Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers - Adding Humidifer to Horizonal Furnace
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ncdale
08-24-07, 08:32 AM
Hello Everyone. This is Dale from NC. Thanks in advance for your input. I have been reading posts here regarding humidifiers, and based on some research, I think I am ready to install an Aprilaire model 600. I plan to do this myself, so I am seeking some advice. I have some pictures of my setup (that I thought that I could attach after reading the FAQ, but it appears that I do not have permission to do this, can someone advise how to get pictures linked?).
I have a Trane heat pump with backup LP; the blower/furnace unit is horizontal. The gas furnace runs most of the winter. I have room on both the return and the supply, but do I have enough room on the return to get both the humidifer and the humidistat (both supply plenum and return plenum are about 35 x 15). I have read most posts, and it seems that the consensus is to add humidifier to the return and bypass over to the supply (the Aprilaire shows a diagram in the instructions of horizontal units with the humidifier located on the supply) … If I understand the bypass correctly (and correct me if I am wrong), it doesn’t really make sense to me to take humidified air from the supply and feed it back into the return where it would be heated again to go into the supply?? My main concern is do I have enough room on the return to mount both the humidifier and the humidistat?
My water is pretty hard and my second question is in regard to water supply. Do I use softened water or unsoftened (and hot or cold). I have a tall crawlspace so either is pretty accessible.
My third question is regard to type of ductwork for the bypass. My plenums are metal but everything else is the insulated flexible tubing. Do I use just standard metal ductwork for bypass? I would assume so because the insulated flex could get moist.
Thanks again for the input.
Oh yeah … just to check my house was built in 2004 and is approx. 2700 sq. ft, two story with about 1800 sq. ft. on the first floor. I have a heat pump only on the second level to which I am not adding a humidifier. Is the model 600 the right call?
I have a Trane heat pump with backup LP; the blower/furnace unit is horizontal. The gas furnace runs most of the winter. I have room on both the return and the supply, but do I have enough room on the return to get both the humidifer and the humidistat (both supply plenum and return plenum are about 35 x 15). I have read most posts, and it seems that the consensus is to add humidifier to the return and bypass over to the supply (the Aprilaire shows a diagram in the instructions of horizontal units with the humidifier located on the supply) … If I understand the bypass correctly (and correct me if I am wrong), it doesn’t really make sense to me to take humidified air from the supply and feed it back into the return where it would be heated again to go into the supply?? My main concern is do I have enough room on the return to mount both the humidifier and the humidistat?
My water is pretty hard and my second question is in regard to water supply. Do I use softened water or unsoftened (and hot or cold). I have a tall crawlspace so either is pretty accessible.
My third question is regard to type of ductwork for the bypass. My plenums are metal but everything else is the insulated flexible tubing. Do I use just standard metal ductwork for bypass? I would assume so because the insulated flex could get moist.
Thanks again for the input.
Oh yeah … just to check my house was built in 2004 and is approx. 2700 sq. ft, two story with about 1800 sq. ft. on the first floor. I have a heat pump only on the second level to which I am not adding a humidifier. Is the model 600 the right call?
ncdale
08-24-07, 09:19 AM
I have attached the links below with pictures. I don't know if this will work or not, but I think you can open them by copying and pasting into a separate browser (you probably need to remove quotes).
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03526_1.jpg"
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03524_1.jpg"
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03523_1.jpg"
Thanks again ...
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03526_1.jpg"
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03524_1.jpg"
"http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff229/hokiedale/Dsc03523_1.jpg"
Thanks again ...