All, I have a humidifier on our furnace. My builder told me to replace it every three months or so. But it appears to be a heavy duty metal “filter”, and I’m wondering if it really needs to be replaced.
I cleaned it with vinegar and hot water and then put it back in the humdifier. See pics attached.
What do you guys think about this? Is it ok to clean such a filter, or should I be buying new ones?
Thanks, Rob
Edited 2/20/2006 11:06 pm ET by strokeoluck
Replies
Here are the pics...
I used to work at a HVAC supply house. I think they said replace either every year or every other year. Hope that helps.
BTW their pretty cheap, I wouldnt waste too much time cleaning them.
Is it a flow through system. Where they trickle water across the top and what is not evaporated goes out a drain.
They can go several years without replacing.
Those "filters" as you call them (actually evaporator media) are pretty cheap and considered disposable, but if you don't mind the time and effort, cleaning them in vinegar is fine.
DG/Builder
As the others said if you wish to clean do so. You might also like to try CLR, I wipe down the inside of the unit with that to remove the deposits, wear gloves, you can buy it at most any hardware or some grocery stores.
Every 3 months seems a little heavy unless you have water with lots of deposits in it. You can be the judge. Here in southern Michigan I figure changing the filter with every heating season. I do it in the spring so that it is ready in the fall.
Of course the humidifier runs in the winter. In the summer it is turned off and the vent is shut off. I can't tell you how many homes I have seen with a humidifier running in the summer fighting with the AC.
Thanks guys.
- Rob
It's not a filter, it's a "medium". It should be replaced about once per heating season. Don't wash it unless it's really cruddy -- washing disturbs the coating on it that helps it work.
happy?
Also, don't wash the plastic distributor pan above the medium. The pan has a coating in the bottom that is needed to make it work right, and it washes off real easily.
happy?