Humidifier, Maintenance, Resources + Tips

4 Things You Should Know About Furnace Humidifiers

  1. What does a humidifier do? 
  • A furnace mounted humidifier adds moisture to the air that your furnace distributes through your supply (sometimes called “hot air”) ductwork.
  • Water comes into the unit through a tube and depending on the type of unit, air is flowed through a pad, a sponge, or discs, before being sent through your supply ducts.
  • This increases the moisture content of the air, which can improve comfort especially in dry Alberta winters.
  1. What are the types of humidifiers? 
  • Flow through – this is the most common type. Water moistens an evaporator pad. Air is flowed through the humidifier to absorb moisture from the pad and then is blown through the return or “hot air” system to provide moisturized air to the house. 
  • Drum Humidifier – there are several types of drum humidifiers – older style with a sponge that rotates and becomes moist, with air passing through it to pick up the moisture. Newer styles have multiple disc and no pads or sponges.
  1. Why should I pay attention to my humidifier?
  • A functioning humidifier with a clean pad is critical to maintaining good moisture in your home
  • To prevent potential damage to your furnace, you should regularly check your humidifier
  • Humidifier leaks (and damage to your furnace) can be caused by water feed tubes that become clogged, brittle or loose
  • Failing to replace your humidifier pad, and failing to inspect and clean your unit as needed can also result in leakage which could damage the electrical components of your furnace
An open humidifier showing a humidifier pad.
  1. What should my humidifier be set at?
  • The Health Canada Healthy Home Guide recommends keeping humidity levels between 30-50%
  • Low humidity may aggravate skin allergies and contribute to or exacerbate respiratory infections.
  • High humidity can lead to mould.

More Posts

Alberta Furnace Cleaning Reviews

We had Edison and Roberto out to our home to clean our furnace vents and dryer. They were extremely polite, professional, thorough and efficient! They explained the entire process before they got started and even as they were working. I really appreciated the care they took to wear boot covers, lay down mats, and seal the front door. I couldn't have asked for a better customer experience! Alberta Furnace also offers competitive pricing and I was really pleased with the communication provided before and after our service. All around, a great experience with wonderful people every step of the way! Oh yeah, and clean vents too 😉

- Aimee Canepa

This company knows their stuff, provides great customer service and excellent work. I’m totally happy with how the two very friendly and knowledgeable associates cleaned my furnace, vents, dryer vent and AC coil. I will certainly book my next appointment with them.

- Mark

Fantastic TEAM of office admin & cleaning professionals! Excellent service from the moment the estimate was confirmed, the appointment time was arranged and the reminder texts were sent prior to their arrival. The service teams were punctual, polite and SUPER professional! Protective floor mats were placed, shoe guards were used and the Furnace & carpets were thoroughly cleaned and completed in a timely manner. Thank you again for the excellent service :-)

- Alixe Regan

Glad we got Alberta Furnace. The price was reasonable for a thorough job. Tic & Roberto did an amazing job today! They worked hard even pointing out things on the furnace to look out for. They were kind and polite and when we get our furnace cleaned again, I would certainly hope for these 2 gentlemen.

- Sandra Crabtree

The guys called to inform us that they will arrive early which was great. They were friendly, respectful, professional, explained what they were about to do, clean, placed protectors on the floor and around furnitures. Overall we are 100% satisfied with their service.

- Rosalia Giralao

The technicians were efficient and very friendly. They explained what they how and what they were doing. The only thing was there was some sort of residue left on the concrete from their truck all the way to our front door that was not there before they arrived. (Dark stains on our driveway, walkway and front steps leading into the house).

- Maureen Miyagishima

TEXT US