How often to replace humidifier pad

Jan 17th, 2019 9:14 pm

#1

WikkiWikki [OP]: Deal Guru; Nov 28, 2016; 13050 posts; 1456 upvotes; Doesnt matter, every…

Jan 17th, 2019 9:14 pm

never had a humidifier on a furnace, and the pad is all scale. No idea on age.

Replacement pads look around $15-$20. How often to replace them, once a season? Like each fall before you start using it again? Or does it depend on how much scale build up there is

Plan on replacing it now, turned the humidifier off until I do

Model I have is a Thermolec Pro 600.

Last edited by WikkiWikki on Jan 17th, 2019 9:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Jan 17th, 2019 9:22 pm

#2

engineered: Deal Guru; Feb 11, 2007; 11772 posts; 11401 upvotes; Oakville

Jan 17th, 2019 9:22 pm

Depends on how much scale. You can also clean it with CLR or vinegar. I also tossed the old nasty one when I moved into my house, but 3 years on I'm on the same one.

+1

Jan 17th, 2019 9:24 pm

#3

carztoronto: Member; May 7, 2016; 383 posts; 296 upvotes

Jan 17th, 2019 9:24 pm

The scale you see is probably the normal ceramic coating that they have to absorb water. I change it once a year:
https://www.centralhtg.com/blog/how-oft ... ater-panel

Jan 17th, 2019 9:25 pm

#4

WikkiWikki [OP]: Deal Guru; Nov 28, 2016; 13050 posts; 1456 upvotes; Doesnt matter, every…

Jan 17th, 2019 9:25 pm

engineered wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 9:22 pm
Depends on how much scale. You can also clean it with CLR or vinegar. I also tossed the old nasty one when I moved into my house, but 3 years on I'm on the same one.

No idea how old it is, but its so scaly it comes off as dust when I remove it. So Ill just buy a new one and keep my eye on it. Seems home hardware carries them for $13, might just replace then instead of clean. Will now as I use it

+2

Jan 17th, 2019 9:32 pm

#5

old sparks: Sr. Member; Feb 18, 2010; 789 posts; 272 upvotes; Greely

Jan 17th, 2019 9:32 pm

I would replace the pad prior to each season, and drain and clean the pan in the spring. Use a bit of chlorine bleach to disinfect...

Edit - I see you've added the model number. Disregard my advice, as it pertains more to the rotation pad and drum type...

Jan 17th, 2019 9:37 pm

#6

WikkiWikki [OP]: Deal Guru; Nov 28, 2016; 13050 posts; 1456 upvotes; Doesnt matter, every…

Jan 17th, 2019 9:37 pm

old sparks wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 9:32 pm
I would replace the pad prior to each season, and drain and clean the pan in the spring. Use a bit of chlorine bleach to disinfect...

Edit - I see you've added the model number. Disregard my advice, as it pertains more to the rotation pad and drum type...

Would it be wise each spring to fall to turn off the water supply as well as turning down the humistat, just as a precaution. I found the shut off, thank god its not a saddle valve. Then just turn it back on in the fall when you turn the damper inside the humidifier from off to on

Jan 17th, 2019 9:50 pm

#7

jookid: Member; Oct 27, 2012; 316 posts; 235 upvotes; Shwa

Jan 17th, 2019 9:50 pm

I change mine once a year in the fall. I just turn it off in the summer.

Jan 17th, 2019 9:51 pm

#8

old sparks: Sr. Member; Feb 18, 2010; 789 posts; 272 upvotes; Greely

Jan 17th, 2019 9:51 pm

WikkiWikki wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 9:37 pm
Would it be wise each spring to fall to turn off the water supply as well as turning down the humistat, just as a precaution. I found the shut off, thank god its not a saddle valve. Then just turn it back on in the fall when you turn the damper inside the humidifier from off to on

Yes. I would turn it off, just for peace of mind. My old house had a drum/pad humidifier with a saddle valve and I was constantly fiddling with it. I replaced eventually replaced it with a flow-through humidifier with a proper ball valve...

Jan 17th, 2019 9:57 pm

#9

junkmail2002: Sr. Member; Aug 5, 2008; 801 posts; 237 upvotes

Jan 17th, 2019 9:57 pm

Change pads before each season and yes to turning water off/down when switching off heat.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world... Those who understand binary and those who don't

Jan 17th, 2019 10:48 pm

#10

xxxray: Deal Addict; Jan 19, 2008; 1167 posts; 679 upvotes; Etobicoke

Jan 17th, 2019 10:48 pm

junkmail2002 wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 9:57 pm
Change pads before each season and yes to turning water off/down when switching off heat.

So four times a year?

Jan 17th, 2019 11:00 pm

#11

WikkiWikki [OP]: Deal Guru; Nov 28, 2016; 13050 posts; 1456 upvotes; Doesnt matter, every…

Jan 17th, 2019 11:00 pm

xxxray wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 10:48 pm
So four times a year?

I think he means each heating season. Since once winter is over the humidifier is turned off

Jan 18th, 2019 7:27 am

#12

junkmail2002: Sr. Member; Aug 5, 2008; 801 posts; 237 upvotes

Jan 18th, 2019 7:27 am

xxxray wrote: ↑
Jan 17th, 2019 10:48 pm
So four times a year?

Each heating season. So around October each year.

There are 10 kinds of people in the world... Those who understand binary and those who don't

Jan 18th, 2019 10:00 am

#13

kryton619: Deal Addict; Dec 14, 2008; 2015 posts; 567 upvotes; Whitby

Jan 18th, 2019 10:00 am

I agree.....I change mine in the fall every year.

Jan 18th, 2019 12:19 pm

#14

WikkiWikki [OP]: Deal Guru; Nov 28, 2016; 13050 posts; 1456 upvotes; Doesnt matter, every…

Jan 18th, 2019 12:19 pm

TomLafinsky wrote: ↑
Jan 18th, 2019 11:05 am
I have a Lennox WB2-17 and I haven't replaced mine in 10+ years and it still does the job. What is more important is to make sure the flow of water isn't reduced due to deposits inside the tiny tube feeding the water.

In fact I ended up using a tiny nail in order to make a slightly larger hole in the piece of plastic through which the water goes through. Therefore allowing an even greater flow of water. Overall water consumption is ridiculously low. Practically negligible. And I programmed the thermostat so that water only flows during heating season.

+

You track how much water your humidifier uses? When you say practically negligible, or did I misundestand you

Thermostat idea is good, but turning a valve twice a year makes this something that doesnt need an answer

Jan 18th, 2019 12:47 pm

#15

grumble: Sr. Member; Mar 22, 2017; 575 posts; 450 upvotes

Jan 18th, 2019 12:47 pm

I looked into this recently, since I just bought a house with one installed.

Manufacturer recommends a new pad each heating season, so each pad would last one year. The reason to do this is multifold:

1. The scale can powder off and fly into the ducts for your furnace. Not great to breathe in, and hard on filters.
2. The scale can break off and clog up drain tubes, though this can be mitigated with plenty of water.
3. The scale can clog up the pad, meaning that water and air isn't circulating throughout the pad and reducing the effectiveness of the humidifier.
4. Some risk of micro-organisms.

I've heard of people just soaking the pads in CLR for a while to get most of it off, which partly works and can likely extend the lifespan of your pad - low use also extends, while heavy use shortens. Given the pads are 20 bucks each, I just replace them annually and both save myself the hassle and get a better-working system.