We have an HVAC inline unit but per their manuals, they’re not supposed to be set higher than 35%, sometimes less, if below freezing outside (to prevent ductwork condensation). To make up the difference for our 50% target; we pull out a couple single room evaporative ones Dec-March. One Vornado EVDC 300 for our main room downstairs, and one Blueair unit in the bedroom.
Yes it’s irksome to fill them and clean/change the wicks monthly, but it beats nose bleeds and sinus and skin problems. Evaporatives don’t leave weird dust from hard water all over the place either (vs ultrasonic). There’s enough dust already in our 1920s home. And they don’t look period or hidden, but the Blueair models are discreet and anyway: we already have modern stuff around, like the air purifiers.
I have a Vornado. I don't remember the exact model and it's currently in storage, but it's an evaporative model with a 1 gallon tank that's super easy to scrub. Probably a close cousin of the EVDC300.
There is no such thing as a maintenance-free humidifier, whether it’s evaporative, ultrasonic, or even steam, they all require regular cleaning or regular changing of filters (or sometimes both). Steam is less prone to mold, but also super hot, and is prone to scale buildup which still requires cleaning.
I would suggest giving your current unit a thorough clean first to see if that solves the issue.
We have a 6L LEVOIT (ultrasonic/cool mist) humidifier, and I check ours every couple of weeks. If I see the mold, wipe the affected areas down with vinegar and rinse. Hydrogen peroxide 3% works well if I really want to feel thorough. We also make sure to change out the filter as recommended or more often (you can buy them in bulk).
We also run two Vornado evaporative humidifiers on the first floor of the house. Let me tell you, the wicks in those develop considerable mold, and we change them out once a month or sometimes more often.
Regardless of humidifier the concept is the same. You have to take care of them no matter what you buy.
Evaporative humidifiers. Pros: don't need distilled water(although probably makes the wicks last longer), no hard water dandruff like ultrasonic. Cons: need to replace wicks relatively often, should use a bacteriostatic water treatment
I'm using a vornado one I bought from costco, but there are probably better ones out there.
vornando brand evaporative humidifier is the best i've used - i've had probably 15 different humidifiers over the years. this one is easiest to use, easiest to maintain, and maintains the lowest possibility of putting mold into your air. It also is the easiest to fill without spilling water anywhere. I do not trust the "steam" type, i had one nearly burn down my house a number of years ago - anything with a heating element should not be running 24/7, especially if you are not home..
never trust the built in humidistat. use a separate hydrogometer placed close-ish to the bass. adjust the unit to turn on/off based on what it's reading near the instrument.
a laminate bass would likely be fine, but maintaining 45% or so humidity is nice regardless of basses.
Top Humidifiers on Reddit
1
LEVOIT
Superior 6000S Smart Evaporative Humidifier
75% positive of 83 users
Smart, large capacity; cleaning and whole-home coverage polarized.
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