Whole-House Residential Humidifiers

 

Elite Steam Humidifers   GeneralAire® Whole House Elite Steam Series Humdifiers are the most commonly used type of humidification. Utilizing electrode steam technology, the Elite Steam Humidifier is 90% efficient utilizing water to humidify your home. Choose from eight different model selections. Accommodates homes from 3,000 to 10,000 Sq. Ft.

Legacy Series Humidifiers   GeneralAire® Whole House Legacy Humidifiers incoroporate fan-powered and flow through technologies to provide humidification to your home. Water-soaked vapor pads provide important moisture to your home. Four models.  All include our new MHX3 Manual Control Humidistat. Accomodates homes from 2,800 to 3,000 Sq. Ft.

Elite Series Humidifiers   GeneralAire® Whole House Elite Series Humidifiers incorporate bypass & fan-powered humidification through a water-soaked vapor pad. Six model selections available to accomodate your needs.  "M" models include the GFX3 Automatic Humidistat; "A" models include our new MHX3 Manual Control Humidistat. Accomodates homes from 2,000 to 3,000 Sq. Ft.

 

 

1. Why would I want to install a humidifier?
2. Will a humidifier harm my home?
3. Which humidifier best for me?
4. How does a humidifier work?
5. How often do I need to change the vapor pad?
6. Does my humidifier require other maintenance?

Why would I want to install a humidifier?

• Since the air in your home is always trying to reach its saturation point, it will absorb water wherever it can; from the bodies of you and your children, your pets, your furniture and even your house plants. As a result your skin, throat and nasal passages dry out, leaving you more susceptible to physical discomfort, colds, flu and even infection. That’s why many doctors recommend humidifiers for allergy and asthma sufferers.
• Research shows that 30% – 60% relative humidity is ideal. Outside this range, bacteria, fungi, viruses and mites thrive and multiply, along with your  risk of being adversely affected. 
• Dry air causes dry, itchy, cracked skin. 
• Dry air cracks expensive woodwork, floors, window trim and furnishings. 
• Static electricity (caused by dry air) can damage computers, VCR’s and other electronic equipment, requiring expensive repair.
• Dry air causes gaps in window & door frames, letting cold outdoor air in; causing you to turn up the heat and increasing your heating bills!  Controlled humiditiy from the GeneralAire® Elite Steam Humidifier allows you the luxury of dialing the thermostat back & reducing annual heating bills.  For example, 68° at 40% relative humidity feels just as warm as 74° at 20% humidity.  Setting your thermostat back by as little as three degrees can reduce annual heating bills by as much as 5%. 

Will a humidifier harm my home?

Which humidifier best for me?

 

Total Home Square Footage

X Average Ceiling Height

 

Total Cubic Feet X Desired Condition Factor (Table Below)

X 1.05 For Each Fireplace

 

Gallons Per Day = Load (lbs/hr) X 2.88

 

Once you have calculated your gallons per day you can then find models that are designed to process that amount of water / accommodate your size of home.

 

You might also install more than one humidifier if your home has more than one HVAC system.  Many people install a humidifier with each system to reduce the work load on each and more evenly distribute humidification throughout the home. If you do that, you'll want to divide the final GPD by the number of HVAC systems you have to determine the size of each model you want to install. Lastly, you may have a preference between steam or vapor.

 

The GeneralAire® Elite Steam Humidifier is an electrode humidifier.  It produces steam for humidification by passing electric current through the water between metal electrodes located inside the steam generator cylinder.

 

GeneralAire® Legacy Humidifiers:  A portion of the heated air from the furnace passes through a water-soaked VaporPad^® where it absorbs additional moisture and then returns for distribution throughout your home. Water is metered into a patented Kineticflo^® trough and dispersed uniformly across the VaporPad^®. Unevaporated water drains from the bottom of the unit to eliminate mineral build-up.

 

GeneralAire®  Elite Flow Through Humidifiers:  Fan Powered Humidifiers that mount on your furnace distribution system. The integral fan pulls heated air from your furnace and draws that air across a highly evaporative Vapor Pad^®.  Humidity is then absorbed into your air and distributed into the home for improved comfort during those winter months.

 

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We recommend replacing your vapor pad at least once per year.  Minerals build up on the vapor pad over time, affecting your pads wicking capabilities and your humidifier’s ability to produce the moisture your home needs.

 

If you have installed an Elite Steam Humidifier, you may occasionally need to replace the cylinder.  As water evaporates inside the cylinder, minerals are left behind.  Much of these minerals are removed through the cylinder drain, however some remain; building up on the cylinder walls and electrodes.  As lower portions of the electrodes accumulate a thick coating, the water level rises to expose clean electrode surface for maximum electric conductivity.  Eventually mineral buildup creates a thick coating along the entire length of the electrodes and little electrical current is able to pass between them; reducing steam output.  Your humidifier will display a "cylinder exhausted" code.  This is the time to replace your cylinder.