fine white mist from humidifier
 

since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice

"jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii" wrote in message
...
since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice

It is the minerals in the water. They make an in-line filter (for the water
supply) that helps cut down on the deposits. Your mileage may vary........

"jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii" wrote

since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

It might pay you to throw it out and get the other kind. That white dust can
mess up CD/DVD players because they can coat the laser lens and make them
ineffective. I've been there.

On 2005-02-24, jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii wrote:

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice

It's minerals (not necessarily chalk) in the water. Use distilled water
instead. And yes, it can be harmful to your computer. Fans and things
do not like abrasives (chalk is an abrasive) on their bearings. Besides,
it looks ugly.

--
This signature left blank.

jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii wrote:
since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice




We tried one of these for awhile; the unit even
explains that the white powder (minerals) may be a
problem and if so one should use distilled water.

The white powder can be very destructive to
surfaces, operating motors, etc. And it's not too
good for your lungs either. We were unwilling to
buy that much distilled water and stopped using
the unit. You need to use distilled water or buy
the type of humidifier that evaporates the water
(rather than atomizing it). If the latter, you
will need to clean the mineral deposits from the
evaporating surface, but that is better than
having the fine dust blowing through the air,
especially into your lungs.

jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii wrote:

since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice



That is the inevitable result when the water holds dissolved
minerals. The "white dust" is the "no longer dissolved" minerals
which were in the water.

I refer to the water supply to our house as limestone soup with a
dash of rust due to the iron ore in the area. I have just spent
six hours wrapping paper towels soaked with vinegar around the
kitchen faucet so I could get it apart to clean out the deposits.

You can spend a lot of money to buy distilled water, or a lot of
money to get demineralizing cartridges, or give up and do what I
do -- which is use an "evaporative" humidifier. This of course
results in mineral deposits inside the humidifier which I clean
up with vinegar at about two month intervals.

"jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii" wrote in message
...
since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else? it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could this
be harmful? thanks for any advice




Just a thought but maybe a water softener would solve your problem. If you
have that many minerals in your water it may be worth the cost.......Ross

I agree 100%. I tried one of those ultrasonic humidifiers a few years back.
I too found white dust around the unit. Eventually the unit failed. I
exchanged it, same white dust with the new one & it failed. Ended up
getting a refund. Evaporative is the way to go.

Ray

"John_B" wrote in message
hlink.net...
jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii wrote:

since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially
the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else?
it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could
this
be harmful? thanks for any advice



That is the inevitable result when the water holds dissolved
minerals. The "white dust" is the "no longer dissolved" minerals
which were in the water.

I refer to the water supply to our house as limestone soup with a
dash of rust due to the iron ore in the area. I have just spent
six hours wrapping paper towels soaked with vinegar around the
kitchen faucet so I could get it apart to clean out the deposits.

You can spend a lot of money to buy distilled water, or a lot of
money to get demineralizing cartridges, or give up and do what I
do -- which is use an "evaporative" humidifier. This of course
results in mineral deposits inside the humidifier which I clean
up with vinegar at about two month intervals.

You have an Ultrasonic humidiier and that is what they do , leave the
minerals in your water as dust outside the unit. Junk it , it is not
worth the trouble. If you have forced air heat put in a a forced air
humidifier or get the old style tank and pad unit.

I use rain water in my unit.
Filtered through a dense weave sock.
No more calcium dust, such as from tap water.

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii wrote:
since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially
the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else?
it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could
this
be harmful? thanks for any advice




We tried one of these for awhile; the unit even
explains that the white powder (minerals) may be a
problem and if so one should use distilled water.

The white powder can be very destructive to
surfaces, operating motors, etc. And it's not too
good for your lungs either. We were unwilling to
buy that much distilled water and stopped using
the unit. You need to use distilled water or buy
the type of humidifier that evaporates the water
(rather than atomizing it). If the latter, you
will need to clean the mineral deposits from the
evaporating surface, but that is better than
having the fine dust blowing through the air,
especially into your lungs.

Michael Baugh wrote:
I use rain water in my unit.
Filtered through a dense weave sock.
No more calcium dust, such as from tap water.

Is that rain water from off your roof? That could have nasties in it
that the sock won't filter. I do know it's not good to drink; maybe
breathing a vapor cloud of it wouldn't be so hot either.

If you have a collection device that you can be sure is free of spores,
bird poop etc. then you're onto something. Rainwater's good stuff.

%mod%

"Ross Mac" wrote in message
...

"jwiiiiiiiiiiiiii" wrote in message
...
since the air gets very dry because of central heating, i have got a
humidifier, the kind you put water in and it throws out a fine cold mist
into the air.

what it is doing is putting a fine white dust on everything especially
the
television which normally attracts a lot of dust anyway (due to static i
guess).

since we are in a hard water area (north london u.k.) would that be as
somebody has suggested the chalk in the water or is it something else?
it
seems to like settling on the computer also in the cd tray etc, could
this
be harmful? thanks for any advice




Just a thought but maybe a water softener would solve your problem. If you
have that many minerals in your water it may be worth the cost.......Ross

Water softeners don't remove minerals. They replace calcium and magnesium
salts with sodium salts which do not "harden" water. With softened water,
the atomizing humidifier would create salty dust instead of chalky
st. --- SJF