"Howie" wrote in message
...
I haven't heard of a Aprilaire type... what about the drum type? I'm not
that familiar with humidifier types, I've seen the old style plate types,
as
well as the drum style. I think I've seen the type where the air is drawn
into the unit through flexible vinyl tubing.



Aprilaire is what most of your better contractors will sell...

We install several dozen a year...

www.aprilaire.com


"Chet Hayes" wrote in message
om...
"Howie" wrote in message
...
I heard that when one has a humidifier installed directly into one's
furnace, the humidifier will cause the heat exchanger to corrode much
faster
than without a humidifier. Is this true?

I'm not sure a guy who sells furnaces is going to give an honest
answer.

Howie


I'm not sure how big an issue this is, if at all. However, if you're
worried about it, I think there is a solution. The most common
humdidifiers are bypass models. They short circuit some hot air thru
the humidifier where it picks up moisture and then send it across to
the intake plenum, where it goes back through the furnace. If
corrosion were to be a problem, that would seem to be the source of
the problem, because now you have hot moist air going over the hot
heat exchanger.

There are humidifiers that are not bypass, cost a little more, but
have a built in fan. These only circulate air from the hot plenum
throught the humidifier and then back into the hot plenum. With the
furnace blower running, this air then just goes up and out, never
going through the heat exchanger. They also have the advantage of not
reducing the furnace blower capacity by short circuiting air. I have
an Aprilaire and it has been superb, I highly recommend it.