Clean Your Humidifier

A malfunctioning or leaking humidifier can destroy your furnace and your health. Humidifier leaks are a common but avoidable problem with humidifiers. specially if their units haven’t had proper preventive maintenance. There are many sources of leaks inside these units, such as parts that are overdue for cleaning or replacement.

Flow Through Style Furnace Humidifier

Drum style humidifiers are notorious for leaking on the heat exchanger, the most critical component of your furnace. This leaking causes rusting and, eventually, a hole in the heat exchanger. This can allow the furnace exhaust gases, including carbon monoxide, into your home’s air supply -- not a good thing.

Common causes of whole house humidifier leaks (for drum style):

Here’s a handy list of the main culprits that cause humidifier leaks and their solutions. This information doesn't apply to humidifiers with pumps or water reservoir systems or flow through.

1. High water pressure – Pressure should remain below 125 psi to avoid leaks. Check the pressure and install a pressure reducer if needed.

2. Drain line backup – If the drain line doesn't run on a slope to the drain, it can become air locked, causing a water backup in the drain line. Any dips or hills in the drain line’s path must be eliminated to prevent the problem. Clear out drain line backups by flushing with water. The water pressure should clear the blockage from the line. To prevent this issue entirely, consider having the drain line replaced annually.

3. Evaporator panel or scale control insert – Water panel evaporators can become clogged with scale and debris over time. This may in turn block the scale control insert and drain opening, causing a leak. The scale control insert should be cleaned and the water panel may need to be replaced.

4. Solenoid valve – Check that water flowing through the valve is in the proper direction, following with the directional arrow printed on the valve. Debris may become stuck between the valve’s plunger and its seat on the solenoid. This can keep it propped partially open, causing a valve leak. If you’re planning to investigate the problem on your own, first shut off the water supply at the saddle valve and turn off electric power. Next, run water, using light pressure, through the solenoid and/or blow air through it to clear it out. If the valve seat has been damaged, a new one may need to be installed.

None of these problems have to happen. With regularly scheduled preventive maintenance provided by your local HVAC technician, leaks like these can be prevented. During your annual tune-up visits, your contractor will clean the humidifier to maintain its performance and note any impending problems.

You can also do some preventative maintenance yourself by cleaning your humidifier.  This can be done at the end or beginning and midpoint of the heating season.  This is a flow through filter that needs to be cleaned;

                        

                       
Also, stagnant water in an older style  humidifier is a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause illnesses such as Legionnaires’ disease.

Humidifiers are prone to leakage because they can foul with mineral deposits. This can cause the supply valve to stick open or clog up the drum, pads, or mesh. The drain line (if there is one) can also become plugged.

Follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. The goal is to dissolve the mineral deposits or replace parts that are beyond cleaning. Replacement parts are easy to find.   Next, you want to ensure that the humidifier responds to the humidistat (the dial where you set the humidity level). When there is a call for humidity, the drum should start to rotate or the valve should open.

Humidistat

TIPS   
1. Most humidifiers have a bypass duct damper. Be sure that the damper is open during the heating season and closed during the cooling season.

Winter / Summer damper control

2. Follow the water supply line from the humidifier back to the point where it connects to the plumbing. The connection is often made using a low-quality saddle valve, which is prone to leakage. This is the valve you turn on at the beginning of the heating season and shut off at the end of the heating season. Make sure it's in good operating condition and doesn't leak.

Or on newer plastic plumbing, the shutoff may look like this:

If you are getting condensation on your windows, your humidifier controls are set too high. You can’t see it, but you’re creating the same condensation inside your exterior walls. That’s not good!

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