Furnace Humidifier

[cdols]

When we moved into our house, there was a previously installed furnace humidifier. The problem was, it leaked enough to leave a puddle on our floor. The leak came from where the humidifier was patched into our water supply; they used a needle valve into the output pipe of our water heater.

At the time we noticed the leak, we just wanted it fixed, so we had a plumber cut out the valve and sweat in a new piece of copper.

Fast forward to now - house is dry, skin is dry, we are getting socked every time we touch anything - time to add some humidity to the house. Rather than buying a new humidifier, I would like to get the furnace one up and running.

Is a new needle valve the way to go? Or should I have a plumber put in a real valve?

I am assuming that the new connection should go to cold water, not to hot - correct?

Anything else I should keep in mind?

Thanks!

Craig

[lockman]

I would install a new ball valve. The saddle valves (needle valves) always seem to leak after time in my experience. Also if you have trouble with the humidifier or install a new one, 1 turn, the water is off and you can make repairs or replace. I have only seen humidifiers hooked up to the cold water line.

[TDHofstetter]

I second the vote for the globe valve. You can adapt one down to the 1/4" line very easily, and they're far more reliable than a saddle valve.

I also second the vote for connection to the cold-water line; that saves you water-heating energy, especially since about 75% of the water that enters the humidifier goes right down the overflow drain anyway, instead of getting dispersed into the air.

I presume the one in your furnace is a "bypass" humidifier? That's usually the case for plenum-mounted humidifiers. DO be aware that bypass humidifiers may humidify your basement at least as much as the house itself - a potential issue if your basement is already humid.

[cdols]

Thanks for the tip - it is mounted on the side of the furnace (Actually above it, as I think of it), and has some sort of bypass on the air duct - one direction marked for ac (I am assuming closed) and one for Heat (I am assuming open). Basement is as dry as the rest of the house in the winter, and I will shut off the valve in the summer - MN has plenty of humidity without adding to it =)

[jim]

I was in the heating business in Wisconsin and have installed many furnace humidifiers. Saddle type valves work for a few years only. Cold or hot water will work. I always used the cold water line. Yes close the damper for Cooling and open for heating.

[pastorpaul]

A few weeks ago I went to the basement to turn on my furnace humidifier, only to find the the saddle-T valve leaked like a sieve. I just bought a new one, but rather than go through the trouble of taking off all that mess and re-installing the new, I just unscrewed the valve itself and put the new one on. Everything seemed to be working well, but after a few days the humidity wasn't climbing at all. Right now it is too *** cold to go outside, clean 4 inches of snow off the basement doorway, and go down to try to figure out the problem! I just have to suffer through for a few more days until our temperatures climb and I can get down there. Even if the new valve isn't the problem, in the spring I'm going to cut that sucker out, install a T fitting, and put in a real valve.

Pastor Paul

[triplefreak]

Here's the deal (according to a master plumber I know).
Never use a saddle valve. NEVER!.
Always tap off the main cold water line, & step it down accordingly, until it's the correct size. I have invested untold # of $ until I got mine installed correctly. I had to pay a guy to sweat the lines I already installed, just to make it right.
I had a 1/2" ball valve installed, which was turned down to a 1/4" pipe, which ran to the humidifier. It set me back about $300, but it was worth every penny.
That's on top of paying damn near $500 for the humidifier itself.