Get Out The Humidifier

[MrSeedy]

As much as I hate the idea of mold problems in my house, come winter time when those temperatures take a nose dive, I'm happy to turn on my humidifier and my tropicals thank me by staying greener and not shedding so many leaves nor getting so many brown leaf tips and edges. Now the only problme IS , finding the right "pad?" or pads . I don't know what they call the darn things , but for three different humidifiers I require three different types and shapes of pads, and I have a suspicion , were I to go to the stores I'd have problems finding the right ones since it seems they sell all those different types of humidifiers one year, but don't even offer the new replacement pads the next year?? And by the way, the pads for one type are about $15 apiece, though the whole humidifier probably cost less than $25 originally, so it's almost just as cheap to buy a completely new humidifier each year, which is why I now have three different ones, but only require one to be on at any time ! Anyone else found that to be true, and as frustrating to find the replacement pads or mats?? I must say also, that it's not only for my plants, but with the static becomming so bad when the indoor humidity is so low (sometimes under 10% in some cases I've heard) , the extra humidity also keeps my scalp from shedding all winter, and my skin from cracking, and I can pet Dotti without setting off little sparks of static , when I touch her. She sure hates those "sparks" of electricity and hates for me to even pet her when that's happening!! I hate it as well!!

[MaryG]

Are the "pads" called filters? Can you wash the old ones and re-use them? We can wash the filter in our furnace each year so maybe you can do the same.

[MrSeedy]

In a sense the "pads" do work a bit like filters , since air can pass through them, but the real aim , since they hold lots of moisture is for the air passing through to evaporate the water so that it goes into the air where it's needed during times of low humidity, and the filtering effect is secondary, and not the main aim. I guess technically they might be called "evaporative pads" since that's what they're for, and there are so many shapes, materials , and various designs for various brands of humidifiers. that it's difficult to find more than a few brands that even use the identical pads. I do think however , most people may refer to them as "filters" though, that's not their main function or aim. In general, part of the pad which is saturated sits within a water containing resevoir and by capillary action lifts the water into the upper part of the pad that's not in the water , where the air can blow through it to evaporate the water. And all of course of that type contain a small fan that draws drier air from outside the humidifier , and blows it trough the pad where it's expelled back into the outside air. Some seem to be alternate layers of an absorbant paper like material alternated with a type of re-enforcing mesh, while older types use sort of a foam type mesh, but all share the same property of accumulating all the salts in the water, as it evaporates and depositting those on the pads where they sooner or later clog the pad and make them ineffective, and though some washing can remove some of the salts and dirt , the pads tend to quickly disintegrate , so they can' be cleaned more than a few times, and have to be replaced completely fairly frequently with lots of use.

[nonacook]

My humidifier feeds from 2 containers, one on each side, so I don't have to fill it as often, but the pads disintergrate quickly, and I have to buy them at least 2 times sometimes 3 and they are more than $15. Mine cannot be cleaned. I can get extra use by turning them upside down, but not much. The last time I used it, one side didn't seem to want to feed. I just got aggrevated and didn't use it any more last year.
I haven't started it this year yet, altho I really need to since the heat is on.
I get shocked all the time when I don't!

[donybee]

Dr. told me the other day half my breathing problems could be eased by using a humidifier. I guessthats what my next purchase will be. Haven't smoked for forty years but the emphysema is still knocking me down all the time. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[gardenlady]

mr seedy, what if you used a small bit of lysol on the pads that hold the water....that kills mold and you would still get the benefit of the humidity in the air. :unsure:

[MrSeedy]

I finally looked around yesterday at WalMart , but since neither of my humidifiers was carried by them , it seemed none of their replacement filters were the right size. I guess I need to know the original stores where they were purchased to find the right pads. Meanwhile I'm still using last year's pads despite the fact they're so crusted with minerals from the hard water, though the one in use seems to still be putting out a bit of moisture. It's possible the ones I need aren't available anywhere in town and I'm not about to run to every store in town to check! The pads for the other one not in use right now were $14 apiece and usually need replacement at least once through the winter. Oh well!!! Even the small amount of moisture added by running the somewhat deffective one has boosted the humidity to abuot as high as it will go anyway for this time of year. Besides the possible extra "mold" problems which are possible with high humidity, you'll find the higher the relative humidity is in those rooms , the less evaporation will be for the humidifiers, since it's the relatively drier air going through the filters , which makes them evaporate extra moisture into the air. Beyond those limits you'd need a humidifier with a heater for any extra evaporation. Right now my relative humidity is near 60 % indoors and anything much higher than that could mean some serious mold problems!!

[knobbyknuckles]

Bought a 3 gal. humidifier on sale at 3 yrs. ago. Worked great for awhile. Found out the filter needs to be rotated every filling to keep it moist and working properly. Problem is... a filter only lasts 3-4 weeks and with wood heat that's not good! :( We ended up going to a hardware store to find replacement filters that would fit our size/style of humidifier;as you stated... replacements aren't offered where the contraption was bought. For a pkg. of 3, we paid 'bout $18.00 and that will last us the season, usually. It's a wonder folks didn't just dry up and blow away 'fore humidifiers came about. I know a pan on the stove helped some but not so much to the other end of the house!?

[MrSeedy]

Seems to me in years past, and I mean many years past, we'd also have a pot of water on the stove all winter, but of course with an open flame in the case of a gas range that was a bit risky, and sometimes one could sit a pan of water in the stove as well if there was room. I sometimes wonder how in years past folks with central heating could stand such dry air all winter, and there certainly was lots of static all winter long, and lots of very dry skin, and irritated nasal and sinus membranes from all the dry air. I think in general with a humidifier my overall health is somewhat better , since it seems to me with dry membranes we're more prone to viruses and colds , but that's perhaps just a guess on my part.