I need a controller that can activate an exhaust fan based on the difference between indoor and outdoor humidity. Do you have such a device?

Aprilaires' response:

We do not offer a controller which meets your criteria. The controller we offer is our model 8120 Ventilation control which is designed to open an intake damper based on outdoor temperature and indoor relative humidity. The control installs on the cold air return duct of the HVAC system. If the outdoor temperature is above 100F or if the indoor humidity would increase to over 55% the control will not open the intake damper.

Blog question:

Does the Aprilaire 5000 generate ozone? What is the MeRV rating of the Aprilaire 5000?

Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us. 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Unfortunately the Model 5000 does not have an actual MERV rating.  The reason is because the MERV test is performed with a carbon-like dust.  As we all know, carbon cannot and does not conduct electricity.  If we were to perform a MERV test on the Model 5000, the carbon dust would cause the unit to short out and not operate properly. 

 

Therefore, we conducted our own MERV-like test in our facilities by using a synthetic dust.  The results show that the Model 5000 Electronic Air Cleaner can be compared to a MERV 16. 

How do I know when I should change my aprilaire  air filter number 413?  What indicator should I USE TO TELL ?


Aprilaires' response:

We usually recommend replacing the 413 filter once a year. To determine if the filter needs to be replaced is if you can see light through the filter, if you can't see through the filter it definitely needs to be replaced.  If the filter isn't replaced yearly you run the chance of the filter restricting the airflow in the furnace, and causing the furnace to work harder than it needs to and possibly shutting down the furnace.
We do sell the filter for $59.99 on our website: https://estore.aprilaire.com/catalog/air-cleaners/filtering-media  Your local dealer would usually sell the filter at a cheaper cost than what we sell it on our website. If you are looking to replace the filter you can check the dealer locator to find a dealer in your area that would be able to sell you a filter. http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php

We recently had a #58 digital humidistat installed on our forced air furnace, which has a Aprilaire #600 humidifier with a manual humidistat by a qualified heating contractor. The manual humidistat that came with the humidifier, always needed adjustments and there was no outside sensor to monitor the outside air. The heating contractor installed #58 humidistat but left no paperwork on the control unit. When I called him on this I was told that there is no paperwork on this #58 its all automatic. My question to Aprilaire is this: Are there any intial or preliminary steps that need to be preformed on this humidistat when the furnace starts operation in the colder weather. I would appreciate a reply as soon as possible...


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us. Please review the owners manual for the # 58 Humidistat. Usually you will start with the humidistat starting on 5 and then adjusting it up or down based on the humidity level that you want within your house. A good indicator for the humidity level in your house is the am of dew on the window sill in the house.  When it comes to the humidity level wanted in most houses, usually about 1 inch of dew is ideal for most houses. I've included the website where you could find your owner's manual for your humidifier:
http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php?znfAction=OwnersManual
If you have any other questions please contact us at 1-800-334-6011 or reply to this email.

I am looking for a recommendation. I am replacing Rheem 95% efficiency furnace and central air in a Townhouse, approxiamte area is 1600 sqft. Which model would you recommend for the town house. My daughter has only pollen allergy


Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us regarding our Whole Home Air Cleaners.  All of the Aprilaire Air Cleaners can handle 1.5 ton system up to a 5 ton system (600-2000 CFM's).  Please review the consumer literature piece regarding the different models and their efficiency.  We recommend speaking to your installing contractor as to which unit will best suit your daughter's needs as well as your application.  Please contact our Customer Service Department if we may be of further assistance.

I just moved into a house with a 2 year old central air unit. I don't know much about central air as I have never had it. The air was working fine up until today. It just didn't go on. When I went downstairs I noticed the Aprilaire premium digital control wouldn't go on. Any suggestions what i can do???


Aprilaires' response:

The wiring for the humidistat appears that is might be set to run on just the heat calls and would not turn on any other time. If you furnace was on, the humidistat should turn on if the humidity is below 45% and there is a call for humidity. You can still test to see if the humidifier is working but turning the heat up to make a heat call for the furnace and then turning the humidistat all the way clock wise until you hear a click. The humidity call for our humidistat's is when the humidity falls below 45%, and this time of year unless you live in the dry arid areas in Arizona and Colorado, most of America is well above 45% during the summer months. The best time of year to test your humidifier is in the fall, but you should still get the solenoid to click on during the test I suggested. If you do not hear a click of solenoid turning on during the test I suggest contacting a local HVAC dealer to service your humidifier.You can find a dealer by entering your zip code in the upper right hand corner of our website: http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php

If you have any other questions please contact us at 1-800-334-6011.

I recently had a contractor install a furnace/AC in my home.    He included
a Aprilaire humidifier with the package.  It's a Aprilaire Model 600 Series Humidifier.

I have a few questions:

1.  The humidifier control baffles me.   I went through the owners manual
and it's not clear.  Refer to the attached pic.   You'll see that the Manual
Mode handle (resistor case) is pulled out from the humidifier control box.
Does tha3.  t mean it's in Automatic mode ????   The owner's manual and
installation instructions don't even tell you.  There is an Automatic Mode
(Figure A) pic in the owners manual, but it's not my humidifier control box
nor does it have this Manual Mode handle.   But on the Manual Mode pic in
the owners manual (Figure B), it shows this manual mode handle, but it
appears to be pushed in toward the humidifier control box.   The owners
manual never says anything about pushing this lever in, or pulling it out,
or anything like that.  My question is how do I know this humidifier control
is on Automatic ??     Or can it never be on Automatic with this Manual Mode
handle installed ??

2.  Are you supposed to put the bypass damper handle on "Summer" during
every summertime ?

3.  Is 35% a normal setting for the humidifier control?    I think that's
what the contractor said to keep it on.


I want the humidifier control to be on Automatic.   I don't want it to be in
a Manual mode.

Can I register my humidifier (for warranty) even though it was purchased and
installed by a HVAC contractor ?


Aprilaires' response:

The model 600 humidifier can be installed to operate either manually or automatically. How the control is installed and wired will identify the current operation of the humidifier. Based upon the information provided in your email it appears that you application is currently wired to operate manually. The blue manual mode resistor that is currently seen at the humidistat identifies that the product is currently setup for manual operation. This basically would require that changes be made to the setting at the control anytime there is a noticeable change to the outdoor temperature. The other operating option that is available for the model 600 is automatic operation at the humidistat. When the humidistat is in automatic mode an outdoor temperature sensor would need to be installed and wired in place of the blue manual mode resistor. When the outdoor temperature sensor is being utilized this will allow complete automatic control of the humidifier. The outdoor temperature sensor will take approximately 400,000 temperature reading daily and adjust the setting throughout the day based upon the outdoor temperature.  We do not recommend utilizing the blue manual mode resistor and the outdoor temperature sensor at the same time as this will cause operating issues with the product.

In regards to the bypass damper of the model 600 does require that the arm be positioned into the summer mode during that season. This will allow any airflow during the cooling season to be directed away from the bypass arm of the application. If the damper is not placed into the summer position it will not cause any harm but rather allow a small amount of air to bypass through the arm.

We would be happy to assist you in getting your newly installed model 600 humidifier registered for warranty. There are currently two options available for registration of the product. The product can be registered online at the following link http://The model 600 humidifier can be installed to operate either manually or automatically. How the control is installed and wired will identify the current operation of the humidifier. Based upon the information provided in your email it appears that you application is currently wired to operate manually. The blue manual mode resistor that is currently seen at the humidistat identifies that the product is currently setup for manual operation. This basically would require that changes be made to the setting at the control anytime there is a noticeable change to the outdoor temperature. The other operating option that is available for the model 600 is automatic operation at the humidistat. When the humidistat is in automatic mode an outdoor temperature sensor would need to be installed and wired in place of the blue manual mode resistor. When the outdoor temperature sensor is being utilized this will allow complete automatic control of the humidifier. The outdoor temperature sensor will take approximately 400,000 temperature reading daily and adjust the setting throughout the day based upon the outdoor temperature.  We do not recommend utilizing the blue manual mode resistor and the outdoor temperature sensor at the same time as this will cause operating issues with the product.

In regards to the bypass damper of the model 600 does require that the arm be positioned into the summer mode during that season. This will allow any airflow during the cooling season to be directed away from the bypass arm of the application. If the damper is not placed into the summer position it will not cause any harm but rather allow a small amount of air to bypass through the arm.

We would be happy to assist you in getting your newly installed model 600 humidifier registered for warranty. There are currently two options available for registration of the product. The product can be registered online at the following link http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php?znfAction=Warranty or by contacting our customer service line at 800-334-6011. We would be happy to further assist you in registering your newly installed product. If there are any further questions regarding the operation or installation of the product please of the product please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

Can having your aprilaire on while running the air conditioning cause there to be a leak at bottom of furnace?


Aprilaires' response:

The water that you are experiencing is condensate from your air conditioner within the furnace. Our humidifier only runs when there is a call for humidity and the humidity level is below 45%, which only happens in dry arid areas of the country or during the cold season when humidity level is low. You will want to reference your owners manual for instructions on turning off the humidifier during this time of year. I've attached a link to owner's manuals:
http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php?znfAction=OwnersManual

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

We have a new home almost 10,000 sq ft of living space. The house is too well insulated, the AC hardly runs and it's about 60% humidity in the house. Which unit would you recommend and how much electricity do they use? Will we need a dedicated electric line?

Aprilaires' response:

Thank you for contacting us with regards to our Model 1770A Dehumidifier. Based on the size of your home, you will likely need more than one unit. The 1770A requires a dedicated 20-amp circuit at 120v. It's capable of handling up to 7400 sq ft assuming a standard 8' ceiling height. Taller rooms will need to be recalculated to determine an equivalent square footage. Please review this document for more information.

Consumer question:
 
What is the other advantage of having an outdoor temp sensor? the sensor broke out of the housing and the shipping costs are more than the sensor.

Aprilaires' response:

The outdoor temperature sensor when utilized with our Automatic Digital Humidistat allows the humidistat to automatically adjust the humidity setting based upon the outside temperature. This allows you to have hands free control of the amount of humidity that will be added to the home through out a 24 hour period. Our temperature sensor will take approximately 400,000 readings daily and will adjust the humidity setting automatically through out the day based upon the outside temperature.

Our products generally do come with a warranty that covers the parts. The length of the warranty will depends on the date of installation of the actual product. If the product is within the stated warranty period the part could be obtained and replaced through your installing heating and cooling contractor. In the event that the product is not covered under warranty you would be required to purchase the replacement part through your installing contractor or on our E-Store at www.aprilaire.com. We would like to further assist you in determining if your product is currently covered under warranty. If you could please provide us with your date of installation we can than determine if this particular component still falls within the warranty period.

We look forward to working with you in the future regarding our products. If there are any further questions or concerns please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Consumer question submitted to Aprilaire:

When the unit was installed I was told that I needed a filter at the cold air return now I was told I should not put filters in the cold air returns, should I?


Aprilaires' response:

The air cleaners that we offer are designed to be installed only in the return duct of most heating and cooling applications. The filters that are utilized in our products will take the place of the existing filters that were originally used in a typical heating and cooling application. We generally do not recommend using a second filter in the return duct of the application when an Aprilaire air cleaner is present. Therefore, the general use of our air cleaner and filter is recommend without the use of an additional filters.  When an Aprilaire air cleaner is installed in the return duct of the HVAC equipment this allows the filter to filter the air prior to it entering the heating and cooling equipment. This filter removes the particles that are in the air stream of the return duct at that time and provides protection to the HVAC equipment. We would be happy to further assist you with any questions relating to the performance and installed of your Aprilaire air cleaner. If there are any further questions regarding the product please contact us at your earliest convenience.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I have an Aprilaire Humidifier, model 600 (installed this past winter - and I love it!!). A friend recently gave me a spare water panel evaporator (part number 35) that I will use in the fall when it is time to change mine. It was an old part (he had purchased many of them about 8 or 9 years ago) -- the copyright date on the packaging says 2001. Can you confirm this part is still good (it was never used) - or did something change in the design of the humidifier over the years causing this spare part to be obsolete now? Here's a link to the old spare part I have: http://estore.aprilaire.com/catalog/humidifiers/water-panels/253 I'm looking for opportunities to save money and was pleased to be given this part, but I want to be sure it's safe and effective to use

Aprilaires' response:

Congratulations on your Aprilaire purchase!  You will love the benefits you will receive from our humidifier!

Yes, you may use the #35 water panel that you received from a friend.  As long as the box was not  damaged, the water panel should be just fine.  Go ahead and use it for the next water panel change that you do.  Enjoy!

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I bought a home that has a Model 550 installed. The previous owner/s did not have a manual. Do you have any info on this? Is it a humidifier, de-humidifier, or both?


Aprilaires' response:

The model 550 is a humidifier.  Here is the owners manual for that unit.

The most important thing to remember for taking care of this humidifier is to make sure and change the water panel every year.  This humidifier takes a #10 water panel.  This can be purchased by calling us and ordering over the phone, or you may go to  estore.aprilaire.com to purchase, or at aprilaire.com you may enter your zipcode in the upper right hand area that will show you what dealer is in your area.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

How many square feet does an Aprilaire 5000 clean? I have 3 ac units in my home-the Aprilaire is installed in the upstairs unit.  My home is approximately 3000 square feet with 1 ac unit for the upstairs and 2 for the downstairs.


Aprilaires' response:

The model 5000 air cleaner is sized based upon the number of heating and cooling systems and also the amount of air that is being passed through each of those units. The model 5000 is designed to operate on systems that are rated for 600 to 2000 cubic feet per minute. We do recommend one air cleaner per heating and cooling system. Therefore, based upon the information provided regarding your application we would recommend utilizing three air cleaners one per system. Please review our product literature on our entire air cleaner line that will provide you with further details regarding specifications of our different models.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

Why does the RH level never change on the display panel installed on the return duct?  It is alway at 62% even though the RH in the house is 50%


Aprilaires' response:

The display of this product updates only when the heating system is operating and producing heat. The 62% that is currently displaying on the humidistat is the last reading that was taken when unit was initially installed. We would recommend making a brief call for heat to see a temporary change in the actual reading on the display of the humidistat. If the reading on the display does not change once the heating system is operating and producing heat, we would recommend contacting your installing contractor for further evaluation of the wiring of the product.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

The unit has a display readout which showed relative humidity all winter long.  It now seems to be stuck on 49 during the humid summer.  Does the unit not function when the furnace is not being used?  Do I need to reset something?


Aprilaires' response:

The humidistat for your humidifier reads the final reading that humidifier read after the last time it was on, and will not display another reading until the humidifier. The furnace just energizes the humidistat to allow it to turn on if humidity is needed in the house. You will want to note the setting on the humidistat, so you know what setting you will need in the fall when the humidifier can be turned back on. You can then turn the nob for the humidistat counter clockwise for the remainder of the summer, to ensure it doesn't turn on. Turning the black nob from winter to summer is another step in the spring/summer that needs to be done to prevent air flow through the by pass humidifier.
I've included a link to the owner manual that will walk you through the steps for the summer season when the call for humidity is not usually necessary unless you lived in the dry climates like Arizona or Colorado.
http://www.aprilaire.com/index.php?znfAction=OwnersManual

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I have a Townhouse approximately 2000 sq ft. heating area is about 1300
sq. ft. I am replacing new Carrier Infinity furnace and 2.5 t
Performance condensing unit. Which model do you recommend? 700? What is
the difference between 600 and 700 and how much does it cost?

Aprilaires' response:

Thanks for contacting us about your interest in a humidifier. With about 1500 sq feet of space to humidify you would be able to use any of our units. (400,500,600,700). The 400 is recommended in applications where there is not a floor drain present as all other units will need an area to drain water. The difference between the 500 600 bypass models are related to the size of the application. The 500 can cover a area of 3,000 square feet and the 600 can cover 4,000 square feet.

The 700 and 600 are similar in size however the 700 uses a fan to draw air into it and the 600 uses the bypass method.

At this point it is hard to tell you which model to go with because of unforseen factors in the home that we can not see. This is better left to the dealer to determine. A dealer will also have pricing as we do not offer sales direct to the customer or set our pricing for each dealer.

Consumer feedback submitted to Aprilaire:

Just wanted to let you know the kit installation went fine even though it was replacing a filter installed in 1978.  I pop riveted the frame in place with no problems encountered. Replacing the filter was alot easier than dealing with the pleated filter. The weather station is a very nice instrument..thank you. 

Aprilaires' response:

Thanks for contacting us about your upgrade kit. I'm glad to hear everything is working out for you. It's always great to hear positive feedback from our customer regarding our product. We would like to know if you would post your wonderful comments on our website to help show others how nice of a product this upgrade is.

Please go to:

http://estore.aprilaire.com/customer/new-review/302

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

I have changed the water panel and light won't go out. I disconnected the electric thinking that would reset it. That did not work. Is there something I am not doing correctly. I installed the panel according to the directions. It seemed to go in Okay. Any suggestions?


Aprilaires' response:

The change water panel indicator will need to be reset in order to for the light to stop appearing. We have listed below the proper steps for disengaging the change water panel light.

You will want to first turn the control knob to the “Test/Reset” position until the “Humidifier On” light blinks to reset its timer.  The Blower must be operating and HVAC calling for heat for this process to work appropriately. Once positioning it in the test mode for approximately one minute turn the control knob back to it’s original setting.  This process should allow the change water panel light to reset and normal operation should occur.

If for any reason the above process does not resolve the current issue please contact us at your earliest convenience. We would be happy to take your through this process over the phone with are customer service team. You can contact our Customer Service/Technical Support team at 800-334-6011 between the hours of 7AM and 5PM. We would be happy to further assist you with any question relating to the product.

Question submitted to Aprilaire:

As I try to test the 8120 system if the humidity is high outside I can not make the system work (in the test mode)  Is there a way to override the humidity sensor just to test the system to make sure it is working correctly.


Aprilaires' response:

Regards to your model 8120 Ventilation Controller, test mode will operate the HVAC Blower and ventilation damper for 1 minute, regardless of indoor and outdoor conditions. If Test mode is not energizing one or both components in this system, there is an issue related to the wiring or components. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.