Kenmore CENTRAL HUMIDIFIER 303.9380612 - Manual (Page 4)

I
UNDERSTANDING HUMI
I
THANK YOU!
Thank you for selecting a Sears Humidifier. It will
provide years of service if you give it a little care.
Humidity can be puzzling, it cannot be seen, heard,
touched, smelled or tasted. Many people do not
understand what a humidifier will or will not do.
Probably the best way to judge whether the humidity
is too high, too low, or about right is to watch your
windows. If they are heavily fogged you most likely
have too much. If there is no moisture on them at all,
especially in the corners, you have too little.
NOTE: Moisture will not normally form on thermopane
or when storm windows are used. If there is some
moisture in the window corners and along the edges,
the humidity is just about right. This is a good rule of
thumb, if you do not have an expensive piece of test­
ing equipment. Your comfort is another good check.
TYPICAL QUESTIONS ASKED
1. Why do moisture requirements vary from home
to home?
Requirements depend on the amount and dryness
of air to be humidified. The larger and more loosely
constructed the home, the greater the quantity of
moisture required.
2. How can I best check my home’s relative
humidity?
First give your humidifier time to build up the
humidity to an acceptable level, instruments are
available to measure relative humidity, but from a
practical standpoint, your comfort is the best
guide. You cannot depend on table top or wall
hung dial gauges .
3. How long will it take my humidifier to build up
the humidity in my home?
Much depends on the outside temperature, time of
year, home construction, and how dried out the
home has become, in some cases, it may take a
week or more.
4. What are some of the common things that
cause higher than average air leakage in the
home, therefore causing low humidity?
A. Jalousie windows
B. Open fireplace dampers
C. Cracks around windows and doors
D. Open doors and windows
E. Unusually large attic or foundation vents
F. Range hoods and bath fans
5. What else causes static shock besides low
humidity?
Some types of carpets tend to create more static
than others. While the proper humidity level will
reduce the static level, it may not eliminate static
entirely.
6. What is the safe humidity level for my home?
In order to determine the safe relative humidity for
homes exposed to various low outside tempera­
tures, NESCA* conducted tests and published
recommended humidity levels for various outdoor
temperatures. These are shown in the chart below.
These levels help prevent damage to your home
such as water running down the walls or even
building up inside the walls.
The safe indoor relative humidity percentage is not
a fixed number but will increase or decrease as the
outdoor temperatures rise or fall.
Maximum Sate Recommended
Indoor Relative Humiditv
-10" F 20Y
0° F 25%
10° F 30%
20° F 35%
30° F 35%
*NESCA = National Environmental Systems Contractors Association.
7. Can I install this Sears Humidifier with a heat
pump?
Yes, you can! This is a normal installation using
this Sears Furnace Mount Humidifier. No special
accessory is required. The diagram below shows
the functioning of the unit and also its placement
on the plenum. Installed with a heat pump, it will
evaporate 11 gallons, for a well insulated house up
to 2400 sq. ft.
To install with a heat pump, the humidifier should
be mounted on a warm air plenum (A) or duct (B)
of a heat pump system. Some of the warm air is
drawn from the duct, forced through the wetted
media and returned to the same duct. A self-con­
tained blower moves the air from the duct through
the humidifier and back into the same duct. The
heat pump air delivery across the coil is not dis­
turbed, or altered, in any way. The heat pump, there­
fore, continues to operate at maximum efficiency.