If you’ve noticed your home’s air quality has changed lately, it may be due to an issue with your whole house humidifier. We’ll walk you through what it does, where to find it, and ways to handle easy, regular concerns.

Pro Tip: Read your manual before getting started, and keep it close by to answer any questions you may have.

A quick backstory on the whole house humidifier

Your whole house humidifier is a vital part of your home’s HVAC system. They can typically be found mounted to your furnace and attached to the ductwork, often in the basement. The job of a whole house humidifier is to keep the air flowing through your ducts breathable, germ free, and humid enough to be comfortable.

Let’s review a couple ways your whole house humidifier may act up, and a couple ways to solve it.

 

A woman with curly hair wearing a light blue sweater holds her nose with a disgusted expression, likely reacting to an unpleasant smell. She sits at a table in a brightly lit room with a window and greenery in the background.

 

Humidifier Concern 1: Hot and stinky

If you’ve noticed the air in your home feel too hot and it smells like something stinks, the problem may be that your whole house humidifier is overheating. 

Disconnect your whole house humidifier from power and water, locate your saddle valve, and check for any blockages, which could be a reason your humidifier isn’t getting enough water. Use a pipe cleaner or any manual-recommended item to clear any lodged mineral deposits or debris.

Check any other valves and repeat the same process to make sure all is clear, reconnect and power and water sources, and test it out! Give it 30-120 minutes for air quality to return to normal.

 

 

Humidifier Concern 2: Air circulating slowly

If you feel like the air in your home is just sitting, your whole house humidifier motor may need some help running at full speed. 

There may be a buildup of dust (partially from the minerals in the water used to humidify your home). After disconnecting all water and power sources and safely accessing the fan, gently wiping the dust off with a microfiber cloth (as well as any other items covered in dust) should take care of things. Once all dust has been cleared, reset the humidifier, and you should be good to go!

If a reset doesn’t result in the “click” that lets you know the fan is working, there may be an issue with the control board, which would make it a good time to call in the professionals. 

Now, you’ve got the go-tos you need to keep your household breathing easy! If you have any seasonal air quality tips for us, share them with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram!