Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers - What brand/model would some of you experts put in your home?

It has become apperant that our new home needs a humidifier, as our hardwood floors are developing gaps between the planks, my hands are cracking do to dryness and my wife and I wake up every morning feeling like our mouths have been filled with cotton balls.
We have a Rheem Classic 90 upflow furnace. Our home currently has 1936 finished square feet, but I plan on finishing the basement in the spring which will add about another 900-950 square feet. The home is new construction, however we purchased the model and it has been completed for over a year.
My question is what brand/model of humidifier would some of the experts on this forum choose to install in your home; with about a 2900 sq ft home. I have priced out the Honeywell models at Home Depot, my HVAC guy sells the Aprilaire 600 and I can't recall which brand Loew's sells.
It seems that Aprilaire gets mentioned the most on this forum.
Also perhaps someone can confirm whether this is true or not- our hardwood floors are developing gaps and some boards are bowing slightly. The guy who installed the floor said that this was do to the fact that our home was too dry and that after we added humidity the boards would flatten back out; additionally he almost fell over when I told him we were running our air exchanger (in the winter), which he said was sucking any remaining moisture out of our home and replacing it with very dry winter air (I live in Minnesota). Nobody told us not to run the air exchanger in the winter.
Thank you in advance for your feedback

What modle air exchanger do you have? If you have a control on the wall in the living area, I would set this at around 40%. So that means the air exchange will run when humidty in the house goes over 40%. See if it's set up to cycle on and off from time to time.

Lowes in Minnesota? THere isn't one... Yet... We have the Honeywell brand at Home Depot. They are the same set up as the April air. I've would suggest the one we got at HD. I don't recall the model # off hand. but look at the box for sq footage it would work for. Apirl air 600 is what I would suggest, and keep the humid stat at round 35%. It will help with your hardwood floor.. I got it as well in my home.

For a good humidifier check this one out. its about the only one we sell and install, very easy DIY to put in easy to clean. Do keep your filter clean.

http://www.waltonlabs.com/WF-225.html

Stop and think about it. The out side air say is at 65% hum. Sounds good so you bring it into your home to kick up the humidity let say its 20o out. When this cold air comes into your home it warms up and expands . So you paid to heat this cold air and when it expanded now it only has about 20% humidity in it. So what did you gain



ED ;) :eek:

You know, the HVAC industry put HRV's and ERV's out there, and has caused much confusion to homeowners and (I suspect) HVAC contractors themselves. People then go online trying to figure them out and are further confused because they read info from the internet, but that info might be advise for an ERV vs. an HRV and the climate might not be like yours????

That's why I found joehandi's post very interesting. His HVAC guy told him not to run it in the winter? I think I live in a similar climate to joe's (eastern Canada, cold dry winters, humid summers). Our HVAC guy told us not to run it in the SUMMER! He said you bring warm humid air into your home and that's exactly what you are trying to avoid. My unit (an AVS Solo from Venmar) runs all the time on low speed. We don't have humidistats, we have push-button timers that kick the unit into high speed for 20 minutes (such as after a shower) and then return it to low speed. Maybe this is incorrect, too? I find my house dry in the winter. Gaps in crown molding in the corners and between slats of hardwood floor.

I, too, will likely get a humidifer.

HRV should run in the winter when the humdity is high in the home. The humidastat in the living area. It will turn the system on when the humidty is high (I suggest setting it to about 40 to 45%) I then suggest to have the system cycle on and off every now and then to provide fresh air into the home, and a timer switch in the bathroom.

And on a humidifier stat, set that around 30 to 35%.. that way the two system isn't fighting with each other.

I think if you check most books call for a humidity in the winter of 40% to 65%. You will sure save fuel. To take any air from the out side in the summer is wrong. It takes 5 to 6 days just to start to get a whole house dryed out and start to get the humidity down in it. So you can feel cool

ED

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Jay11J- A Loew's just opened in Coon Rapids; they had their grand opening January 5th. I was there today and the brand I could not remember was- Desert Spring.

Lows in Coon Rapid is news to me.. Humm.. learn something new. They were saying they were going to put a Lowes here first in Rochester, but I guess they were afraid of us here since we got Home Depot, 2- Menards, and Fleet Farm. Rochester is only about 90,000 people.

Anyway, I've heard alot of mixed stories on the dessert spring model from other people.. I've never seem them around here.

Yeah I don't know if they have plans to put a Lowe's in Rochester or not; their website does not say anything about it.

http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=frameSet&url=stores.lowes.com/lowes

LOWE'S OF COON RAPIDS, MN #1833
2700 MAIN STREET
COON RAPIDS, MN 55448
(763) 367-1340
Commercial Fax: (763) 367-1343
M-SA 6-10, SU 8-8
(I know you are with Home Depot, so you probably do not care one way or the other; I pasted the link to the store locations and pasted the information on the Coon Rapids store in case you were interested in the competative info)- the parking lot is always packed, but I am sure a lot of that has to do with Lowe's being new. I like their selection and the way they are organized, but would not necessarily say Lowe's is better. Home Depot is definitely better than Menards (in my opinion), but between Lowe's and Home Depot- I would say they both have a great selection and very knowledgable employees (which is where Menards greatly lacks)

Sorry to get off subject
Thanks again for your help

Yeah, Lowes will be packed for a little while since it's "New" to us here in Minnesota.

I know our store, the parking lot was packed when it first open up 4 years ago.

I agree with Mendards, Lot of my friends or family member says they don't know much.. I had customer come in our store fustrated cuz the were at Mendards, and was not able to get the answer or help the want.

Example, my aunt was at Mendards to get some stuff for the new house, she asked one of the guy to help her gather things that would be needed, he said "there's the computer, it'll help" my aunt said, no I don't like computer, I need YOU to help me, and he walked away.. So she drove up here and got stuff she needed, and more help than she ever imagined!

>>>additionally he almost fell over when I told him we were running our air exchanger (in the winter), which he said was sucking any remaining moisture out of our home and replacing it with very dry winter air<<<

Air exchanger is created to get fresh air into your airtight house with minimal loss of heat in the winter and cool in the summer. PERIOD. There is nothing to do with humidity.
I live in New York – too humid in the summer and too dry in the winter. I have expensive custom-made hardwood floors and it is a pain to keep humidity level in the range of 35-50% but I have to.
I do not have air exchanger (definitely planning to install one soon) but once temperature outside fall below 35F (and there is no rain) house becomes dry the same day. To bring humidity level to 40-45% I use whole house humidifier and one portable Kenmore humudifier in the basement.
In the summer time the humidity in the house is the same as outside. Then I use central AC AND DEHUMIDIFIERS to bring humidity level down to 45-50% level. Central AC cannot do it by itself (it gets too cold of you try to bring humidity to 50% without dehumidifiers).

If you use Air exchanger you will probably spend more money on humidifying and dehumidifying of your house but this is the fresh air you paying for.

As for good humidifier, I think there is no perfect solution. I have a Desert Spring and not completely satisfied with it and planning to install second one. Aprilaire is a famous brand but I see a lot of problems with Aprilaire humidifiers (base on this forum’s posts)

http://www.waltonlabs.com/WF-225.html .
For good humidity in the home we use this kind it works the best. Easy to keep clean. Easy to put in. High out put.


ED :thumbup: