Central Air Filter

How do I change my replacement humidifier filter?

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:

It is time to change the pad on my model 400 which I purchased in November 2009. I followed the instructions on the replacement pad box and from the owner’s manual on your web site. Both instruct in step 4 to tip the Water Panel evaporation assembly forward and lift it out of the humidifier. I tried to do this but the assembly appears to be attached at the top on both sides to the housing and I can not see or figure out how you remove it to get the assembly to tip forward.

Would you please instruct me on how to do so?

Aprilaires' response:

The internal components of the model 400 will require that they be removed from the humidifier in order to replace the water panel successfully. To remove the internal case from the base of the humidifier, you will need to pull it out from the top where the distribution tray is located. When pulling the internal case from the top you will need to tilt it towards you to remove the components. Once the internal parts are removed the water panel can be replaced at that time by removing the tray on top. After removing the distribution tray from the "U" shaped frame, pull out the used water panel and place the new water panel in the "U" shaped holder. We have also included the owners manual that references the proper process for replacing the water panel for the model 400 humidifier.

Is my replacement humidifier filter working?

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:

I recently installed the humidifer and it worked fine for a few days. Now it is leaking water out the bottom and not through the drain hole. Could the filter be defective?

Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting Aprilaire. Humidifiers can leak for several common reasons,

1) Is the unit level?
2) Inspect the feed tube for cracks.
3) Is the water panel in upside down?
4) Is the scale control insert cracked?
5) Does the drain line plugged or restricted?
6) Erosion of the water panel do to reverse osmosis (RO) or deionized (DI) water.
7) Heat registers in the house that are closed?

Closing heat registers can cause high pressure in your ducts which can blow water off of the water panel. If the static pressure in the duct is more than .4" of W.C. water will be sprayed off of the water panel.

I hope this helps. If you still can't stop the unit from leaking you will need to contact your local HVAC contractor or you can call our technical support department for more trouble shooting assistance. You can reach us at 1-800-334-6011 Monday - Friday from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM central time.

Water is flowing but not past the valve.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Consumer questions submitted to Aprilaire:

My humidifier is not sending water to the panel. Water is flowing to the valve but it seems to be shutting off the flow.

Aprilaires' response:

There are three components that govern the valve. The humidistat sends the activation signal to the valve when the furnace is running. The second part is the transformer or power source that the humidistat uses. The third would be the solenoid valve itself. If it has a signal to open and voltage and it doesn't, the issue is the valve. You may need to call your installer to have them check over the system. They can verify which part, if any, needs to be replaced.

Is there a air dehumidifier filter upgrade?

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:

Is it possible to upgrade the efficiency of the pre-filter from the current MERV-8?

Aprilaires' Response:

Thank you for contacting us with regards to our Model 1750 Dehumidifier. We do not offer a high-efficiency filter for this model other than the supplied MERV 8. However, if this unit were attached to your HVAC system and its intake positioned downstream of your HVAC filter, that could potentially have a higher efficiency than MERV 8. In that situation, the internal filter would not be needed as all air it uses would be pulled through your HVAC filter. For example, our Aprilaire whole-home air cleaners begin at MERV 10 and go higher from there. The two could work together to give the 1750 cleaner air than the dehumidifier could create on its own.
We appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance.

Have a Happy Spring with Aprilaire

Monday, March 8, 2010 by Dennie Plomedahl

Do you remember last spring when all the snow was finally melted and it got warm enough
outside to go without a jacket? Do you also remember that it wasn't warm enough to turn on the air conditioning, but you still felt uncomfortable? This happens every spring due to the high levels of relative humidity (RH). The phrase "it's not the heat, it's the humidity" is all too true. High RH levels can make it feel like it's 5 to 10 degrees warmer than it actually is. One way to combat this is to turn on your air conditioner, as moisture removal is a natural byproduct of air conditioning. But in order to remove the excess moisture, you need to cool the air to a level that makes you too cold.

Aprilaire to the rescue
A whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to remove excess moisture from every room of your home. Unlike air conditioning that is designed primarily to cool your home, Aprilaire removes moisture when AC is not required, efficiently removing moisture and providing the comfort you deserve. Maintenance is a breeze with Aprilaire as well. Unlike portable dehumidifiers that require you to empty and clean a tank on a daily basis, Aprilaire dehumidifiers only require an annual filter cleaning. Hassle free convenience and comfort; that's what Aprilaire is all about.

Contact your Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today and avoid all the discomforts you felt last year. Your family will thank you for it.

Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.

I want to upgrade!!

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submmited to Aprilaire:

I have a Model 5000 filter. I'd like to get an upgrade kit, but I am not sure whether there is one that would fit. I am confused between the Model 2400 and 5000 and the media for each. Are these two different models with interchangeable parts?

Aprilaires' response:

There is no upgrade at this time for the model 5000 electronic air cleaner. Because of the electronics involved, we have not yet come up with an upgrade for this unit.

The size of the 5000 is the same as the size for the 2400. Although, the 2400 is not electronic. Also the filter used in the 2400, even though the same size, is not recommended for use in the 5000, just as the filter for the 5000 is not recommended for use in the 2400. The 501 filter for the 5000 has metalic stripping on the pleats of the filter. These are necessary for the correct operation of the 5000. If you put a 401 filter into the 5000, sure it would catch dust, but you would loose all the electronic capabilities that you purchased the 5000 for in the first place.

What's all the noise about?

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

This humidifier is noiser than my furnace. My father and I both had these installed on our new furnaces by the same installer. His motor/fan noise is non existent and mine is louder than a bathroom fan at 3-4 sones. They both seam to be working and pumping water, but which one is running improperly? What can I do about the noise? Do I have to go with a by-pass??

Aprilaires' response:

The fan noise from the Model 700 is typically not as loud as the fan in the HVAC system, but it is a fan and fans make noise. If you can't live with the noise a bypass humidifier would be an option.

As a test you could switch the head of your humidifier with your father's humidifier to see his is really quieter. If you find that yours is noticeably louder you could have the contractor who installed the humidifiers replace the motor.

Interested in installing a whole house humidifier...but which one?

Friday, March 5, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I am interested in installing a whole house humidifier. Primary reason is to reduce crackin

Our house is 18 months old and has a conventional A/C system with ceiling mounted air vents. At the moment they are closed and covered with magnetic vent covers for the winter.

For heat we have a gas fired boiler providing hot water for an in floor radiant heat system "warm board".

Question: Would an Aprilaire system work in conjunction with this type of heat? I assume system would relay on using A/C ducts with a continuous air flow/fan to distribute moist air.

Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us regarding your interest in the Aprilaire humidifier product line. We are happy to assist you with questions relating to a humidifier recommendation for your application. Based upon the information provided it appears that your heating application consists of hot water radiant floor heat with no duct work required for that system. This type of heating application would typically require the use of one of our self contained humidifiers such as the 350 and 360 models. However, in your application it appears that you do have an air conditioning application that is currently utilizing duct work. Since you do have an air conditioning application in the home the air handler and duct work from this application could be utilized for the use of an Aprilaire whole home humidifier. When utilizing one of our duct mounted humidifiers on an air handler of an air conditioning application, it would require that the humidifier be utilized with hot water at all times and to work in conjunction with the fan operation of the air handler. This type of installation of the application will still allow the humidifier to provide optimum levels of humidification into the home during the driest time of the year. We have listed several questions below that will assist us in identifying the best humidifier for your application at this time.

1.The square footage of the home?
2.The ceiling height within the home?
3.The age of the home?
4.Any new renovations to the home such as windows, siding, and/or insulation?
5.The number of heating systems?
6.The type of heat?
7.Is there access to a drain?

We would be glad to further assist you regarding a recommendation for your application. Upon receiving further information regarding your application, we can determine which product would be best for your application. However, the best individual to make the final decision on a product for your application is a Licensed HVAC contractor. If you could please reply to this email at your earliest convenience, we would be delighted to assist you further.

Fan failure a possibility?

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I have the Aprilaire 700 model (several years now) & we noticed our RH was very low. While the solenoid activates & water is running, I found the fan never activates now. I even tried the "test" mode & it would activate. I am thinking since the water solenoid is working the control panel should be OK and I have a fan failure. Is there some way I can verify this. And I didn't notice replacement fans here on your site. Please confirm for me.

Aprilaires' Response:

By what you are stating, when you put the controller into test mode, the fan will come on with the water flow. But, for normal operation only the water flows?

Since the fan does come on in test mode, but the level of RH is low in your home, anyone would question the fan at this point. Why wouldn't it come on for normal operation. Or, is the fan ok, and the solenoid is open too much?

As you are aware, proper operation calls for both to be working at the same time. The fan running when the solenoid is open.

We do not sell these type of parts online. You would need to get these from an HVAC technician. Also, they would best be able to determine which is the problem and would need to be replaced.

Right side up, right side down...I'm all turned about.

Thursday, March 4, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

Can the inlet and outlet of the 2210 be reversed? Because of the pitch
of my roof I can only install the unit in one direction.

Aprilaires' response:

The 2210 can be installed with the inlet and outlet side reversed. The important point is that the filter media needs to be installed with the airflow arrow in the proper orientation of the air flow of your HVAC system.

700a, 700m 700...Aprilaire Power Humidifiers

Monday, March 1, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

We are a contractor operating in Toronto, Ontario Canada. We recently
installed an Aprilaire 700 Humidifier for a customer. Our customer prefers
the model model 700A. Can his 700M !!! be upgraded to 700A, without having
to replace the whole unit?

Aprilaires' Repsonse:

The 700M may be converted to the 700A by replacing the manual humidistat (part #4655) with our automatic digital humidifier control (part #58). The only difference between the 700M and 700A is the control. Since they are one in the same it will also use the same Aprilaire water panel number 35, also refered to as a replacement humidifier filter.

Aprilaire Dehumidifiers - Your Solution to Musty Odors

Monday, March 1, 2010 by Dennie Plomedahl

Do you ever wonder why your basement has a stale, musty smell? Or why the temperature is only 70 degrees, yet you're sweating and uncomfortable? The answer is high humidity. Too much moisture makes you feel miserable and can lead to damage to your home from mold and mildew, neither of which is acceptable. Do you ever wonder if there is a solution to excess moisture?

Aprilaire is the answer
A whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire solves your excess moisture problems. It works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to quietly and efficiently remove excess moisture from every room of your home. Maintenance with Aprilaire is also a breeze. Unlike noisy portable dehumidifiers that take up space in your living room, Aprilaire dehumidifiers have no messy tanks to empty and clean. Simply wash or replace the air filter on an annual basis. That's it. We call it "out of sight, out of mind."

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

Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.

Why do you need whole-house air cleaning? Consider this:

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Justin Randall

    * Each person inhales over 3,500 gallons of air each day. Children inhale more particles for their size then adolescents or adults.
    * Polluted air causes 94% of all respiratory problems.
    * More than 31 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma, about 1/3 are children under 18.
    * About 40,000 dust mites, a common household allergen, can live in one ounce of dust.
    * An estimated 10-15% of the entire population may be allergic to cat or dog dander.
    * A person sheds up to 700,000 skin flakes per day.

These are just a few of the reasons to make sure your home is protected by having a whole house air cleaner installed. A high efficiency whole house air cleaner from Aprilaire makes your home healthier and cleaner. The EPA states that indoor air is often times more polluted then outdoor air so cleaning the air in your home is more important then ever.

If you currently have an Aprilaire air cleaner you can upgrade it to our newest media that removes more particulate from the air. Call you local contractor and tell them you want to upgrade your Aprilaire air cleaner today. For a small investment you can improve your current air filter.

Different by the same?

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I am looking at replacing my model #760 Aprilaire Humidifier with a model #700 Aprlaire Humidifier. Are the cutout openings the same size? I would like to remove and replace with out any plenium modification.

Aprilaires' response:

The 700 Aprilaire Humidifier and the 760 Aprilaire Humidifier are very similar and can be swapped with minimal modification to the plenum. Here are the differences:

760-14 7/8"W x 14 3/16"H
700-14 3/4"W x 14 5/16"H

Don't worry if you have left over humidifier filters (water panels) as both humidifiers use the model 35 water panel.

Please let us know if you have further questions.

Red light, green light.....amber light?

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

A green light is lit. The green light is next to it is the text change filter. I checked online for the manual, there were only references for 600m and 600a. Please advise if this green light means I need to change the filter.

Aprilaire's response:

The green light simply means the humidifier is on and running. The "Change Water Panel" light is amber in color. The "Call Dealer" light is red. Similar to a stop light.

Please feel free to ask about any other issues or observations you see. We would be happy to help.

Old humidifier, New humidifier...oh my?

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I am looking to replace my broken 110 model with something that will fit in the same size cut out in my furnace. Can you reccommend something for a house less than 2000 square feet. I really do not want to have to mess with sheet metal.

Apriliare's reponse:

Great question, the model 110 was obsoleted 15 years ago. The replacement humidifier is the model 700. This unit can effectively humidify a home up to 4200 square feet. The plenum opening for the model 700 is slightly different than your model 110.The opening is 14 3/4" W x 14 5/16" H. Your model 110 plenum opening was 13 5/8" W x 11 5/16" H. Therefore, you should be able to modify the current opening.

Thermostats oh thermostats....where art thou offset?

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

A Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:

I have an 8346 that runs the heat pump in my home. It works well, but I desire to have control over the temperature offset when the backup (electric) heat comes on. Ideally, I'd like the electric backup to come on only if the actual temperature was more than 3 degrees off of the set temperature. I don't mind the temperature swing and I'd rather save the money.

After talking with someone from Home Depot, this weekend I purchased an 8366 to replace the 8346 and have control the secondary stage offset. However, when I got home, it appears the terminal board for the 8366 is not the same as the 8346. Can you tell me what wires go to which? Or is the 8366 not able to control a heat pump?

Aprilaires' response:

The Model 8366 is not a heat pump thermostat so you will not be able to use it.

The Model 8346 is a heat pump thermostat and you can adjust the differential from 1, 2, and 3 degrees. If you set the differential to 2 degrees the heat would need to fall 2 degrees below the set point before the heat pump would come on. Then it would have to drop another 2 degrees before the electric heat would come on.

The directions for changing the differential are in the operating instruction. Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Just how does a whole home humidifier work?

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

Last season, the humidifier worked great, no problems. This season, the water just runs through the water panel without distributing out and wicking throughout the whole panel. I've replaced the panel, replaced the distribution tray and still the same thing. Is there something else that can be done? Please advise.

Aprilaires' Response:

The way the humidifier works is; when the furnace comes on, the humidistat calls for humidity and the humidifier turns on. The water solenoid valve opens, water comes up the plastic feed tube and falls into the water distribution tray. Then if the humidifier is level the water will fill up in the distribution tray and will go down the six holes in the tray equally. Then water goes down through the center of the water panel and any water that wasn't evaporated goes down the drain.

The water panels are made out of multiple sheets of slit and expand aluminum. The slits in the aluminum are angled to funnel the water to the center of the water panel. So the water panel should be wet in the center and almost dry on the outside layers.

If you have lack of humidity you may need to increase the humidifiers runtime. The most common reason for lack of humidity is lack of run time. If the humidifier runs every time the furnace comes on, runs whole time the furnace is on, and gets forced to turn off when the furnace goes off, it is added as much humidity as the furnace is allowing it to. If the humidifier could run longer it would. So if the humidifier is wired to run with the furnace fan, and if the humidifier is connected to hot water (140 Max) it can add up to 18 gallons of water to the air per day. You can turn your furnace fan on at the thermostat, let run your furnace fan continually and let the humidifier run as many hours a day as it needs to.

I hope this helps, please let us know if you or your HVAC contractor need any other assistance.

Is my drainless humidifier working?

Monday, February 22, 2010 by Aprilaire Team

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

This unit was installed and worked great for two years. Then I turned it off in the summer and forgot to turn it back on for the last two years. Now, I changed the filter and cleaned everything out. However, it doesn't seem to work. The humidity in my house is 10.

I hear the water turn on for a few minutes at the beginning of the heat cycle. Then it turns off. When I look at the filter, it is only wet at the bottom 1 inch. The rest is dry. The water seems to go into the first float chamber, but doesn't go into the second chamber. I don't see what is preventing the water from moving over.

I had the technician, who installed it, come and look at it. He suggested changing the filter and isn't sure what is wrong. He hasn't been doing this humidifiers for a while. He thought that it might be the water level sensor assembly. However, no one seems to have this part in stock. I will have to order it and get it installed. Then, I might find out that is not what is wrong, and I will have paid more money to have the wrong thing fixed. I already spent $85 for the technician and $45 for the filters. I really want to get it fixed. Can you make some recommendations?

Aprilaires' Response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 400 Humidifier. Based on the information you provided, the humidifier is working properly. The water should fill from the top, trickle down across the water panel. Verify that you are using a Genuine Aprilaire Stock #45 Water Panel. The water will only raise the float in the right-hand chamber. The left float is an emergency overflow. Water should not fill that chamber unless the first fails to shut off the water. The fact that the water does shut off indicates that the sensor is working properly. The water panel should then wick water up from the reservoir and it will evaporate as it rises.
Water shouldn't rise very far before it evaporates, but most of the water will rise up through the center of the pad, as opposed to the outer layer of material. As long as the humidifier refills at the beginning of, or during, each heat cycle, the humidifier is working. For a test of how well it's working, please do an Evaporative Test. This can be done using a measuring container and a timer.
The evaporative rate of the Model 400 is based entirely on the temperature of the heated air and the amount of run time of your furnace. The performance values are based on 120°F air and 50% run time. This should give 0.70 gal/hr.
It's not clear from the information you provided how long the humidifier has been running with your home at 10% RH. Did it start at 10% and it hasn't changed, or was it higher and has since fallen, or was it lower and has since risen? Humidity can take a while to change, so we would look at the trend of the humidity over time, if it's going up, down, or staying the same. At this time, it doesn't make sense to replace the water level sensor from a troubleshooting standpoint.

Aprilaire Dehumidifies Your Entire Home

Friday, February 19, 2010 by Dennie Plomedahl

Springtime is just around the corner. Soon all of us will be able to turn off the furnace, open the windows, and let some fresh air in the house. Or will we? The outdoor temperature seems inviting, but how's that humidity? When you open those windows, do you also open up the potential to bring in lots of moisture that can make you uncomfortable as well as damage your home? You could keep the windows closed and turn on the air conditioner in an effort to dry out the air. But now you’re too cold...and frustrated.

Aprilaire has your dehumidification solution
Aprilaire has a full line of whole-house dehumidifiers that provide all the health and comfort benefits that come with proper levels of humidification. Aprilaire dehumidifiers work quietly in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to protect every room of your home from the downfalls of excess moisture. This includes your health and comfort, as well as your personal property. Maintenance is a breeze with Aprilaire as well. There are no messy tanks to empty and clean. Simply clean the filter once a year and you're good to go.

Contact your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house dehumidifier today. You'll immediately feel the difference.

Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air.