Your Complete Humidifier Maintenance Guide

Humidifiers are essential to keeping the air quality in your home at a comfortable level. Loveland experiences relatively dry air in the winter and summer, making humidifiers vital for year-round comfort. But like any appliance, humidifiers need regular maintenance to work correctly. Properly maintaining your humidifier is perhaps especially important, though, because it’s the only way to avoid fostering mold and bacteria, which you certainly don’t want to be dispersed into the air in your home.

How Often Should I Clean My Humidifier?

Generally, humidifiers should be cleaned at least once a week, but you should always check the specific manufacturer’s guidelines to determine what’s best for the model you own. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests cleaning your humidifier every three days.

Different jobs should be performed at different frequencies.

Daily:

Empty any standing water and dry the base of the tank.

Every 3 Days, or at Least Weekly:

Remove mineral buildup with a vinegar-based or manufacturer-recommended cleaning solution.
Disinfect the humidifier with a 10% bleach solution, following the guidelines for your specific model.
Rinse thoroughly with warm water until you can no longer smell the bleach (about ten rinses).

Monthly:

Check any filters or cartridges about every 30 days or mark your calendar with the manufacturer's suggested changing time.

Whole-house Humidifier Maintenance

Whole-house humidifiers can be an excellent investment when you live in an area like Loveland that’s dry in the summer and winter.

The best way to clean a humidifier depends on the type. Here’s how to clean various furnace-mounted humidifiers or standalone units.

Cleaning a Reservoir-style Whole-house Humidifier

Reservoir or drum-style humidifiers use a water reservoir monitored with a float-controlled pan to saturate a rotating foam-covered evaporator drum pad and distribute humidity into the air. This humidifier type is prone to stagnant water, which can increase the likelihood of mold and mildew.

Once a month during usage season, follow these steps:

Unplug or turn off the power to the device at your electric panel to avoid electric shock.
Remove the cover and set it aside. Depending on the design of your model, you may need a screwdriver to remove the cover.
Remove the drum. If the drum is stuck in the unit by hardened mineral deposits, try rubbing it down with a vinegar or a commercial solution designed to target calcium.
Clean the evaporator pad housed inside the drum. Remove the pad by loosening the clips or other fastening mechanisms and pulling the two halves of the drum apart.

To clean the pad, use a 1:3 solution of water and vinegar. Soak the foam pad until all the buildup is dissolved (the water will appear cloudy). Rinse the pad off with clean water and repeat as needed. If your pad is damaged or won’t come clean, it’s time to replace it. You should replace the evaporator pad annually.

Reassemble and reinsert the pad and drum. If there’s no marking indicating where the drum should be positioned, check your manual. Turn on the water and let the reservoir fill up until the automatic shut-off is enabled.
Double-check the water level. The drum should dip into the water enough that the pad becomes soaked through but isn’t completely submerged. You can usually raise/lower the water level by adjusting the float arm with the adjusting screw. If you move the float arm up, the water level will rise, and if you lower it, the water will decrease.
Turn the humidifier on. Turn the power back on to the furnace/plug the unit back in and set the humidifier to run like normal. After about an hour, recheck the water level and adjust as required.

Cleaning Flow-through/Drip-style Whole-house Humidifiers

Flow-through humidifiers work by dripping water onto a coated metal or plastic evaporator pad to add humidity to the air. This kind of unit tends to stay cleaner than drum-style humidifiers and isn’t prone to mold.

Once a month during usage season, turn off your humidifier and follow these steps:

Remove the manifold from the top of the humidifier. You’ll see a water inlet tube separate from the manifold, which is a pipe or series of lines that distribute water through the system. Once the manifold is removed, separate it from the evaporative screen or pad and the manifold housing.
Clean the manifold. Depending on your model, this part may be plastic or metal. Remove mineral deposits with a flathead screwdriver if it's metal, or soak in a 1:3 solution of water and vinegar.
Clean the evaporator pad using water and vinegar. Let the pad soak in the 1:3 solution until the mineral scale is dissolved. Rinse the pad with fresh water and repeat the steps as necessary. If the pad hasn’t received monthly maintenance, it’s best to replace it.
Test the humidistat. Much like a thermostat reads and sets the temperature, a humidistat reads and sets the air’s humidity level. It may be located on your return air duct above or near your humidifier or built into your thermostat. Make sure it’s working by turning on the power to the furnace. Once power’s restored, the valve should open, and water should flow from the inlet to the humidifier drain.

If no water is flowing, check your humidistat with a multimeter (if it’s not part of your thermostat) and make sure it’s registering at 24 volts across all the valves, terminals, and wires. If there’s no voltage, the humidistat is bad.

If it’s working correctly and the water still isn’t flowing, then the valve needs to be replaced by an HVAC technician.

Reassemble the humidifier with all its freshly cleaned parts. Remember to turn your humidifier back on and check that it’s set to the correct humidity level.

Cleaning Steam-Style Whole-house Humidifiers

A steam-style humidifier works by boiling water to create steam. This steam is released into the HVAC system and distributed throughout the house. This kind of humidifier doesn’t require a furnace to run, which makes it an excellent fit for homes with heat pumps. But it does need a dedicated electrical circuit to boil water.

At least once annually, just before heating season, follow these cleaning steps:

Turn off the humidifier. Turn your humidistat down—so the system doesn’t enter a heat cycle while you’re cleaning—and drain the water according to your owner’s manual. This may require you to disconnect and reconnect the power while the humidistat is on a low setting.
Remove the overflow pan. After the unit has cooled off to the touch, remove the lid and the overflow pan. This may require loosening a mounting screw.
Examine the drain tube for kinks or clogs. Clear clogs by removing the drain hose and blowing compressed air through it.
Clean the pan and tube. Clean any lime deposits or mineral scale from the metal water discharge and water supply tubes with a 1:3 solution of water and vinegar.
Reassemble the humidifier. Make sure your O-rings are installed correctly. Check the service manual to see if it’s time to replace the water filter. Once assembled, restore power and reset the humidistat to the desired level.

Humidifier Care Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use distilled water in my humidifier?
A: Yes, distilled is the best water to use in a portable humidifier. It prevents mineral buildup, which can cause bacteria growth and clogging issues over time. If distilled water is not available, you can use filtered or boiled tap water as well, but these options may require more frequent cleaning maintenance. Whole-home humidifiers use water piped directly from your water main.

Q: Can I put peroxide in my humidifier?
A: You may be able to use hydrogen peroxide to clean your portable humidifier, but it’s always best to follow your manufacturer’s cleaning solution recommendations.

Q: Can I clean my humidifier with vinegar?
A: Yes! A 1:3 vinegar and water solution is a great way to clean any kind of humidifier. It helps remove limescale and mineral buildup. Use it while scrubbing away deposits, but don’t fill your humidifier with a vinegar solution.

Looking For a Whole-home Humidity Solution?

Don’t let humidifier maintenance deter you from purchasing a humidifier. If you’re ready to ditch the dry air in your home, a humidifier can help. The One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning Loveland team can help you pick the proper humidifier for your home and professionally install any whole-home solution you decide on. Contact us today at (970) 822-0413 or book an appointment online.