring. He told me the humidifier had been sitting in his basement for the last five years and that he just never got around to installing it. However, the bitter cold weather we experienced last week translated into a house that was "miserable" to live in (we had several days in Madison, WI where the high temperature was below zero). Miserable because of extreme dryness and the physical discomforts it brings, and miserable because his wife was not happy that he had prolonged getting the humidifier installed. She knew she was one step away from all the comfort and protection a whole-house humidifier brings, but there it sat, in the box. So close, yet so far away.

As I was wiring up the unit, we joked about the motivation for getting the humidifier installed and how he was scoring big points and getting out of the dog house. Once the installation was complete, I gave him a weather station so he could see the improvement in relative humidity (RH) as the day went on. Later in the day, he was thrilled to report that his RH was climbing steadily and that there was a noticeable improvement in comfort. While I probably cannot say that Aprilaire saved a marriage, my neighbor and his family are enjoying a healthier living environment, all because of an Aprilaire humidifier. Either way, it's still a pretty cool story.

Control Your Humidity - No Heat Call Required!

Thursday, January 15, 2009 by Dennie Plomedahl

Did you know....evaporative style humidifiers, like those manufactured and sold by Aprilaire, are designed to work in conjunction with your central heating system. When there is a call for heat, and a subsequent call for humidity, your Aprilaire humidifier provides the satisfying comfort and protection of proper indoor relative humidity (RH). This control configuration works in the vast majority of humidifier installations, as evidenced by millions of satisfied customers, myself included.

However, there are certain areas of the country and times of the year where the air may be dry but there is not a call for heat. How can you be sure that your Aprilaire humidifier can deliver humidification without a call for heat? There are several control options your contractor can choose from to make sure you experience all the health, comfort and protection you need, one of which is the Aprilaire Blower Activation Relay.

When wired in conjunction with the humidifier control, the Blower Activation Relay will turn on your HVAC system blower on a call for humidity, enabling your humidifier to operate without a call for heat. Only Aprilaire offers this unique option, enabling you to operate more efficiently and more economically than any other method, including portables. Health, comfort and protection, when you need it, only from Aprilaire!

Keep Your Family and Home Healthy....

Friday, January 9, 2009 by Matthew Gotto

Hello all!

As I noted in my last blog, I wanted to get you up-to-speed with the health benefits of controlling excess humidity, and why having the right dehumidifier is essential in achieving it. Many reputable organizations provide information on why high humidity levels can have an adverse affect on your health. Typically, the information is focused on asthmatic and allergic affects due to mold, mildew, and dust mites.

Most people don't realize that having a relative humidity above 50% in your home can provide an environment for dust mites to thrive. Dust mites are a leading contributor to allergies, and is one of the first things you are tested for at the clinic to find out what you're allergic to. Dust mites survive by absorbing moisture into their bodies; remove the moisture - remove the dust mites.

Asthma is another nemesis to millions of people. Mold is one of the key triggers to asthmatic conditions. Mold grows when a high moisture environment is present; removed the moisture - remove the mold. I think you get the picture.

The EPA has some really good information about asthma, including how mold and dust mites are triggers. See my last blog to review the relative humidity levels and the adverse affects it can have depending on where you are at. See the EPA's website below for more information.

http://www.epa.gov

Using a whole-home dehumidifier is going to be a critical factor to ensuring proper humidity control in your WHOLE home, ensuring the health of your WHOLE family.

Talk to you soon!

Adjusting Humidity Level in Cold Weather

Monday, December 22, 2008 by Dennie Plomedahl

For those of you in the upper Midwest, you know we are currently in the middle of a nasty cold streak. As I write this, the outside temperature in Madison is -8°F (brrrrr). Not only is the air cold, it is very dry. This dryness carries over to your indoor air as well. Without proper humidification, the air inside your home can be drier than the Sahara Desert! As we discussed in a previous article, proper humidification is a moving target; when the outdoor temperature comes down, the relative humidity in your home must come down as well. Today's weather is an excellent example of why this is. Let's say that yesterday we had a temperature of 20 degrees and our indoor relative humidity was 35%. Now our outside temperature is -8 degrees, which drastically lowers the temperature on the inside surface of your windows. If the indoor relative humidity is not adjusted down, you will have lots of condensation and frost on your windows, just like the sweating you get on your drinking glass when you have an ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer day. This condensation drips down on the wood casing of your windows and can produce mold, mildew and, rotting, which can result in an expensive window replacement project.

There are ways to avoid this. If you have a portable humidifier, you must unplug it or turn it off in order to avoid condensation in the room it is in. If you have a whole-house humidifier with manual control, you must dial it down when it's cold and remember to turn it back up once the weather warms up outside. However, an Aprilaire humidifier with automatic digital control does all of this for you, automatically! An outdoor temperature sensor communicates with the control 400,000 times a day, continually adjusting your humidity level to provide you the ultimate in comfort for you and protection for your home. Aprilaire has the automatic solution to your indoor air comfort needs.

Comfort and Protection - Automatically

Thursday, December 4, 2008 by Dennie Plomedahl

Did you know the proper level of humidification in the home is a moving target? That's right, the proper level varies depending upon the outside temperature. As the outside temperature drops, the interior surfaces of your windows and outside walls become colder. If your humidity level is not adjusted down to compensate for this temperature change, you will have condensation or frosting on your windows. This moisture deteriorates your window frame’s appearance and damages them to the point where they will, eventually, need to be replaced. Besides not having a humidifier, and suffering all the consequences of overly dry winter air, how do you prevent this damage from occurring? The answer is simple; a whole-house humidifier with automatic digital control from Aprilaire.

Unlike a portable humidifier or vaporizer that puts humidification into one room, a whole-house humidifier provides the proper level of humidity in every room of your house (I'm assuming most of us live in our entire home, not just one room). Now your entire family can enjoy the health and comfort benefits that proper humidification brings regardless of which room you are in.

You can also protect your home and furnishings when your humidifier includes the Aprilaire Automatic Digital Humidifier Control. This control works in conjunction with an outdoor temperature sensor to ensure maximum comfort while preventing moisture build-up that occurs from too much humidity. Here's how it works; the automatic digital control continually receives temperature signals from the outdoor sensor and makes a 1/2% adjustment to the indoor relative humidity level for every one degree Fahrenheit change in temperature. We call it the "Set It and Forget It" control. Once you make your initial adjustments you never have to think about it again. You will have proper levels of humidity to maximize comfort and protection, automatically, in every room of your home.