How To Prepare Your Flow-Through Humidifier before Winter Operation, Maintenance

[@TeslaRules1856]

Glad you showed both bypass and fan powered. Recently replaced an old return air bypass with fan powered supply side unit. Remover to check and clean any drains for hard water buildup

[@dontderockmeriz4546]

Great video. Not many talk about the humidifier, usually only covers the furnace.

[@lukecameronjg]

Real g explained it very well

[@ramonagaibor1898]

I needed this information Thank you so much.

[@michelesamuelson2067]

Thank you for this. Now I’m off to menards to buy a new pad and then I will see about the water flow when I get back.

[@MrRoshanification]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@sinnaali3500]

Thank you so much stay bless forever ❤

[@psychedelic_Mexican]

Very helpful, thank you very very much

[@raycheselka1]

Another great video, thank you!!!

[@BretChilcott]

Good video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@dmaxrobful]

on the 2nd model you showed the pad was sideways. The black line should be on the top typically on all the pad type units

[@BretChilcott]

Rob, thank you for explaining the TOP vs the BOTTOM of the element. After looking at the replacment filter, I noticed the black mark on one end and believed there must be a top and bottom. This information was not even on the packaging of the new filter cartdridge. Many thanks!

[@brendastabile12]

My drain hose has a white substance and some black streaking inside of the tube. I don’t recall seeing this before. Do I need to replace or clean the tube?

[@MrHardware1]

@@brendastabile12 I’d suggest you pour some cleaning vinegar, less than a quart into the lower pan of the humidifier. Let it sit a day then rinse and pour enough CLR to coat the hose and let it sit. The humidifier should rinse the residue out.

[@ramsrjr]

I have an Aprilaire humidifier with a hard filter. Can I replace that hard filter with the soft filter?

[@MrHardware1]

Probably, what model?

[@steveosman4992]

Thanks very informative. I have a General humidifier. Water runs when furnace is on and stops as should be when furnace stops. But I noticed that Humidistat does not do anything. If I turn to off position , water continues to run (when furnace is running) . How do I troubleshoot if humidistat is working properly? Thanks.

[@MrHardware1]

It is either a bad humidistat or someone bypassed it when they wired your humidifier. To check it, remove one of the wires off the humidistat and the dehumidifier should not run then. If it does then it appears it has been wired incorrectly.

[@nikidata-x2z]

thank you sir

[@mikes4919]

When should I change it to Winter setting? When temps get around 50 during day and 30 at night?

[@SakuraFruitTube]

Change it to winter when turn on the humidifier

[@Prinpch]

How do you prep it for summer? I have an older model like the first one you did.

[@MrHardware1]

I turn off the water feeding it, I remove the pad, and I wipe down all the surfaces with white vinegar to remove any calcium deposits.

[@dawnjohnson7432]

Great video I have mine set at 30% and still have water on my windows and bathroom floor help please

[@MrHardware1]

Your humidistat could be worn out or broken, I would turn it down even lower and forget what it says and use the humidity and the windows to control my adjustments.

[@2old4u]

Most excellent.

[@elkuartostudio]

How to connect the selenoid to the contoller if only have the white and red cable?

[@MrHardware1]

There is no polarity on a standard low voltage humidifiers. It is 24v a/c so either wire to either wire on this job today.

[@AJRY12]

What happens if you leave the damper in the closed (summer) position when the heat is on? Will the moisture get trapped?

[@MrHardware1]

Very little will make it to the house. Just not much will evaporate w/no place to go.

[@AJRY12]

@@MrHardware1 Thanks. Will that cause mold?

[@MrHardware1]

@@AJRY12 it’s not uncommon at the end of the season to find mold in the humidifier. That’s why in the spring I turn off the water I removed the pad and I wash everything in there with Cleaning vinegar and put it away until the fall. Usually, I have to put a new pad in every fall because after one season the pads look pretty nasty.

[@amandalupardus9097]

Recently bought a house and the last time the pad was changed was 2015. We changed it at the beginning of the season but noticed a bunch of BestAir Golden Solution Combo Humidifier Solution bottles in the storage area. Should I be using it? If so, how? I only see it being used in small Humidifiers not large house ones.

[@MrHardware1]

If you have a flow through humidifier there’s not much use in it, but if you have a drum style with the rotating pad and a reservoir of water you can put one or 2 ounces in the Reservoir a month.

[@jeffreykrutzsch8555]

Mr. Hardware, I notice the configuration your working on has the bypass connected to the horizontal supply duct instead of the supply plenum. I guess there isn't a problem with that? Most configurations I see have the bypass connected to the supply plenum. I'm asking because I don't have room on my supply plenum either, so I want to verify that is an okay location for my bypass to draw from.

[@MrHardware1]

That is from the cold to the hot plenum, I prefer to mount the humidifier on the hot plenum, better water evaporation. However quite often it needs to be reversed for one reason or another, not a big issue. We came off the horizontal return because it was easier, again, not a big issue.

[@videos10]

Water and metal, won't this rust and cause mold etc. How does this get prevented ?

[@MrHardware1]

You change the pad yearly if not more often.

[@reaction9449]

My water is constantly flowing even when the furnace is not on, it should only flow when the furnace kicks on, correct? Also your flow in this video is at least twice as fast as mine, it’s a aprilaire, the dial goes 1-7 and 5 being labeled normal, I have the dial set to 6, only way I found to adjust the flow is with the lever on the hot water tank not the dial with 1-7

[@blairgilbert7606]

It sounds like the solenoid valve is stuck open, disconnect one of the low voltage wires at the valve and if it still runs it is broken.

[@hv3300]

Great video.How often should I change water pad? How would you clean water pad?

[@MrHardware1]

Usually once a year, you can clean the pad in vinegar however it will also remove the coating the pads come with. I recommend replacing....

[@yitezeng1035]

Is it a way to adjust the amount of water flow through the humidifier rather than go to the shut-off valve from the water source? What does the screw on the solenoid valve do?

[@MrHardware1]

I believe the screw holds the cover on. No adjustment there. Some humidifiers have a flow restriction orifice to limit water flow. I use the valve to restrict mine.

[@AndrewLobban]

How do I adjust my humidistat so I don't have condensation pooling by my windows? I have my heat set low 67º and I am seeing a lot of moisture build up.

[@UnexpectedTokens]

if it's too cold out and if your window efficiency is not high enough it'll condensate on the windows on the side... the only way to prevent it is to lower the humidity indoors accordingly... usually smart thermostats would have a "frost control" mode that does this automatically based on weather forecast but you can always just turn it down when its cold out... if your window is higher efficiency, you can have higher humidity indoors for same outdoor temperature compared to a lower efficiency window... for me i have found if it's -20C out, I need to lower my humidity indoors to somewhere between 30% to 35% to prevent moisture from condensating on the windows...

[@dug-o3t]

If you choose not to use your humidifier for the winter, do you need to keep the vent closed?

[@MrHardware1]

No the air is contained within the system so there will be no loss. But make sure you take out the pad up there’s any mold growing on it.

[@carlosmedrano4143]

Thank you great teaching video I have one at home (1)Can the flow of water be regulated ? I feel there is lots of water wasted (2)what kind of valve should you use to regulate water I appreciate your response Thank you

[@MrHardware1]

I use a 90 degree/1/8mpt x 1/4comp needle valve screwed into a brass bushing off a tee, off the hot water line. In one house I use a 1/4" ball valve which regulates just fine but not recommended by code.

[@kchamberlain86]

My water comes out slower then the one in the video. Mine is 2 drops per second. Like drip drip drip. Not a long steady flow. Water still drips into my floor drain. Is this ok or do I need more water going though? Like changing out my solenoid? Thanks

[@MrHardware1]

First I take the feed line off the solenoid and turn on the water for a sec. No flow you know the valve is plugged. Then I take the output off the solenoid and run the furnace on HEAT and increase the humidistat and see the water flow there. Clog should be found.

[@karenreaves6712]

Thank you for this Video. I have followed these steps for years and I always clean the humidifier at the end of the Winter season and again before I start it up the next Winter. When I checked my filter recently I noticed some orange and yellow and pinkish areas on the pad. I assumed it was from mold growing on the pad. I spoke went to Lowes to purchase a replacement filter and was told by one of the employees that the discoloration was being caused by the minerals in our water. We are in Macomb and have City Water. I am wondering what your thoughts are regarding the discoloration. I removed the old pad, cleaned the humidifier and replaced the pad just to be on the safe side. Thank you for any insight you may have.

[@MrHardware1]

I’m not sure about the color or just her discoloration on your pad but I have put a fridge water filter in line to pull the chlorine and some of the minerals out of the water so my humidifier stays cleaner. Our water, I live in Macomb County also, it’s pretty clean and I’ve never seen minerals from a pad from it.

[@battlefielding]

beautiful intor

[@jeyemkinze]

No water coming out even with the humidistat all the way on. Thermostat set to 21 degrees celcius. Is there a certain temperature when the humidistat will call for humidity?

[@blairgilbert7606]

No, the furnace when calling for 'heat' should close a switch feeding power to the humidifier. If the furnace is running on heat cycle and the humidistat is set high the water should flow. Could be supply water, check that first, or electrical. Furnace switch to humidifier, transformer, humidistat or bad solenoid on humidifier.

[@Rjutla256]

If water is running, continue where the problem is and how we can fix it.

[@cannibal4363]

ty.

[@Thebiggestcheese-w8o]

How about my is water leaking

[@flakeinator1979]

Is it leaking or is there too much water coming into the pad at too high a force? I recently did a check and some cleaning on mine and after that the Aprilaire started to drip. I opened the valve too much that was supplying water to the solenoid so too much water was flowing in. After adjusting it again, things have stopped dripping.

[@AmodeoValenti]

Also check the drain hose on bottom. It gets clogged much quicker than you think. You can most times blow out the clog or replace hose entirely.

[@prashantk1766]

I can hear solenoid click and water dispensing only after i set it to 50% humidity. For all other setting less than 50, i dont see water dripping. Is it a problem? If yes then what do i check?

[@MrHardware1]

Either your house is at 49% humidity or your humidistat is off calibration a bit. I don't care how accurate the humidistat is as long as it turns on and off because I set the humidity using an $30 temp/humid gauge in my bedroom. If I want more, or my wife does, I turn up the humidity a little at a time and monitor the gauge in the bedroom. I also watch for a little condensation at the bottom of my windows to help monitor the humidity in the house.

[@prashantk1766]

Thanks 👍

[@blackhawks1870]

The humidifier made my water bill go way up!

[@adambier2415]

There are humidifiers on the market that can use less water. I swapped my old ones out with new ones that only draw water up from a tank instead of constantly dripping water onto a pad. You will still use water and you still need a drain pipe just in case there is ever a leak but it’s supposed to be more water efficient.

[@Shao-wen_Wu]

My humidifier makes the air coming out of the vents smell like the air before raining. Is it normal?

[@MrHardware1]

Sounds like it is a high output, or possibly could have some mold in it. I suggest you pop the cover and check the pad in the humidifier. If it is moldy pull it out and clean the insides with mold cleaner right away. It is not hard to do, I have some old videos about humidifiers you may want to check out.

[@Jake-li7ih]

@@MrHardware1 I am trying to get my humidifier going for the first time. Any advice on how much water flow I should have?