Qustions about humidifier???

[Jim]

I have a small cool-mist humidifier, but I can't figure out if it is doing any good or not. I think it may be too small for the area, but consider the following facts please:

I have a small vacation cabin, measuring 24 ft by 32 ft. The first floor is mainly "open" except for a bath room area. It has a cathedral ceiling, about 20 ft tall. This same basic main floor (768 Sq ft) has a "open" loft area, which covers 1/2 of the main floor. So, this open loft area is 24 ft X 16 ft,

I have a fireplace in the main area, which of course can be fully seen from the loft area, looking down on to the main floor. Mainly because of this fireplace as well as a k-1 oil heater, this cabin gets extremely dry, down to about 25 % humidity.

I bought a small humidifier, just to use in the small loft area, thinking it would help the area around my bed where I sleep in the loft. Its capacity is about 2 gals every 24 hours.

Perhaps I am expecting too much out of this small unit because the loft area that I am trying to humidify is "open" to the full area of the main floor, but at the same time I would think that it would raise the humidity level in the general area that is 8-10 feet from the unit. Yet, I can run it for

24 hours a day, and although it indeed uses up water (about 2 gals every 24 hours) neither the humidity gauge on the unit nor a separate humidity gauge usually show any change in humidity levels. There have been some times that the humidity has gone up by about 8-10 %, but other times that I can run the unit all day and night, and see no increase in the humidity level.

So, if the unit is using up water (it can't just disappear), then I guess that it isn't doing enough good to bring this loft area up to 45-50 % humidity level. Do I just need a much larger unit ??

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Thanks !!

Jim

[bBob]

My folks heat their (kit built) log cabin with a wood stove so I can understand how dry it must get inside your place. A tea-kettle filled with water kept on the wood stove helped a little.

If you take a really hot, long shower, does that add (noticeable) moisture to the cabin? The shower is just a big 'humidifier'. You might consider releasing the air from the dryer vent inside. I've seen cheap kits to do this with- it basically just adds moisture back into the living area.

[Ken Weitzel]

Hi Jim...

Just the thoughts of a retired old guy...

The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can absorb (and hold).

Warm air ir "lighter" than cooler air, hence it rises to the highest point in your cottage... in this case the ceiling of the loft.

So... what you're doing now is humidifying the air on its way to the ceiling. Not only is this futile, it also puts your ceiling and insulation at risk.

I suggest trying moving the humidifier to the immediate area of the fireplace or the oil burner. Close enough, that is, to be in the low level warmed area, yet not so close as to be in the airflow that's on its way out the chimney(s) :)

Take care.

Ken

[Jim]

This sounds like a good idea Ken, and I will try it soon. I could place it pretty close to both sources of heat.

Thanks !!

Jim