Common Whole-House Humidifier Problems And How To Prevent Air Conditioning Repair | Dallas, TX
Homeowners invest in whole-house humidifiers to control and maintain optimal humidity levels in a Dallas, TX home. The optimal humidity levels indoors should range from 30 to 50 percent.
High and low moisture levels in the atmosphere are susceptible to cause health issues. Getting air conditioning repair or installation experts to install the whole house humidifier balances moisture levels and prevents numerous ventilation and indoor air issues.
The system relieves the dryness you may feel when your heating system is running, increasing comfort. The humidifying units are versatile, and you can opt for the type that effectively maintains the moisture in your house.
You can go for Bypass humidifiers if your air handler and furnace with accessible ductwork. They are also cost-effective, making them the best for people with a tight budget.
Another option you can get is the fan-powered humidifier if you have a bigger house with a modulating heat system.
In addition, steam humidifiers can be your plug if you want a system that is easy to maintain in your significant home in an arid location in Texas.
Choosing the best type requires the help of ventilation and air conditioning repair and installation professionals.
The whole house humidifying units are prone to have problems similar to other HVAC systems. Its components and units can fail due to lack of maintenance, damage, or aging, leading to several issues compromising its efficiency.
Problems Associated with Whole House Humidifiers
No Water in the Humidifier
The whole house humidifier requires water to operate at its peak. Water in the system circulates moisture in your house. The humidifying unit also has a water supply pipe close to the solenoid valve connecting to the main water shutoff valve.
The shutoff valve controls the water that enters the equipment and comes in handy in case of leaks. HVAC experts in air conditioning repair, replacement, and installation services connect the solenoid valve to the humidistat and furnace transformers for peak performance.
However, the whole house humidifying unit can lack water, failing to increase the humidity levels to optimal levels for maximum comfort. The operational fan in the system cannot provide moisture without water in the system. Some aspects that lead to a lack of water in the whole house humidifiers include:
- Closed main shut-off valve
The humidifying system can lack water if the ball or gate shut-off valves are closed. The valves control or regulate the amount of water passing through the humidifying unit.
Before calling for air conditioning repair services to inspect the reason behind the lack of water in the system, you can check the valves to see if they are open or closed, hindering the free flow of water.
If the gate, ball, and saddle valves are open and operational, then make that call to a reputable HVAC company within the city.
- Faulty solenoid valve
The whole house dehumidifier can also lack water due to a malfunctioned solenoid valve that fails to open to allow water to pass through the unit. The hired air conditioning repair professional in Dallas, TX, can check the water supply pipe connecting to the solenoid to ensure it has water.
They can also test the humidistat for high or low humidity and the valve with a multimeter to see if it is malfunctioning or faulty. The HVAC expert makes the necessary repairs or replacements.
- Stuck float valve:
If the solenoid valve is operational and is not the cause of the lack of water in the system, the issue might be the float valve. The air conditioning repair and replacement expert can check if the valve is stuck and lubricate it before moving it up and down manually to run smoothly by allowing water into the whole house humidifying unit.
- Clogged supply line:
The humidifying system can also lack water to moisturize your home if the water supply line that connects to the solenoid has a buildup of mineral deposits.
Without the regular maintenance, sediments, likely from the hard water supply, can accumulate in the waterline, causing an obstruction that requires cleaning by qualified air conditioning repair experts.
How to prevent lack of water in the humidifying system: you can avert the possibility of your whole house humidifier system lacking water by regularly checking the solenoid valve and other shutoff valves to ensure they are running smoothly.
The float and solenoid valves require tune-ups and cleaning by air conditioning repair and maintenance professionals in Dallas, TX.
The clean-up can avert issues such as clogs, and frequent lubrication of the valves can prevent them from being stuck. If you are using hard water, it is wise to have the technicians check and clean the water supply lines to remove any accumulating mineral deposits.
No Humidity from the Unit
The whole house humidifier can also fail even if it has a sufficient water supply to operate it efficiently. It is an issue that signifies the malfunctioning of the internal units or components. The motor, water collection system, fans, valves, a blower, or control parts of the whole house humidifier might be faulty.
Depending on the type of system, the air conditioning repair and replacement expert can make keen inspections to identify the issue as soon as possible for correct diagnosis.
The system might fail to work due to:
- A lack of power supply if it has a blown fuse that requires replacement.
- A tripped circuit breaker can also make the system not run, leaving your space stuffy and unhealthy.
- The fan-powered and Bypass models can fail because of mineral buildup in the pads that help in circulating humidity in your home.
When the whole house humidifying system fails to operate, your home can have low or high humidity.
The inhabitants in your house can complain of numerous health issues such as flu and viruses, scratchy throats, itchy skin, and nose bleeding due to lower humidity levels.
The structural integrity of your home is also at risk of having cracked hardwood floors, peeling paint, and developing cracks on the walls, problems that air conditioning repair experts can address by ensuring humidifiers are efficiently operating.
Abnormally high humidity from steam radiators, stoves, humidifiers, and dryers can also lead to hyperthermia. The disease manifests in dehydration, heatstroke, fatigue, and muscle cramps.
How to prevent the whole house humidifying unit from malfunctioning: It is appropriate to hire a technician specializing in air conditioning repair and maintenance services to clean and inspect the motor, fans, valves, control parts, and the blower to ensure they are operating efficiently. The inspections are vital to help identify arising problems and solve them as soon as possible before the system breaks down.
Dirty Air Filters
Another problem that might arise in a whole-house humidifier is dirty air filters. The system requires a clean air supply for it to run smoothly. Dirty filters starve the unit of the clean air it needs for the humidification process to be successful for maximum comfort.
Clogged air filters can lead to sudden breakdown of the whole house humidifier, with failure to call an air conditioning repair and installation company for thorough cleaning services.
The air filters become dirty due to: dust, allergens, mold, and unwanted particles from the air ducts. Smoke and pet dander can also cause air filters to clog, leading to an inefficient humidifier.
The obstruction of air makes the humidifying unit struggle to provide humidity in your home, increasing your utility bills. It is wise to call for air conditioning repair services from a trustworthy company in Dallas, TX, to clean the air filters and fix any faulty parts before causing irreversible problems. Replacing or cleaning the humidifier reduces the possibility of hot and cold spots that increase discomfort.
Preventing dirt from accumulating in the air filters: The HVAC specialists can ensure the air filters in your whole house humidifier are clean and operational throughout.
They can do that by investing in routine cleaning or replacing the air filtration system and the air ducts, preventing multiple issues due to clogged filters. When the AC repair and cleaning contractors clean the ducts and filters, clean air freely flows through the unit for peak performance.
Clogged Evaporative Pads
Folks with Bypass or fan humidifiers can experience issues with the evaporative pads in the unit. The evaporative pad collects water for controlling and maintaining humidity in your house.
During the scorching hot days, when the humidity indoors is low, water flows to the evaporative pad and circulates moisturized air to increase humidity. The evaporative pad requires regular changing for the smooth running of the whole house humidifier.
Paying an air conditioning repair and maintenance expert in Dallas, TX, once a year to replace the pads is essential in maximizing comfort. It also helps reduce cellulose coating, mold odor, and the chances of leaks in the Bypass and fan-powered humidifier units.
The evaporative pads may also require frequent changing, especially after extra hard work during winter because of intense operation and salt accumulation due to hard water.
Failure to change the evaporative pads, the unit cannot circulate adequate humidity indoors, and bacteria and mold growth will strive, reducing the efficiency of the HVAC system and contaminating indoor air quality.
The dirty pads can also block the humidifier drainage, hence the need for air conditioning repair and cleaning services.
How to prevent clogged evaporative pads: Since the evaporative pads help in the circulation of clean air in your house, they should always be clean and running smoothly.
They require regular changing, especially if the water in use is hard water. The cleaning removes the accumulated salts to prevent clogging.
Mold Growth
Humidifiers use water to ensure moisture levels in your home are within the optimal range. The humidity coupled with dirt can be a perfect breeding space for mold and bacteria growth.
The whole house humidifier can distribute mold spores from the water and drainage trays as it circulates moist air in your house during warm days. Mold leads to musty odors that compromise indoor air quality, causing numerous allergic reactions and worse respiratory tract infections.
People diagnosed with asthma can suffer an asthma attack due to the nasty moldy smell. Technicians offering air conditioning repair and maintenance services can detect mold growth the instant they step foot in your home because of the smell.
Drum-style and steam humidifiers are the most notoriously affected by mold because of recycling water and circulating steam through the ducts.
Mold infestation can also lead to numerous problems that damage the structural integrity of your house. Wooden parts of your home may start rotting due to mold, hence the need for cleaning and disinfection by a mold removal specialist and an AC repair and maintenance expert.
Preventative measures of mold growth in the whole house humidifier: Similar to other components of the unit that require regular cleaning, inspections, and tune-ups, water and drainage trays are not an exception.
The hired air conditioning repair and maintenance specialists can clean the trays at least twice annually to reduce the chance of mold spores growing and thriving, improving your indoor air quality.
In a Nutshell!
Humidifiers are part of the HVAC system that improves the indoor air quality of your Dallas, TX, home by controlling and maintaining the humidity levels at optimal levels. The system should operate at peak performance for maximum indoor comfort and prevent humidity-related illnesses.
The humidifying unit can also have issues, such as leaks, inoperable valves, clogged air filters, and mold growth that are preventable through regular maintenance and tune-ups by qualified air conditioning repair and maintenance experts. It is best to enroll in a maintenance plan that guarantees routine cleaning and inspections that detect problems early.
Need Professional Help!
If your whole-house humidifier is not running smoothly, do not hesitate to reach out to One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Dallas for air conditioning repair services.
We are an HVAC company with skilled, licensed, and insured contractors serving the Dallas, TX, clients and the surrounding communities since 1988. Our technicians address heating and cooling problems by providing exceptional services.