Where Is My HVAC Humidifier and How Do I Set It Up?

Your whole-home humidifier is your hero when indoor air becomes parched in the winter. 

It adds moisture to the air, creating the perfect humidity level in your Harrisburg, home, and making your living space more comfortable. 

Whether you just added a humidifier to your HVAC system or have had one for years, it’s time to get acquainted with it. You should know: 

• Where it is
• How to set the correct humidity level
• How to maintain it

At H.L. Bowman, we can set the correct humidity level and clean your humidifier during an annual fall heating system tune-up at your Pennsylvania home. As an informed homeowner, it is a good idea to learn a little about humidifier care. Start by understanding where and how it does its job. 

How Do I Find My HVAC Humidifier?

Your whole-home humidifier is integrated into your heating and cooling system, likely attached to your furnace or the main supply or return air ducts, often on the backside of the system. 

If you own a bypass humidifier, look for a compact, box-shaped unit on the supply or return ductwork. It also is connected to a bypass duct. 

Fan-powered humidifiers also appear boxy and are mounted on the ductwork. They have built-in fans to push humidified air through the ductwork. 

Steam humidifiers, which work by boiling water to create pure steam, can be mounted on the wall or near the furnace and feature a steam hose or pipe that connects to a dispersion tube in the ductwork. 

How Does My Humidifier Work?

Bypass and fan-powered models are the most common whole-home humidifiers. A line from your plumbing feeds water into a compartment that houses a pad. When the furnace blows warm air over the water-saturated pad, the air picks up moisture and carries it through your ductwork. A humidistat determines the amount of humidity the humidifier adds to the air. 

How Do I Set My Humidistat?

Your furnace humidifier works automatically, but the humidistat requires manual adjustment. You base the setting on the outdoor temperature. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the ideal indoor humidity level is 35 to 50 percent. But trying to maintain that level in cold weather can create problems for your home. 

When warm, moist indoor air comes into contact with a cold surface such as a window or exterior wall, the moisture condenses into water. If the indoor humidity is too high for the outdoor temperature, this condensation can form water droplets or frost on your windows.

It might even develop inside your walls where you can’t see it, leading to wood rot, paint damage, and mold growth in your Harrisburg, home.  

You can avoid a humidity disaster by lowering your indoor humidity setting as the outdoor temperature drops. 

Winter Humidistat Settings

Always turn the humidistat setting down if you see condensation forming on your windows. 

Generally, you can set your maximum indoor humidity to between 40 and 45 percent if the outdoor temperature is 40° Fahrenheit or above. If the outdoor temperature drops below that point, follow these recommended settings: 

• Outdoors is 20° to 40°: 35 to 40 percent humidity 
• Outdoors is 10° to 20°: 30 to 35 percent humidity 
• Outdoors is 0° to 10°:  25 to 30 percent humidity 
• Outdoors is 0° to -10°: 20 to 25 percent humidity 
• Outdoors is 10° and below: 15 to 20 percent humidity

Correct Humidity Levels Make You Feel Warm

Dry air can make you feel cold because it hastens the evaporation of moisture in and on your skin. Evaporation has a cooling effect on your body, making you feel chilly when the humidistat is set incorrectly in winter and the humidity level is off. You may end up increasing the thermostat needlessly. 

When you set the humidistat correctly and maintain the recommended humidity level in winter, evaporation slows, enabling you to retain heat more effectively. You can lower your thermostat setting a few degrees and still maintain comfort. 

The Dangers of Dry Indoor Air

Dry winter air can cause dry skin, chapped lips, itchy eyes, and make static electrical shocks more likely in your Harrisburg, home. It also dries out the mucous membranes in your nose and throat, making you more susceptible to colds, flu, and respiratory infections.

Dry air not only draws moisture from your skin, but it can also dry out wood throughout your home, causing warped flooring, cracked plaster or paint, and damaged wooden furniture.

Humidifier Maintenance Tips

A whole-home humidifier needs a little TLC to keep it clean and running efficiently.

Replace the Water Pad: This is an essential maintenance step. Minerals from your water supply build up on the pad, reducing its efficiency and potentially harboring mold and bacteria. Change the pad every heating season or twice if you have extremely hard water. 

Clean the Drain Line: Your humidifier has a small tube that drains away excess water and mineral residue. Over time, this condensate drain can get clogged with mineral deposits and algae. Check the line regularly and flush it with a solution of water and vinegar to keep it clear.

Check the Solenoid Valve: The valve that controls the water supply should open when the humidifier is in operation. Inspect the area around the valve assembly for leaks.

Clean the Housing: Turn off the power and wipe down the interior of the unit to remove dust and mineral deposits before and during the heating season.

Get a Humidifier Checkup

Maintaining your whole-home humidifier and correctly setting the humidistat are the keys to a healthier, more comfortable winter in Harrisburg. Let H.L. Bowman handle the maintenance for you. Consider scheduling a humidifier cleaning and inspection when you request a fall furnace tune-up. Our certified HVAC technicians are happy to explain the settings on your humidistat during a maintenance visit. Call us at 717-287-5495 or request service online.