# Steam Humidifier? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728 "2014-02-07T03:17:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/1 "2014-02-07T03:17:20Z")
I currently have a bypass humidifier on my geothermal heat pump. It works OK, but it’s difficult to adjust water flow so it doesn’t waste too much into the overflow. Water’s expensive where I live. I’m considering switching to a steam type unit. Possibly an Aprilair unit. I’ve heard that heat pumps output is not hot enough to efficiently evaporate the water from the pad type humidifier I have now. This may or may not be true, and maybe it doesn’t really matter. Anyone have any experience with steam humidifiers they’d like to share? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/2 "2014-02-07T18:05:16Z")
It’s what you use to burn a steam humidi. 😃 Seriously, we once had a Kaz vaporizer–my little brother caught colds a lot. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/3 "2014-02-07T19:08:21Z")
I’m talking about the whole house units mounted in the supply air duct. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/4 "2014-02-07T19:18:34Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > I’m talking about the whole house units mounted in the supply air duct. Oh. :o ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/5 "2014-02-07T21:50:36Z")
I just saw an [Ask This Old House](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/products-and-services/season/0,,20740479_20779105,00.html#20779105) (Season 12, Episode 12) where they installed a whole house steam generator humidifier. The unit they installed was the [Nortec NH-EL](http://www.humidity.com/ca/climate/en/humidifiers/electric.html). I can’t find an estimated price on the unit, but if I were going to have a humidifier installed, this would probably be the one. Try to watch the [segment](http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tv/ask-toh/video/0,,20778297,00.html) on this as there is a bit of tricky stuff there. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steam-humidifier/680728/6 "2014-02-07T22:07:11Z")
I saw that episode and that’s why I’m considering a steam unit. I like the idea of a self cleaning unit, though I do have soft water with less than 1gr of hardness. My hvac guy says steam units require lots of cleaning, so he and I will be having some discussion about that.