Indoor Air Quality
Whole House Humidifier Installation and Repair in Oakland County
Static shocks, dry skin and floorboards pulling apart are what a Michigan winter does to indoor air. A whole house humidifier on your furnace puts the moisture back in every room. Our family-owned crew installs new ones and repairs the one you have.
Tell us what it is doing. We will tell you straight what happens next.
- Family-owned for 7 years
- We show up on time
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
Whole house humidifier installation for dry Michigan winters
Winter air in Oakland County starts out dry and gets drier indoors. Average January lows here sit in the teens, and air that cold cannot hold much water. When it leaks into the house and the furnace warms it up, its relative humidity drops further still. The furnace is not burning the moisture off. There was never much there to begin with.
A furnace humidifier is a small unit mounted on the ductwork next to the furnace, fed by a water line. It adds moisture to the warm air on its way to the rooms, so the whole house benefits and there are no tanks to fill. Maverick Heating and Cooling is a family-owned business with a crew of four. We install, repair and service humidifiers on most makes and models of furnace.
What to watch for
Signs the air is too dry, or the humidifier has quit
Static shocks at every doorknob
Dry air lets a static charge build up on you as you walk across carpet. Frequent shocks are one of the plainest signs that the indoor humidity has dropped too low.
Dry skin, lips and throat
Many people notice dry air first thing in the morning, after a night of the furnace running. Properly humidified air can ease that discomfort.
Gaps in wood floors and trim
Wood gives up moisture to dry air and shrinks. Gaps between floorboards, open joints in trim and doors that rattle in their frames tend to appear in January and close up again by June.
Humidifier on, house still dry
The usual causes are a water panel crusted with scale, a bypass damper left in the summer position, a closed water valve or a failed solenoid that never lets water in.
Water under the furnace
On a furnace with a humidifier, check there first. A drain blocked with scale, a split feed tube or a valve that will not shut can all put water on the floor. Close the small water valve on the supply pipe, then call us.
What we do
Humidifier installation, repair and service
Bypass humidifier installation
The simplest type. A short duct sends warm air through a wet pad and back into the system, using the furnace blower to do the work.
Fan-powered humidifier installation
A unit with its own fan that pushes air through the pad. It puts out more moisture and needs no bypass duct, which helps where space is tight.
Steam humidifier installation
Boils water and sends steam into the ductwork. It has the highest output and can run whether or not the furnace is heating.
Water panel replacement
A new pad, the scale cleaned out of the housing and tray, and the water flow checked so the whole pad gets wet.
Solenoid valves and water lines
The electric valve that lets water in, the supply valve on the pipe and the small feed tube between them, tested and replaced when they stick or leak.
Humidistats and controls
The control that tells the humidifier when to run. We test it, check its wiring to the furnace and replace it if it has stopped reading correctly.
Leaks and blocked drains
Scale blocks the drain and water backs up into the furnace cabinet. We clear the drain, find where the water came from and check for damage.
Old humidifier replacement
When a unit is rusted through, scaled beyond cleaning or no longer has parts made for it, we take it out, patch the duct and fit a new one.
Bypass, fan-powered or steam: which humidifier fits your house
A bypass humidifier has no fan. It borrows warm air from the supply duct, passes it through a wet pad and returns it to the system, so it only adds moisture while the furnace is running. It is quiet and simple, with little to go wrong. For an average house with a gas furnace that runs a lot in winter, it is often all you need.
A fan-powered humidifier works the same way but moves the air itself, so it delivers more moisture from the same size of pad. It suits larger homes and furnaces with no room for a bypass duct. A steam humidifier makes its own heat, so its output does not depend on how hot the duct air is or how long the furnace runs. That makes it the choice for big or very dry houses. It also typically costs more to buy and run, and we will tell you if it is more than your house calls for.
What to set a humidifier to in winter
The EPA's range for indoor humidity is 30 to 50 percent, and always below 60. In mild winter weather the middle of that range is comfortable. When a cold snap arrives, turn the setting down. The colder the glass, the less indoor humidity it takes for water to condense on it, and what you see on the window can also happen out of sight inside cold walls.
So let the windows be your guide. If water or frost forms along the bottom of the glass, lower the setting a little and give it a day. Many newer controls have an outdoor sensor and make that adjustment by themselves. In spring, switch the humidifier off and move the bypass damper to its summer position, so the air conditioner is not pushing air through a duct it does not need.
The water panel, hard water and yearly humidifier service
The water panel, also called the pad, is where the water evaporates. Whatever minerals were in the water stay behind on it as scale. Once the panel is crusted over, air cannot pass through and the humidifier puts out very little. Plan on a new panel every heating season. Homes with hard water or a private well scale up faster and may need one partway through the winter as well.
A neglected humidifier is more than a weak one. The EPA warns that a dirty humidifier can breed microorganisms, and a blocked drain can put water in your furnace. Yearly service means a new panel, the scale cleaned out, and the water valve, feed tube, drain, damper and control all checked. The handy time for it is the fall furnace tune-up. Changing the panel is a job many homeowners do themselves, and we are glad to show you how.
Humidifier not working? Check these first
Humidifier repair often turns out to be a setting. These checks are safe for any homeowner and take a few minutes. If they do not bring it back, the fault is usually the solenoid valve, the control or the wiring between the humidifier and the furnace, and that is a job for us. Call 248-930-2080.
- The control is switched on and set above the humidity the house is at now
- The bypass damper handle points to WINTER or OPEN
- The small water valve on the supply pipe is open
- The water panel is not stiff and white with scale
- The furnace is actually heating, since most humidifiers only run during a heating cycle
How it works
How a humidifier job goes
Call before the cold
Tell us whether you want a new humidifier or have one that has stopped working, and what kind of furnace you have. We will give you a straight answer on timing.
We look at the furnace
We arrive on time and check the duct space at the furnace, the nearest water line and drain, and the size and layout of the house.
Type and price, up front
We explain which type suits your house and why, or what has failed on your existing unit, and give you the price before any work begins.
Installed and set
We mount the unit, connect the water, drain and control wiring, check for leaks and set the humidity for the weather. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Why Maverick
Family-owned, on time and honest for 7 years
Family-owned
A family business with a crew of four, in business for 7 years.
On time
You planned your day around us. When we give you a time, that is when we are at your door.
Honest work
We show you what is wrong and tell you the price before we start. If a small fix does it, we say so.
100% satisfaction guaranteed
We stand behind every job. Your satisfaction is guaranteed, 100%.
What should the humidity be in my house in winter?
Aim for 30 to 50 percent, and lean toward the low end when it is very cold outside. That is the range the EPA gives for homes. The practical test is your windows: if water or frost forms on the inside of the glass, the humidity is too high for the outdoor temperature and the setting should come down.
Is a whole house humidifier worth it?
If your house is dry all winter, usually yes. Compared with portable room units, a whole house humidifier covers every room the furnace serves, fills itself from the water line and is controlled from one place. Portable units need regular filling and cleaning and only help the room they sit in. If just one bedroom bothers you, a portable unit may be all you need.
Can a whole house humidifier cause mold?
It can if it is set too high or never cleaned. Humidity held above 60 percent, or water condensing on windows and inside cold walls, gives mold the moisture it needs. Keep the setting within 30 to 50 percent, turn it down in a cold snap, replace the water panel yearly and switch the unit off for summer. Used that way, a humidifier does not create a moisture problem.
Can a humidifier be added to any furnace?
To most forced-air furnaces, yes. The humidifier mounts on the ductwork, so it needs a clear area of duct beside the furnace, a water line within reach, a drain and a low-voltage connection to the furnace controls. A house heated by a boiler has no ducts to mount one on, so it relies on portable units or a stand-alone steam system.
How much does whole house humidifier installation cost in Oakland County?
It depends mostly on the type. A bypass unit is the least involved to install, a fan-powered unit sits in the middle, and steam costs the most because of the equipment and the electrical work. How far the water line and drain are from the furnace matters too. We look at your setup and give you the price before we start. Call 248-930-2080.
Do I need a dehumidifier as well as a humidifier?
Some homes do, because the two problems come in opposite seasons. A humidifier handles the dry months when the furnace runs. If the basement turns musty or the house feels sticky in July and August, that is a separate job for a whole house dehumidifier. Our indoor air quality page explains how to tell which one you need.
Keep reading
Related services
Other work we do alongside whole house humidifier.
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Air quality
Dehumidifiers
Ducted dehumidifiers that drain themselves and keep the basement and the whole house from turning damp.
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Air quality
Indoor Air Quality
Dust, dry winter air, a damp basement or stuffy rooms. We find the cause before we suggest equipment.
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Heating
Furnace Tune-Ups
A real fall tune-up: cleaned, tested and inspected, with anything we find explained before it is fixed.
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Air quality
Ventilation
ERV and HRV fresh air systems that swap stale indoor air for outdoor air without wasting the heat.
Where we work
Humidifiers across Oakland County
We are a family-owned crew of four serving these communities and the towns around them.
- Troy
- Rochester Hills
- Royal Oak
- Southfield
- Farmington Hills
- Novi
- Waterford
- West Bloomfield
- Pontiac
- Bloomfield Hills
- Birmingham
- Auburn Hills
- Clarkston
- Lake Orion
Do not see your town? Call 248-930-2080 and ask, or see our full service area.
Too hot or too cold?
Call the family that shows up
On time. Honest about the problem and the price. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
248-930-2080Maverick Heating and Cooling · Family-owned · Oakland County, MI