EMERGENCY CALL (647) 493 0576

Blog

May 27, 2015

Don’t forget to switch your humidifier damper to the summer setting

Indoor Air Quality

Image of family and children on a walk

It’s time to get ready for summer!

As we get ready to turn on our air conditioners, it is a good idea to look at your in-line humidifier to make sure you have it changed to the proper settings!

We’re just getting through the dry winter and humidification is very important to your comfort. Dehumidification is just as important in the summer. A home that is too humid can not only affect your comfort but it can damage your home. Your walls could really be sweating!

Since the air in the summer is moist, it is not necessary to use your humidifier. The use of your humidifier during the summer months can reduce the effectiveness of your AC and lead to increased energy bills. For this reason, it’s a good idea to shut down your humidifier once heating season is over.

Like your HVAC system, your humidifier has a device to regulate the way it works. Typically, the humidistat is installed above your humidifier on the return air plenum on the wall near your thermostat, some newer thermostats will even have the humidistat incorporated within. Turn the humidistat to the off position, or the lowest humidity setting.

There are several types of humidifiers, among them:

  • Portable humidifiers
  • Single room humidifiers
  • Flow-through humidifiers. A flow-through humidifier for furnaces uses freshwater that flows through the system and drains away. This advice only applies to flow-through humidifiers, which are attached directly to your home comfort system

If you have a flow-through humidifier, then there is some preparation to complete before the summer starts.

It is important to switch your bypass duct damper into the “summer position”

By turning to the “summer position”, this will prevent cold air from your air conditioner from entering your humidifier.

Why is this important?

If you fail to do this before the summer starts, it can lead to poor airflow in your air conditioner which will draw the cool air back over your cooling coils and could cause the system to freeze-up.

Where do I find my damper?

The damper could be one of two things:

  1. a knob or lever with a summer/winter setting which you should switch back and forth when each season starts
  2. or a piece of metal that covers the duct opening.

To find out which one you have, consult your home comfort system’s manual.

Depending on the kind of damper that you have, you might have to manually open and close the cover or simply switch the knob back and forth once the seasons change.

If you are unsure whether or not your system requires this adjustment, don’t be afraid to give A1 a call.

Ask the A1 experts! Contact us today!