Humidifier that doesn't need weekly cleaning

[JEDI]

I had a warm mist humidifier.
It's a ultrasonic humidifier with an ultrasonic ball in the base that needed to be cleaned weekly else the hard minerals from the tap would cake on it which would lead to it stop working.

Or i can use distilled water like a 5gal jug at Walmart.
I go through a gallon a day.

Too much trouble so i returned it.

Got this as a gift:


It doesnt have an ultrasonic ball. Have no idea how it vaporizes the water.
In any event, i've had it 2 weeks and I dont see any hard mineral gunk in the base of the unit.

Just fill the clear plastic part with tap water and put it on top of the base.
What is this type of humidifier called?

 

[quikah]

Looks like an ultrasonic humidifier to me. There is a disc that vibrates to create the mist. They eventually need to be cleaned.

Never seen one with a ball before.

 

[Ken g6]

I only use the boiling type. I presume it kills any bad bacteria that way. They still say to clean them. But I don't. Until the minerals cake on too much. But that takes months.

 

[sdifox]

Fix your water.

 

[pete6032]

Cleaning your balls once a week is too much of a hassle?

 

[JEDI]

Looks like an ultrasonic humidifier to me. There is a disc that vibrates to create the mist. They eventually need to be cleaned.

Never seen one with a ball before.

this thing:


hard minerals from tap water all over the ultrasonic bulb ball.
(Left pic is similar to my old humidifier but not as bad)

the humidifier that was given as a gift doesn't have this ball thing

 

[JEDI]

What it looks like without the hard minerals

 

[Pohemi]

I use filtered water in mine. It's not as good as distilled, but I don't have to buy jugs of it, I have a filter unit at the kitchen sink. If you switched to distilled water, it'd prevent all of that buildup.

Almost all of them are prone to bacterial growth though, and there are treatments you can get specifically for it. I've seen both solid tablets and vials of liquid that you add to the humidifier tank every so often to treat it and keep it clean.

JEDI, I'm not sure it'd be safe for the rest of the machine, but CLR (Calcium, Lime, Rust remover) would treat those tanks and remove all of that funk. It just might ruin the humidifier itself as well.

 

[Brainonska511]

I have a Honeywell HCM-350. It uses a wicking filter to humidify the air, so no issues with shit being sprayed like the ultrasonic ones and the filter keeps it pretty clean overall. Filter just gets changed after 2 months of continuous use.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I have a Desert Spring humidifier hooked up to the furnace and it does the whole house. Uses plastic discs in a similar configuration as a tesla turbine and the air is forced through them which releases the water. It will get gunked up over time but since everything is plastic it's easier to clean and does not mold like ones with cloth do. I have to watch how high I set it though since it will fog up all the windows. I tend to turn it off completely when we get -40's because it just causes frost on all the windows and that's probably not good.

 

[Pohemi]

I have a Honeywell HCM-350. It uses a wicking filter to humidify the air, so no issues with shit being sprayed like the ultrasonic ones and the filter keeps it pretty clean overall. Filter just gets changed after 2 months of continuous use.

Evaporative are the best type IMHO, they are how the larger floor console (and in-furnace) units work. I have a Vornado EV200 and a smaller cube-shaped Sharkzilla, and they're both evaporative. It's just moisture going into the air instead of micro-droplets of water like the ultrasonic and misting types generate. It's better for your electronics, especially anywhere near the humidifier (like on the same wall or side of the room.)

I have a Desert Spring humidifier hooked up to the furnace and it does the whole house.

Built into your furnace for the entire house are the most efficient and give the most even distribution of corrective humidity, of course. Not to mention it's not using much if any extra power inside the furnace, compared to one or more portable units through the house drawing wattage.

 

[quikah]

this thing:
View attachment 74266

hard minerals from tap water all over the ultrasonic bulb ball.
(Left pic is similar to my old humidifier but not as bad)

the humidifier that was given as a gift doesn't have this ball thing

This one Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier (vickshumidifiers.com) ? That is a steam humidifier, not ultrasonic. The "ball" is a heating element, it just boils the water.

 

[Charmonium]

I was just going to type something similar. One of the unfortunate side effects of my skimming posts.

What I don't understand is how this aspect of the design managed to escape you. Warm Hs can't start up instantly like the ultrasonic ones. And the mist from a "warm mist" H is not "cool."

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Bullshit they all need cleaning but most of that cleaning is fairly trivial

 

[JEDI]

This one Vicks Warm Mist Humidifier (vickshumidifiers.com) ? That is a steam humidifier, not ultrasonic. The "ball" is a heating element, it just boils the water.

Ahh..thx.

So a cool mist H has a lot less maintenance than a warm mist one since my current cool mist H doesn't have any hard minerals caked on at the base (so far)

 

[Charmonium]

They do have at least one other problem, but it depends on' the volume of minerals in your water. Over time (but sooner rather than later) CMHs using water with minerals will eventually create a fine dust in the general area of the device.

In the meantime, you're breathing those mineral. Probably not an issue if the water comes from a municipal processing station. But even then, your lungs probably don't appreciate the dust,.

 

[nakedfrog]

I have a Honeywell HCM-350. It uses a wicking filter to humidify the air, so no issues with shit being sprayed like the ultrasonic ones and the filter keeps it pretty clean overall. Filter just gets changed after 2 months of continuous use.

I've got some big Lasko unit that has a pump that circulates water over the top of the filter, but otherwise probably pretty much the same deal.

 

[waffleironhead]

Ive got a few Venta LW15 around the house. They are pricey, but they have been in constant use for probably 20 years now. Take minimal cleaning and just plain work.
It will depend on how hard your water is, but I generally just dump the collected mineral sediment weekly and give them a vinegar treatment in the spring. Need to wipe them down from time to time to remove collected pet hair as well.

 

[shortylickens]

You dont need weekly cleanings. You do need to toss your filter every six months, and every load of water needs a bacteriostatic solution.

https://www.amazon.com/Essick-Air-1970-2-Humidifier-Bacteriostatic/dp/B07GXBTH82/

Good news is you only need one teaspoon per gallon of water. And it works.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I've got some big Lasko unit that has a pump that circulates water over the top of the filter, but otherwise probably pretty much the same deal.

I'm assuming that is an evap cooler and not meant as a typical humidifier?

I have one of the Vicks ones bought at Wal-Mart, it has a filter and a UV lamp for disenfecting, although it seems like that more just cooks the filter if its dry. The water tank has some spring thing that's supposed to slowly release water, but it seemed to just leak too much water (I'd get water pooling on the shelf I put it on and became concerned it might end up being a hazard), but I might've not been filling it to the correct level. I ended up just wetting the filter itself and leaving the tank off.

I ended up taking the lazy way and now I just wet an old towel and drape it over a water/weather proof fan.

 

[nakedfrog]

I'm assuming that is an evap cooler and not meant as a typical humidifier?

I have one of the Vicks ones bought at Wal-Mart, it has a filter and a UV lamp for disenfecting, although it seems like that more just cooks the filter if its dry. The water tank has some spring thing that's supposed to slowly release water, but it seemed to just leak too much water (I'd get water pooling on the shelf I put it on and became concerned it might end up being a hazard), but I might've not been filling it to the correct level. I ended up just wetting the filter itself and leaving the tank off.

I ended up taking the lazy way and now I just wet an old towel and drape it over a water/weather proof fan.

Nope, it's not a cooler, it's a whole house console humidifier.

 

[RPD]

I just get those little water treatment balls you keep in the tank and then once a month wash and let soak in a 50/50 vinager and water solution to address the scaling and replace the ball.

 

[jpiniero]

Take a shower every once in awhile?