Care for Your Whole-House Humidifier — Shut It Down Properly for the Summer

Whole-house humidifiers can help your family stay comfortable in the winter by adding moisture to dry air, but in the summer they are seldom necessary. During the warmer months, you should shut down your humidifier to save energy. Shutting down your whole-house humidifier in the summer can also help keep it in good condition. Here’s how to properly shut down the device.

1. Humidifiers are typically controlled by a central humidistat that allows you to adjust the humidity level in your home. The humidistat is usually located directly above the humidifier on the return air plenum, or on the wall by the thermostat. Find your humidistat and turn it off, or turn it to the lowest available humidity setting.
2. Next, if your humidifier has a duct damper, close it or put it in the “summer” position. This prevents cold air from the air conditioner from entering the humidifier. If your humidifier does not have a damper, skip this step.
3. Turn off the water supply to your whole-house humidifier. You can do this by finding the quarter inch plastic or copper water line connected to the unit and following it to the main water supply. Once you reach the water supply valve, turn it clockwise until it stops. Some valves (called saddle valves) do not allow for complete shut-off, in which case just turn the valve clockwise as far as you can.
4. Next open the humidifier’s cover and remove the water filter. Thoroughly clean the filter with soap, warm water and a clean cloth, then allow it to air dry. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning the rest of the unit (if the manual doesn’t specify, a solution of half water and half vinegar is usually safe to use).
5. Replace the filter once it’s dry and close the cover to the humidifier. That’s it; you’re done!

If you have any questions about caring for whole-house humidifiers or other home comfort concerns, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning for help and free estimates. We are proud to be serving Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties for over 50 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about whole-house humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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