THOSE OF US THAT HEAT WITH WOOD,DO YOU USE A HUMIDIFIER? WHAT SIZE AND KIND?

[svk]

I've got a little Kenmore unit. Reservoir holds a gallon and tank holds another gallon. Puts out about 3 gallons a day into the house. Without that its unbearably dry.

I also leave the bathroom door open to the upstairs hallway and don't run the exhaust fan when we shower as that kicks some good humidity into the house.

 

[Whitespider]

There's a lot of things you can do to add moisture to the house...
I installed one of those kits with a flapper gate and filter that allows me to vent the electric clothes dryer into the basement during winter... it dumps a ton of moisture into the house, and keeping the heat inside ain't all bad neither.
Don't run the exhaust fan in the bathroom when showering... just leave the door open instead.
When boiling water on the stove for cooking (like for pasta)... leave the exhaust fan off.
Hang wet towels to dry before tossing 'em in the washer (I know that sounds "funny", but hey).
A pan, pot or kettle full of water setting on top of your stove (if there's a place for it)... one old stove I had would put 3-gallon of water in the air every single day doing that.

 

[srb08]

We run two of the small evaporative units. They don't do a very good job. They run constantly and the the house is at 24% RH right now.
My house is 4,500 sq ft, I think units plumbed into the furnaces are going to be necessary. Only problem is that the furnaces rarely run in the winter.

 

[haveawoody]

demc570,

Yeah your stuck with some electric doodad or you can use the pans on the register method.
Another good one for adding humidity to the house and saving lots of money is stop using the clothes dryer, just wash and spin dry.
Get yourself one of those wooden foldup clothes racks and finish drying your clothes near a register.
Not only will you add humidity to the air but decrease your electric bill at the same time. Win Win.

 

[demc570]

yep hang clothes up,try not use the clothes dryer in winter since house stays 80 plus in winter...no where to sit water since my heat duct comes thru wall......seems i stuck with trying electric or nothing..

 

[4seasons]

I just sit an old pot on the stove and fill it with water daily. I am amazed that someone would spend electricity to hydrate their house when it can be done for free. Although I do live in a very moist climate anyway so it doesn't take much to water the air.

 

[mn woodcutter]

I use this large pan that holds just over a gallon of water. we fill it up several times per day and really notice a difference.

 

[aokpops]

I am a pan guy too been thinking about putting 2 pans on .

 

[bbxlr8]

I have a stove and the oil furnace doesn't usually run so the central f/air humidifier is no good. Thought about running just to humidify but the kind I have needs the heated air in the duct to be effective. Ones that don't are expensive and never went further with that. So I just use a cast pot on a 1/2" riser on the stove top & most of the methods spidey mentioned above except the dryer duct.

I also had used the pad/forced air type portable, but the several I went through were a pain and really didn't do that good of a job.
Don't think it was mentioned yet, but the kind I settled on & really like is an HD ultrasonic one w/ cool vapor. It really cranks it out on high dispersed by fan already in stove room - have 2+ years on same unit so far.

 

[Mad Professor]

Large roasting pan on top of two fire bricks on top of the stove. Pan holds about 8 gallon filled, $5 at a tag sale.

During recent -10 F weather, humidity was > 45% heating only with the wood stove, 75 F inside : )

I also dry clothes inside, and have a woodrack that holds > 1/3 cord, bringing some semi seasoned wood in puts out a lot of water, and its bone dry by the bottom of the rack

 

[CTYank]

I find that it helps a lot two ways if I stack tne next batch of stove wood near the stove.

Dries the wood, humidifies the house (~35%)- win, win. Sinuses really sock.

 

[Somesawguy]

I have some pots of water on the stove that have to be refilled a few times a day. It's still only about 20% humidity in the house. I dug out the humidifier with the fan and wicks last night. This morning the humidity was around 50%. It was too dry, and my wife was having trouble with it being so low.

 

[stihl sawing]

Just have a pan of water on the stove. been doing that for years.

 

[svk]

I would personally not do the dryer trick. Way to much fine dust comes out of those things which would exacerbate my asthma and could cause lung problems after extended periods to anyone in the house.