whole house humidifier

[joe levy]

I am interested in installing a whole house humidifier, but I have 2 challenges.

1. The air handler in located in an unheated attic. I can install heat tape to keep the 1/4" water supply line from freezing, but I wonder how to keep any reservoir water from freezing.

2. I have no way of draining excess water.

Can anyone recommend a unit, or a solution?

[Michael Larson]

Buy a console humidifier.

[mnahrgang]

Best solution is to forget it.

Joe,

Unless recommended by a doctor, or unless you've got a house full of antiques that you are concerned about drying out, a humidifier is not a good idea.

Homes today are built tight. And a lot of effort is taken to improve indoor air quality. In my opinion, whole house humidifiers, are just big petri dishes that blow spoors throughout your house, and feed those with plenty of moisture.

Whenever I see one installed, I recommend the client turn the water off to it, dry it out, and not use it.

If you need one for a particular reason, then a smaller room sized unit like Mike recommended would be better. At least then it isn't running 24/7.

JMHO.

[David A. Andersen]

Homes today are built tight. And a lot of effort is taken to improve indoor air quality. In my opinion, whole house humidifiers, are just big petri dishes that blow spoors throughout your house, and feed those with plenty of moisture.

This would not happen if they were serviced like they should.

Joe, If you use an in-house unit and want the whole house treated, place it near the return register. The moisture will be distributed throughout the house.

[sparksnmore]

Originally Posted by joe levy

I am interested in installing a whole house humidifier, but I have 2 challenges.

1. The air handler in located in an unheated attic. I can install heat tape to keep the 1/4" water supply line from freezing, but I wonder how to keep any reservoir water from freezing.

2. I have no way of draining excess water.

Can anyone recommend a unit, or a solution?

Call a local HVAC contractor and get a bypass type humidifier such as Aprilaire or General.
They do not have a reservoir and are self cleaning by flushing a little extra water through during operation.

Any humidifier with standing water can become a little cesspool, not to mention having to carry 24 gallons a day to a portable unit to match the capacity of an Aprilaire or General.

A sharp contractor can usually figure out a way to get a drain down through from an attic.

[Wayne B. Wilson]

There is also steam units where you put the head in the duct work and main unit can hang from the wall