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HOMEOWNER
How Your Humidifier Works
Your Skuttle Steam Humidifier supplies moist air to your home much the
same way as outdoor air is humidified. On a warm summer day, the sun’s
heat evaporates water from puddles, streams, rivers, oceans, etc., turn-
ing it into vapor. The amount of water vapor
(humidity)
that rises into the
air is determined by the amount of time the water is exposed to the heat
source.
If you were to look inside your humidifier’s reservoir, you would see an
immersed, tubular heater and two floats. When your home is too dry, the
humidistat (humidity control device) installed with your system activates
the humidifier heater. A built-in thermostat senses the water temperature
and, when the water is warm enough, turns on a relay to activate the
blower on your furnace. The blower, independent of your home’s heating
system, disperses humidified air throughout the house. In other words,
the heat necessary for evaporation is supplied by the humidifier itself,
rather than by your furnace.
Once the selected level of humidity is reached, the humidifier heater turns
off automatically. However, the furnace blower continues to replenish the
moisture in your home until the water in the humidifier’s reservoir is
cooled and ceases to produce steam. All this takes place without
disruption to your heating system’s normal operation. When the indoor
humidity drops below the desired level, the process begins again.
As water is evaporated from the humidifier reservoir and replaced by
fresh water, the larger of the two float valves prevents overflow by
shutting off the water at the designated level. The smaller float acts as an
additional safety device, automatically shutting off the humidifier heater if,
for any reason, the water level drops below the heating element.
Because water evaporated from the humidifier leaves behind all its
impurities (calcium, iron, lime, bacteria, etc.), the resulting humidification
doesn’t pollute your indoor air. Instead, your home is freer from these
contaminants, creating a healthier, more comfortable environment for you
and your family.
