I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much, anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

Harry wrote:
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

I suggest neither. I suggest the Aprilaire models. Not only do I have
one, but I chose it since so many people here and elsewhere have recommended
them.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Harry wrote:
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed
near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

I suggest neither. I suggest the Aprilaire models. Not only do I have
one, but I chose it since so many people here and elsewhere have
recommended them.

Thanks. I took a quick look, and they have a few different models. 400,
550, 600, 700, 760A Other that the ratings, in terms of sq. ft., and the
fact that the 550 is manual, is the 700 series with the fan, better or just
different? Which one did you get?

April air has a model with an outside thermostat, you basicly set it
once , just below where your windows condense and it maintains the
proper humidity all winter. I have one but forgot the model #

Get the Aprilaire with the fan. I tried the one without which connects to
both the supply pleneum and the return duct. It depends on differential
pressure to push air past the "media" and didin't work very well. For what
it's worth, the Sears model that used the sponge covered wheel, pushed the
most water into the air but the yearly maintenance on it was higher.

"Harry" wrote in message news:d277d$417
...
"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Harry wrote:
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed
near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am
looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type
better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

I suggest neither. I suggest the Aprilaire models. Not only do I
have
one, but I chose it since so many people here and elsewhere have
recommended them.

Thanks. I took a quick look, and they have a few different models. 400,
550, 600, 700, 760A Other that the ratings, in terms of sq. ft., and the
fact that the 550 is manual, is the 700 series with the fan, better or
just
different? Which one did you get?

Joe Fabeitz wrote:
Get the Aprilaire with the fan. I tried the one without which connects to
both the supply pleneum and the return duct. It depends on differential
pressure to push air past the "media" and didin't work very well.

Sorry to hear it did not work well for you. It works fine for me.


For what
it's worth, the Sears model that used the sponge covered wheel, pushed the
most water into the air but the yearly maintenance on it was higher.

"Harry" wrote in message news:d277d$417
...
"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Harry wrote:
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed
near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am
looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type
better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

I suggest neither. I suggest the Aprilaire models. Not only do I
have
one, but I chose it since so many people here and elsewhere have
recommended them.

Thanks. I took a quick look, and they have a few different models.
400,
550, 600, 700, 760A Other that the ratings, in terms of sq. ft., and the
fact that the 550 is manual, is the 700 series with the fan, better or
just
different? Which one did you get?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

"Harry" wrote in message
rvers.com...
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).




Don't buy either! The water wheel type humidifiers are just a breeding
ground for mold. The mist units can cause problems with mosture rusting the
ductwork, plus the nozzles clog.

Aprilaire makes good units.
Greg

"Harry" wrote in message
ervers.com...

Thanks. I took a quick look, and they have a few different models. 400,
550, 600, 700, 760A Other that the ratings, in terms of sq. ft., and the
fact that the 550 is manual, is the 700 series with the fan, better or
just
different? Which one did you get?


The 550 and 600 are bypass models, a duct runs from the humidifier to the
return air duct, some people have a problem with these, bypassing some of
the heated air to the return.
The 600 has the control with outdoor air temp reset, good unit. The 700 is a
powered unit, needs a 120 volt outlet nearby to run the fan. It does not
bypass air to the return.It also comes with the outdoor reset.

All that said, we install allot of the 550 and 600's. Very few 700's.
Greg

Subject: Humidifier recommendation?
From: "Harry"
Date: 10/27/2004 11:38 AM Eastern Standard Time
Message-id: rs.com

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Harry wrote:
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed
near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).

I suggest neither. I suggest the Aprilaire models. Not only do I have
one, but I chose it since so many people here and elsewhere have
recommended them.

Thanks. I took a quick look, and they have a few different models. 400,
550, 600, 700, 760A Other that the ratings, in terms of sq. ft., and the
fact that the 550 is manual, is the 700 series with the fan, better or just
different? Which one did you get?


Get the 700 (with the fan). You'll love it.

Units are sized acording to sq ft needed to humidify. I have 1850 sq ft
with the april air without a fan and it does not work to capacity. Also
the tightness of a house is most critical, You may be fine without a fan
and the extra cost of runnibg a fan.
Talk to a competant installer, all houses are different, in
construction, tightness and the amount of humidity needed, determined by
location-low winter temps , the amount of people living there and style
of living.

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
Units are sized acording to sq ft needed to humidify. I have 1850 sq ft
with the april air without a fan and it does not work to capacity.

I have 2300 sq ft and the no fan with sensor (Model 650?) also is not
maxing out.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math


Also
the tightness of a house is most critical, You may be fine without a fan
and the extra cost of runnibg a fan.
Talk to a competant installer, all houses are different, in
construction, tightness and the amount of humidity needed, determined by
location-low winter temps , the amount of people living there and style
of living.

"Greg O" wrote in message ...
"Harry" wrote in message
rvers.com...
I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,
anyway,
it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking
for
a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).




Don't buy either! The water wheel type humidifiers are just a breeding
ground for mold. The mist units can cause problems with mosture rusting the
ductwork, plus the nozzles clog.

Aprilaire makes good units.
Greg

I have the Aprilaire 760 and its been super. Just clean it once a
season, which is a snap, as the whole thing just pops off, don't even
need a screwdriver. I went with it because of the fan and I preferred
not to bypass the air. I'm not real sure how much of a difference it
makes, but I can see two issues:

1 - Loss of some blower efficiency

2 - Now you have hot very humid air going directly back through the
heat exchanger. One would think this might lead to rusting of the
heat exchanger.

I used to have an Aprilaire bypass unit at our previous house. I liked
it very much, but they are only available through contractors. Our last
one cost about $450 installed.

I just purchased a Honeywell HE260 from Home Depot for $199 (there is a
$30 rebate offer in effect until Nov.). It's quite similar to the
Aprilaire in styling etc. I've got it bolted to the furnace (Lennox G2
- I believe) and the water supply connected.

Problem: The HE260 comes with a big honking 30VA transformer and a
kludgey "sail switch" (relay with a big "sail" that floats in the cold
air return and closes when air is flowing...Honeywell's way of sensing
blower activity). I want to avoid installing the transformer (24V) and
sail switch and, instead, just power the 24V solenoid water valve from
the furnace itself.

I doubt the solenoid draws more than about 500 mA. Is there any reason
I should NOT try to power it from the Y/T terminals (compressor
contactor) at the furnace's low-voltage terminal strip, which provides
24VAC when the blower is on?

-Pat

Chet Hayes wrote:
"Greg O" wrote in message ...

"Harry" wrote in message
servers.com...

I have forced hot air heat, and the old Humidor humidifier (installed near
the furnace) is no longer working. I never liked it all that much,

anyway,

it was the old type with the rotating sponge, etc. So, now I am looking

for

a new humidifier. Any recommendations? Are the "mist spray" type better
than the rotating sponge one (I don't know the precise term).




Don't buy either! The water wheel type humidifiers are just a breeding
ground for mold. The mist units can cause problems with mosture rusting the
ductwork, plus the nozzles clog.

Aprilaire makes good units.
Greg


I have the Aprilaire 760 and its been super. Just clean it once a
season, which is a snap, as the whole thing just pops off, don't even
need a screwdriver. I went with it because of the fan and I preferred
not to bypass the air. I'm not real sure how much of a difference it
makes, but I can see two issues:

1 - Loss of some blower efficiency

2 - Now you have hot very humid air going directly back through the
heat exchanger. One would think this might lead to rusting of the
heat exchanger.