Seasonal Maintenance Tips for Your Whole-House Humidifier

In Fort Collins, winters are fairly dry. Along the Front Range, the shoulder seasons also have variable weather. In order to keep your home healthy and comfortable for all of its occupants, you need to invest in a whole-house humidifier. Besides helping you breathe easier, a whole-home humidifier can also protect your home’s wood finishes.

For more about these HVAC devices and basic maintenance, read on.

Whole-House Humidifier Basics: What You Have & How It Works

There are a few popular types of home humidifiers. With proper central humidifier care, you can ensure your humidifier is fully functional throughout the year.

• Bypass Humidifiers: This kind of home humidifier system passively uses air from your furnace. The air flows over an evaporator panel to increase its humidity level.
• Fan-Powered Humidifiers: With this option, the humidifier performs the same basic action, but it uses its own fan to push air over the panel.
• Steam Systems: Meanwhile, a steam system involves boiling water with the help of electrodes or resistive heating in order to create steam vapor.

All of these systems are triggered to turn on when your humidity level drops below a setpoint.

Seasonal Checklist at a Glance: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter 

To keep your whole-house humidifier functioning at its best, you have to use whole-house humidifier maintenance consistently. The following HVAC humidifier maintenance should be performed in each season. In every season, you should double-check the water quality. Additionally, make sure to always change the filter or evaporator pad.

Spring: Clean, Inspect, and Power Down

In spring, turn off the water supply. Turn your humidistat off or to your lowest setting. Then, perform the following whole-home humidifier maintenance steps.

• Replace or clean your media pad in the water panel.
• Flush the drain line. 
• Use scale removal to clean the distribution tray.

Hard water is common along the Front Range. Because of this, you should check for mineral buildup as a part of your central humidifier care. You may also want to consider getting an inline filter or a water softener.

Summer: Standby Mode & Mold Prevention

As a part of your furnace humidifier upkeep in the summer, make sure that the unit’s power is off when the air conditioner is running. If you have a bypass unit, it should be set to SUMMER/CLOSED. Then, perform the following maintenance steps for your home humidifier system.

• Make sure the drain is clear.
• Keep the cabinet dry. 
• Check each month to make sure there is no standing water.

Fall: Reactivation & Calibration 

Before fall arrives, there are a few HVAC humidifier maintenance steps you need to take care of. 

• As a part of your whole-house humidifier maintenance, reopen the water supply.
• If the media pad wasn’t replaced during your springtime maintenance, it’s time to get a new one.
• Ensure the valve and solenoid work.
• Inspect your wiring, fan, and float/safety controls to make sure they’re in working order.
• Set your relative humidity (RH) to 35% to 40%. Adjust as needed so that your windows don’t develop condensation.
• Run a test cycle with your furnace. Make sure that water is evenly distributed on your steam canister or pad.

Winter: In-Season Care & Dialing RH 

During the winter, your whole-home humidifier will be used all of the time. For the best results, remember to tweak your RH when the outdoor temperature swings. It should be lower during the coldest days so that you don’t develop ice and condensation on your windows. 

As a part of your furnace humidifier upkeep, remember to perform the following whole-home humidifier maintenance.

• Inspect the pad each month. Change it as needed.
• Descale your tray and distributor.
• Ensure the drain remains clear.

Sometimes, humidifiers can malfunction. If you notice signs of a leak, gurgling noises, or frequent canister faults (steam), you should call Balance Point right away to schedule a professional inspection and repairs. You may also need repairs if your home’s humidity level is rising at a slower rate than normal

Water Quality & Mineral Management

Most homes in this part of Colorado have hard water. Unfortunately, hard water can lead to faster scale buildup. Over time, this can shorten the lifespan of the pad or canister. 

To remedy this problem, it’s a good idea to perform seasonal descaling. Upgraded media, inline filters, and water softeners can all help you avoid scale damage. If you notice crumbly media or any white dust near your vents, reach out to our team right away to learn about all of the water softener and other tools that can prevent additional damage.

Smart Controls, Sensors & Energy Tips

If you want to keep your home comfortable throughout the year, adopt the following essential tips. 

• Outdoor temperature sensors can help your RH automatically adjust to changes in temperature so that you can avoid condensation on your windows. 
• Smart thermostats and automated controls can learn your comfort preferences, optimize your energy usage, and ensure a more comfortable indoor environment. Plus, smart thermostats allow you to set it and forget it.
• Fix air leaks so that your furnace and humidifier don’t have to work as hard. 
• Change your furnace filter regularly to stabilize the humidity levels and achieve the best air quality possible.

Troubleshooting Quick Guide

If you experience problems with your humidifier, use the following troubleshooting tips to find a quick solution.

• No Humidity Change: Start by checking the water valve and solenoid. Make sure the pad orientation is correct and the damper is open. Additionally, verify that the thermostat is set correctly.
• Water on Floor: Inspect the drain hose for signs of a leak. You should also check the fittings and shut-off valve.
• Odd Odors: Try replacing the pad and sanitizing the cabinet. You may also need to look for airflow issues.

When to Call Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

If something is wrong with your whole-home humidifier and basic troubleshooting doesn’t work, give us a call. We can help to make sure your whole-house humidifier achieves the peak performance level possible, schedule an annual service maintenance for cleaning, calibration, and safety checks. During the appointment, we’ll inspect your system for potential problems and recommend the best repair options.

Call Balance Point Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today to schedule your next HVAC appointment in Fort Collins.