Attention Aprilaire humidifier owners! First of all, congratulations on making it through a grueling winter. It was cold, snowy and nasty outside, with record-breaking low temperatures and record breaking snowfalls. But thanks to your insight, Aprilaire protected your family and your home from the potential devastation of dry air.
Time to call it a season
With the end of the humidifier season comes a couple of simple tasks to perform. First, be sure you are confident you will no longer require humidification, then follow these easy end-of-season tasks. If you have a bypass-style humidifier, you need to close the bypass damper. Simply turn the handle from the "winter" to the "summer" position. If you have a fan-powered Aprilaire humidifier, no adjustments are required.
Next, if you have an automatic control that is operating in the manual mode, or if you have the Aprilaire manual control, you need to turn the control knob to the "Off" position. This will ensure your humidifier will not turn on during the summer months (when you already have more than enough humidity). If you have an automatic control that is operating in the "Automatic" mode, there is no adjustment required. The outdoor temperature sensor will prevent your humidifier from coming on whenever the outdoor temperature is 60 degrees or higher.
Also, don't forget to call your Aprilaire dealer this fall to perform the annual humidifier maintenance. Your dealer will change your water panel, inspect the water delivery system, and replace any components that are fouled or worn. This indoor air quality (IAQ) expert is trained to keep your Aprilaire humidifier operating at peak performance.
Aprilaire - fresh ideas for indoor air!
It's March 11, 2010 in Madison, Wisconsin. The outside temperature is a seasonal 43 degrees, with an expected high of 53 degrees. Not bad. What is bad is that the relative humidity (RH) is a whopping 93%. Wow! That's what's going on outside. How does that translate into what's going on in your home? Chances are your indoor RH is rapidly rising, leaving you very uncomfortable and putting your home at risk from the dangers of mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses and more. What can you do to eliminate these risks and concerns? Install a whole-house dehumidifier from Aprilaire.
Aprilaire is your whole-house solution
An Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifier works in conjunction with your home’s HVAC system to efficiently remove moisture from every room of your home. Also, unlike portable units that only remove moisture from the room they are sitting in, Aprilaire dehumidifiers have no messy tanks to empty and clean. Aprilaire truly is the best dehumidification solution.
Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your Aprilaire whole-house dehumidifier. End the suffering; call today.
Aprilaire - protecting you and your family for over 50 years!
The Washington Post publishes an Asthma and Allergies Guide annually. It is a good reference and offers sound advice to anyone who is interested in mitigating their asthma and allergy symptoms. The guide covers everything from food allergies to indoor air pollution and gives expert advice on how to control symptoms for a healthy lifestyle.
Take special note on the article titled “The Truth About Indoor Air Quality”. It talks about the risks associated with poor indoor air quality and the best way to improve your homes air. The expert in the article highly recommends a whole home air cleaner to remove the fine particulate from your homes air
Take special note on the article titled “The Truth About Indoor Air Quality”. It talks about the risks associated with poor indoor air quality and the best way to improve your homes air. The expert in the article highly recommends a whole home air cleaner to remove the fine particulate from your homes air
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.
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.
Question submitted to Aprilaire:
The electronic water valve is that supposed to regulate the water flow or is it an on/off? It started releasing water at full rate when activated and it splashes water back on the cover and on the floor vs the drain. It's never been restricted from the saddle value and this was not touched. thanks
Aprilaires' response:
The electronic water valve is that supposed to regulate the water flow or is it an on/off? It started releasing water at full rate when activated and it splashes water back on the cover and on the floor vs the drain. It's never been restricted from the saddle value and this was not touched. thanks
Aprilaires' response:
The solenoid valve is an on and off switch. When the valve receives 24 volts, the valve opens and the water then flows through the orifice which is the water regulator. The orifice is what controls the feed rate of the water.
Water splashing on the cover of the unit is a sign of entrainment. Entrainment is caused when the static pressure inside the duct work is too high. We would recommend having an HVAC contractor come to your home to measure the static pressure
Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:
My Aprilaire 550 is running every time the furnace comes on and we are not getting an improvement on the low humidity. Our house is about 1200 square feet. Any suggestions? We have installed an energy efficient furnace recently.
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 550 Humidifier. The energy efficient furnace may be running less than the previous model. By limiting the run time of the 550, it's performance over an hour will drop. Is your humidifier fed by hot water or cold water? The 550 will perform better with water temperature as close to 140°F as possible. This will also give you the added benefit of being able to run the humidifier with just your furnace fan. You may need to speak to your contractor to ensure it's properly wired to run with the heat and with the fan, but if it is, you can turn your thermostat's fan switch to the On position, the water provides the heat, and you can get humidity 24 hrs/day or until your desired set point is reached.
My Aprilaire 550 is running every time the furnace comes on and we are not getting an improvement on the low humidity. Our house is about 1200 square feet. Any suggestions? We have installed an energy efficient furnace recently.
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 550 Humidifier. The energy efficient furnace may be running less than the previous model. By limiting the run time of the 550, it's performance over an hour will drop. Is your humidifier fed by hot water or cold water? The 550 will perform better with water temperature as close to 140°F as possible. This will also give you the added benefit of being able to run the humidifier with just your furnace fan. You may need to speak to your contractor to ensure it's properly wired to run with the heat and with the fan, but if it is, you can turn your thermostat's fan switch to the On position, the water provides the heat, and you can get humidity 24 hrs/day or until your desired set point is reached.
Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:
The water flow to my model 760 continues even when the unit stops (when the HVAC heater and fan stop). Does this mean the solenoid is faulty?
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 760 Humidifier. The water valve should close at the same time the humidifier's fan stops. They both receive their power from the same point inside. If the fan stops and the valve stays open, try unplugging the 760. If the valve continues to allow water through, the valve is stuck open. Without any source of power its internal plunger should spring closed. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
The water flow to my model 760 continues even when the unit stops (when the HVAC heater and fan stop). Does this mean the solenoid is faulty?
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 760 Humidifier. The water valve should close at the same time the humidifier's fan stops. They both receive their power from the same point inside. If the fan stops and the valve stays open, try unplugging the 760. If the valve continues to allow water through, the valve is stuck open. Without any source of power its internal plunger should spring closed. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
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.
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.
Did you suffer from the ill-effects of dry air this winter because you don't have a whole- house humidifier? Did you have dry, itchy skin or get jolted by static shocks? Did the woodwork in your home shrink and crack? One more question; do you have a tax return coming this year?
Spend your tax return wisely
If you're tired of suffering every winter and you have a tax return coming your way, suffer no longer. Aprilaire is the industry leader in residential indoor air quality (IAQ). Not only do we have products that ensure proper levels of relative humidity (RH) throughout your entire home, we offer the best in whole-house air cleaners, thermostats, ventilation, and zoning. Aprilaire is also viewed as the best IAQ value in the industry. So much so that after you've paid for your Aprilaire humidifier, you'll probably have enough tax return dollars left over to buy that techno-gadget you've had your eye on.
Call your local Aprilaire dealer and schedule the installation of your whole-house humidifier today. Getting your Aprilaire whole-house humidifier installed now will give you peace of mind going into next year’s heating season.
Aprilaire - protecting you and your family, and providing peace of mind, for over 50 years!
Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:
How much water (gal/min or ltr/min) should unit use while working "On"? Water connected to valve and looks like I can ajust it.
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 700 Humidifier. As this unit runs, it uses 6 gal/hr, or about .1 gal/min (.378 litres/min). No adjustment to the valve is needed. There is an orifice inside the plastic feed tube that creates the proper flow rate. Neither the solenoid valve nor the saddle valve should restrict the water to a level below your normal house pressure.
How much water (gal/min or ltr/min) should unit use while working "On"? Water connected to valve and looks like I can ajust it.
Aprilaires' response:
Thank you for contacting us with regards to your model 700 Humidifier. As this unit runs, it uses 6 gal/hr, or about .1 gal/min (.378 litres/min). No adjustment to the valve is needed. There is an orifice inside the plastic feed tube that creates the proper flow rate. Neither the solenoid valve nor the saddle valve should restrict the water to a level below your normal house pressure.
Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:
I have a condominium of approx. 2000 sq. ft. Is there a unit I can attach to auto water feed and which can be mounted on a wall?
What are the requirements, i.e. weight, drainage facility, etc.
Aprilaires' response:
Aprilaire offers two humidifiers (Models 350 and 360) that can run independently from any HVAC system.
These systems require a 120 VAC outlet, a drain line for the excess water and they need to be connected to the hot water line. Review the literature and installation instructions.
I have a condominium of approx. 2000 sq. ft. Is there a unit I can attach to auto water feed and which can be mounted on a wall?
What are the requirements, i.e. weight, drainage facility, etc.
Aprilaires' response:
Aprilaire offers two humidifiers (Models 350 and 360) that can run independently from any HVAC system.
These systems require a 120 VAC outlet, a drain line for the excess water and they need to be connected to the hot water line. Review the literature and installation instructions.
Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:
Water is not getting into the distribution tray. It is in the water line. Can you tell me possible reasons for it and how to fix the problem?
Aprilaires' response:
There are a few reasons that water would not be getting into the distribution tray. Here is a small list:
1. Perhaps the solenoid valve is not opening. That could be due to no voltage getting to the solenoid, or just a solenoid gone bad.
2. If there is no voltage getting to the solenoid, you would need to determine the cause of that.
3. The inline strainer may be clogged. This is in the solenoid. If you remove the copper feed from the main water source, then use a Philips screwdriver and put that into the opening where the copper line just came out of and use a scrapping motion to pull out the strainer. You may clean it and put it back. It is about an inch long and shaped like a pen cap.
4. The orifice may be blocked. The orifice is located in the feed tube that comes out of the solenoid and puts the water into the humidifier. If you remove that feed tube from the solenoid, and tried to look into the tube you would not be able to because the orifice is right there at the end of the tube. Make sure that there is a small hole in the center, and that is not blocked. If it is blocked, use a small pin or needle to clear the hole. Do not stretch the hole any bigger.
Water is not getting into the distribution tray. It is in the water line. Can you tell me possible reasons for it and how to fix the problem?
Aprilaires' response:
There are a few reasons that water would not be getting into the distribution tray. Here is a small list:
1. Perhaps the solenoid valve is not opening. That could be due to no voltage getting to the solenoid, or just a solenoid gone bad.
2. If there is no voltage getting to the solenoid, you would need to determine the cause of that.
3. The inline strainer may be clogged. This is in the solenoid. If you remove the copper feed from the main water source, then use a Philips screwdriver and put that into the opening where the copper line just came out of and use a scrapping motion to pull out the strainer. You may clean it and put it back. It is about an inch long and shaped like a pen cap.
4. The orifice may be blocked. The orifice is located in the feed tube that comes out of the solenoid and puts the water into the humidifier. If you remove that feed tube from the solenoid, and tried to look into the tube you would not be able to because the orifice is right there at the end of the tube. Make sure that there is a small hole in the center, and that is not blocked. If it is blocked, use a small pin or needle to clear the hole. Do not stretch the hole any bigger.
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.
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.
Comment:
I have the same issue. I installed 600A last week. For some reason, the humidifier does not increase the RH above 30% even on the highest setting (7). Our home is 40 years old and only 1500 sq ft. It was installed for automatic operation with the outside air sensor. Any comment to fix this problem
Aprilaires' Response:
One of the most common reason for lack of humidity is lack of humidifier run time do to lack of runtime of the furnace. Another reason is the homes ability to hold the moisture. No matter how well a house is built it breaths. As air escapes from the house so does the humidity. The older a home gets the leaker it gets. So the trick is adding the humidity faster than it is escaping. In most homes the humidifier gets enough run time, but older leaky homes or new homes that are so well insulated that the furnace hardly runs, you will need to extend the humidifiers run time.
If the Model 600 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, connected to hot water (140 Max), and if you run your furnace fan continually, the humidifier can add up to 16 gallons of water to the air per day.
Some people don't want to run their fan continuously, so another option would be to use the Aprilaire 4851 Blower Activation Relay. This relay will turn on the furnace fan and let the humidifier run as many hours a day as it need to without the fan running continuously.
I have the same issue. I installed 600A last week. For some reason, the humidifier does not increase the RH above 30% even on the highest setting (7). Our home is 40 years old and only 1500 sq ft. It was installed for automatic operation with the outside air sensor. Any comment to fix this problem
Aprilaires' Response:
One of the most common reason for lack of humidity is lack of humidifier run time do to lack of runtime of the furnace. Another reason is the homes ability to hold the moisture. No matter how well a house is built it breaths. As air escapes from the house so does the humidity. The older a home gets the leaker it gets. So the trick is adding the humidity faster than it is escaping. In most homes the humidifier gets enough run time, but older leaky homes or new homes that are so well insulated that the furnace hardly runs, you will need to extend the humidifiers run time.
If the Model 600 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, connected to hot water (140 Max), and if you run your furnace fan continually, the humidifier can add up to 16 gallons of water to the air per day.
Some people don't want to run their fan continuously, so another option would be to use the Aprilaire 4851 Blower Activation Relay. This relay will turn on the furnace fan and let the humidifier run as many hours a day as it need to without the fan running continuously.
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.
Question submitted to Aprilaire:
I have a two story house with a model 500 on the second floor and one also on the first floor. second floor is 2,000 feet and first is 3,000 feet. My humidity level on the first floor is 31%...what is wrong...I have it set at 45%.
Aprilaires' response:
Your Aprilaire Model 500 humidifier is designed to operate any time your HVAC furnace is operating. If your furnace is not operating your humidifier can not operate. As a result even though you have your control set to 45% the humidifier can not run unless the furnace is producing heat. We also design all our humidifiers to maintain an indoor relative humidity of 35% whenever the outdoor temperature is 20F or above. Some homes may be able to maintain more than 35% but not every home will be able to.
In addition if you did not have a humidifier prior to January 2010, it will take some time for the humidity level to increase in your home. Prior to the humidity staying in the air, all the wood and furnishings will soak up the humidity.
I have a two story house with a model 500 on the second floor and one also on the first floor. second floor is 2,000 feet and first is 3,000 feet. My humidity level on the first floor is 31%...what is wrong...I have it set at 45%.
Aprilaires' response:
Your Aprilaire Model 500 humidifier is designed to operate any time your HVAC furnace is operating. If your furnace is not operating your humidifier can not operate. As a result even though you have your control set to 45% the humidifier can not run unless the furnace is producing heat. We also design all our humidifiers to maintain an indoor relative humidity of 35% whenever the outdoor temperature is 20F or above. Some homes may be able to maintain more than 35% but not every home will be able to.
In addition if you did not have a humidifier prior to January 2010, it will take some time for the humidity level to increase in your home. Prior to the humidity staying in the air, all the wood and furnishings will soak up the humidity.
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.
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.
Question submitted to Aprilaire:
What are the main differences between the #56 and #58 humidistat? If I want
to use a 6504 zone controller with a #58 humidistat how would I wire it
since there is no + & - terminals? Will the 6504 only work with the #56
humidistat? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Aprilaires' Response:
The Model 56 and 58 humidistats both work the same way. They are both automatic humidistats that use an outdoor sensor to automatically adjust the indoor humidity level as the outdoor temperature changes. A couple of years ago we added the digital display, a "call dealer for service light", and a "humidifier on" light. These three things are the main differences between the two humidistats.
If you have a 6504 zone controller you would need to use the Model 56. The 6504 firmware hasn't been upgraded to recognize the Model 58.
I hope this answers your questions. Please let us know if you need anything else.
What are the main differences between the #56 and #58 humidistat? If I want
to use a 6504 zone controller with a #58 humidistat how would I wire it
since there is no + & - terminals? Will the 6504 only work with the #56
humidistat? Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Aprilaires' Response:
The Model 56 and 58 humidistats both work the same way. They are both automatic humidistats that use an outdoor sensor to automatically adjust the indoor humidity level as the outdoor temperature changes. A couple of years ago we added the digital display, a "call dealer for service light", and a "humidifier on" light. These three things are the main differences between the two humidistats.
If you have a 6504 zone controller you would need to use the Model 56. The 6504 firmware hasn't been upgraded to recognize the Model 58.
I hope this answers your questions. Please let us know if you need anything else.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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