What Humidifier Do You Use - Recommendations

[KarenB]

I like warm mist humidifiers. I have the Honeywell HWM340. Does the trick for me.

[Quickstep192]

I have a steam generating whole house humidifier. It's basically a stainless steel box that hangs under the duct work and boils water when humidity is needed. It's some of the best money I've ever spent. No more static cling or static shocks, guitars stay in tune and it feels warmer because of the extra moisture in the air. It's also great to keep the humidity at 50% for woodworking.

[airborne1]

Originally Posted by themissal

I use the Vornado EVAP40. 4 Gallons. Tap water. I add a bacteriostatic product. Small half a capful per tank at each fill up.

Its cheap, and it does a great job keeping my room above 40%.

Endorse!

https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Evap4.../dp/B00O0WOO74

https://www.amazon.com/BestAir-Origi...dp/B079T4XXQY/

I use the exact same model with great success!

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by themissal

I use the Vornado EVAP40. 4 Gallons. Tap water. I add a bacteriostatic product. Small half a capful per tank at each fill up.

Its cheap, and it does a great job keeping my room above 40%.

Endorse!

https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Evap4.../dp/B00O0WOO74

https://www.amazon.com/BestAir-Origi...dp/B079T4XXQY/

Yep...+1 on the Vornado endorsement. Have been using one for the last few years and works great. Thanks to the humidifier, right now RH in my guitar room is 45% while the rest of the house is 24%.

[stormin1155]

My house is split-level, so there are four different levels. We have hot water heat, so I can't install a whole-house unit on the furnace (which is what I had at my last house, and it worked great). I tried the small, room humidifiers, mostly the ultra-sonic ones, but filling several of them twice a day and dealing with the white residue was a pain. This year I got a large AirCare model 82600 that I have on the top floor. Since damp air settles, it does a pretty good job of humidifying the whole house (about 1600 sq.ft.). About every day and a half I fill it with four gallons of water and replace the filter ($14) every month. It holds the house at 45-50%. Since it is an evaporative type there is no white residue to deal with.

[Stratcat77]

I posted this recently. Mine is working great at keeping it at 45-50%.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=535391

[dkstott]

Plus another 1 for the Vornado!!

it keeps the entire 1st floor of our house at 35-40% here in Connecticut. It's not humid enough to leave guitars out 24/7, but it's a lot better than some of the other heated mist models that I've tried over the years

My only complaint with it is that the wicks seem to only last me about 3 weeks before they turn to mush.

Originally Posted by airborne1

I use the exact same model with great success!

[HOF dad]

Originally Posted by KarenB

I like warm mist humidifiers. I have the Honeywell HWM340. Does the trick for me.

Not sure if we're talking the same thing here or not.
I have the whole house humidifier on my furnace and it will keep the place around 40% -45% without putting too much moisture on the windows. When not playing, they're in the case with humidipaks.
I do have a couple of periods during the day where I like to leave a guitar out to play off and on for a few hours and the room where we basically live gets a lot of sun. When it's cold, like now, the RH drops into the 30's.
I break out the old children's vaporizer (made for colds and congestion) with no medicine in there (of course) and it cranks the place up to mid 40's pretty quick.
works fast - like a charm!

[jschmitz54]

In Minnesota we also have very low humidity winters. As a newer acoustic player/owner I’m not sure I’m doing it correctly but here’s my two cents.
I have a Honeywell HMC 6009 humidifier, Humidipaks, an Oasis and a Sponge type humidifier that’s in a plastic case. This time of the year the Honeywell runs constantly, I use the Humidipaks, three packs in each guitar, two in the sound hole and one at the headstock. I use the Oasis along with the Humidipaks in one guitar and the sponge and other Humidipaks in the other. It’s -15 degrees F. today and I’m able to achieve about 43% in the cases. As the temp rises I’ll remove the Oasis and the sponge humidifier from the cases.

[jpricewood]

I use an Aircare 831000. It keeps my guitar room and entire house from dropping below 45% RH. But I live in north Texas, so it doesn’t have to work that hard.

[stevie ray]

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Frequently Asked HVAC Questions
Home » FAQs » What is the Recommended Humidity Level for my Home?

What Is The Recommended Humidity For My Home?
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to what indoor humidity level is most comfortable. In general, a relative humidity level between 35 to 50 percent is ideal for comfort and to prevent microorganism growth.

Ideal Indoor Relative Humidity Levels by Outdoor Temperature
The most comfortable indoor humidity level will vary from one household to the next, depending on personal preferences. In general, this temperature guide will show you where to keep your indoor relative humidity levels to ensure comfort.
Outdoor temperature over 50˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 50%
Outdoor temperature over 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 40%
Outdoor temperature between 10˚F and 20˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 35%
Outdoor temperature between 0˚F and 10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 30%
Outdoor temperature between -10˚F and 0˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 25%
Outdoor temperature between -20˚F and -10˚F, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 20%
Outdoor temperature at -20˚F or lower, indoor humidity levels shouldn’t exceed 15%

Maintaining Ideal Relative Humidity Levels in the Home
The best tools to keeping relative humidity at ideal levels in your home year-round are whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers. These systems automatically work with your home’s heating and cooling systems to add or remove moisture from the air. Utilize a humidifier in winter months when air is naturally drier, and a dehumidifier in the summer when air naturally carries more moisture.


Problems with High Humidity Indoors
When humidity levels are high in the home, there is too much moisture. This not only causes discomfort, but can be damaging to your home.
Excess moisture promotes the growth and spread of mold, mildew, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. These contaminants diminish indoor air quality, causing illness, and can also cause damage to your home.
When indoor humidity levels are too high, asthma and allergy sufferers may experience worse or more frequent symptoms.
High humidity indoors causes the home to feel muggy. You may notice visible condensation on windows and walls. Mugginess can leave you feeling hot and uncomfortable, turning up the air conditioning and expending more energy when just an adjustment in humidity levels are required. This causes more energy to be consumed unnecessarily, increasing your energy bills.

Problems Caused by Low Humidity Indoors
Low relative humidity levels indoors cause a host of issues for people and households.
When indoor air is too dry, asthma and allergy symptoms can worsen. Cold and flu viruses may spread more rapidly, and you may be more prone to sinus infections. You may suffer dry skin, chapped lips, and dry air passageways.
Dry air causes your body to feel colder, despite a warm indoor temperature. The dry air pulls moisture from your skin, leaving you colder and forcing you to turn up the temperature to stay comfortable. Therefore, more energy is expended to heat the home, when a boost in humidity could have kept you comfortable for less.
Dry air is damaging to homes. Wood and other building materials, as well as furniture, are robbed of moisture when air is dry. Cracks and damage can occur to flooring, trim, and even framing around windows and doors.

[prayash]

I highly recommend the Oasis Plus+ humidifier for acoustics!

Comes with a syringe tool to put distilled water in it and humidifies your guitar very nicely without overdoing it.

Oasis Plus+ Guitar Humidifier
by Liquid Audio Inc
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018A5R5O..._WipuCbPZQ7S9G

[KarenB]

Originally Posted by HOF dad

Not sure if we're talking the same thing here or not.
I have the whole house humidifier on my furnace and it will keep the place around 40% -45% without putting too much moisture on the windows. When not playing, they're in the case with humidipaks.
I do have a couple of periods during the day where I like to leave a guitar out to play off and on for a few hours and the room where we basically live gets a lot of sun. When it's cold, like now, the RH drops into the 30's.
I break out the old children's vaporizer (made for colds and congestion) with no medicine in there (of course) and it cranks the place up to mid 40's pretty quick.
works fast - like a charm!

Yes, something similar. Honeywell claims it's up to 95% bacteria free in steam test results. I don't like cool mist and I worry about ultrasonic humidifiers and cats. Cats can hear way higher than we do, and when I've called up companies to ask what frequency the ultrasonic humidifiers are, they won't or can't answer me.

[Methos1979]

Last year I used the small Vornado evaporative humidifier, parked in a corner near the guitars hanging on an (gasp!) outside wall. This year I'm happy to say I'm using nothing at all. The two guitars hanging on that same wall don't seem to care.

[Guitarsan]

Originally Posted by themissal

I use the Vornado EVAP40. 4 Gallons. Tap water. I add a bacteriostatic product. Small half a capful per tank at each fill up.

Its cheap, and it does a great job keeping my room above 40%.

Endorse!

https://www.amazon.com/Vornado-Evap4.../dp/B00O0WOO74

https://www.amazon.com/BestAir-Origi...dp/B079T4XXQY/

Same basic approach I use. Don't skip the bacteriostatic additive - no stinky or moldy water or filters!

But, I also use two calibrated hygrometers on opposite sides of the room to keep the humidity sensor in the humidifier honest. In fact, I initially adjust the humidifier to keep the hygrometers in the 45% range, ignoring the readout on the humidifier.

https://www.amazon.com/Cigar-Oasis-C...dp/B00JXOKQVW/

The humidifier is in my office/music room. I worry most about keeping the room with the guitars at the right humidity level. But, it helps with the rest of the house, since over time, the humidity "leaks" into the rest of it.