good cheap humidifier??

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

I was going to keep my orchid hobby very basic - windowsill - period. Now the orchids are sitting on a 4 shelf wire rack. Yesterday I bought a Hunter brand ultrasonic humidifier, hoping that would help with bud blast. One filling is supposed to last for 24 hrs., cool mist, runs absolutely silent and the vapor stream is visible. I paid $59.90. I don't have a humidity gauge, but it has to be an improvement. Now I'm hoping that my orchids appreciate the fact that I'm turning my living room into a greenhouse/livingroom combination.

same deal here!! do you have lights over yours? thats the same as i have!

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Even though we dont, the cost difference between the two styles is more than enough to offset the costs of the wick. We needed a full house one and the price difference was almost $200.

i just need something for a small room, not my whole house

[bballr4567]

Yea, then spend the good bucks to get a small one that works for your sq. ft.

I was just posting my impression about the evaporative ones that dont work.

[Carpe Diem]

Bob, no I don't have lights - yet. btw. my humidifier is for a medium sized room, it doesn't give a square footage. The vapor stream is adjustable.

---------- Post added at 05:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:26 PM ----------

Since my livingroom is on the larger side, I moved the humidifier close to the orchids. I didn't put it on the shelf, just in case the cats might take a interest in it.

[Tsuchibuta]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Yea, then spend the good bucks to get a small one that works for your sq. ft.

I was just posting my impression about the evaporative ones that dont work.

I stand corrected, they never worked in my greenhouse I guess I should have said.

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:39 PM ----------

If you have hard water there is one made by Vicks that has the little spinning cog that basically produces a fine mist. It's not ultrasonic so you don't have to worry about clogging the ceramic plate. I loved it, it would run for like 2 days before filling and I think I only paid $30 for it new.

[bballr4567]

Ours is rated for 1700 sq ft and has to humidify around 900. That could be one reason it works so well but no more cracked lips and bloody noses in the morning.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Yea, then spend the good bucks to get a small one that works for your sq. ft.

I was just posting my impression about the evaporative ones that dont work.

yep thanks for helping!

Originally Posted by Carpe Diem

Bob, no I don't have lights - yet. btw. my humidifier is for a medium sized room, it doesn't give a square footage. The vapor stream is adjustable.
Since my livingroom is on the larger side, I moved the humidifier close to the orchids. I didn't put it on the shelf, just in case the cats might take a interest in it.

its only a matter of time!

Originally Posted by Tsuchibuta

I stand corrected, they never worked in my greenhouse I guess I should have said.

If you have hard water there is one made by Vicks that has the little spinning cog that basically produces a fine mist. It's not ultrasonic so you don't have to worry about clogging the ceramic plate. I loved it, it would run for like 2 days before filling and I think I only paid $30 for it new.

ikl check that one one! the one i have is a spinning cog one, but its LOUD!

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Ours is rated for 1700 sq ft and has to humidify around 900. That could be one reason it works so well but no more cracked lips and bloody noses in the morning.

my room is 131 sq ft about, so i dont need anything huge

thanks for your help guys!

[calypsoB]

If you have asthma or allergies you might want to go with a warm humidifier because you get less bacteria.

[JDawggie]

I bought a Honeywell Germ Free (has a UV light that supposedly kills bacteria)...seems to work well and it was not too bad with price -- $46

[Ray]

An article taken from my FREE INFORMATION page:

Through emails and especially on forums, I see a lot of questions concerning humidification of the home or growing area of the home, especially as Fall and Winter draw near.

While I cannot give specific brand-name recommendations (I have a Jaybird manufacturing Aquafog 700 in my greenhouse), there are a few guidelines that can be shared:

First, talk to a knowledgeable store salesman and look for something that can put out a sufficient volume of moisture to keep the RH at about 50%-60%. That is a good level for you and the plants, while not being so saturated that furniture damage will likely occur. A moderately-sized "whole house" humidifier out do do the trick, but try to get one that works off of a humidistat rather than one with just high-medium-low controls. (You can add a remote, in-line humidistat easily, if you cannot find one with it.) Remember that your home or apartment is not 100% "tight", so you will be losing moisture to the surroundings, so purchase a humidifier with a bit of excess capacity.

There are three basic mechanisms used in humidifiers:

"Cool mist" or ultrasonic devices atomize the water and force the micro-droplets into the air. Any minerals dissolved in the water will precipitate as a white dust on plants, furniture, and any horizontal surface. The use of pure water prevents that, but some ultrasonic transducers won't work with it. The mechanical atomization or "buzzing" of the ultrasonic transducer can be a slight problem, but it usually ends up as a mild source of "white noise" that is ignored.

"Warm mist" devices heat the water and add moisture to the air in the form of steam. With those, the dissolved minerals tend to build up on the heating element. Pure water solves that problem. Such devices are essentially silent in their operation.

A "wick" type of humidifier is typical for the "whole house" device. Typically a cloth mesh belt or sponge is moved through a water bath (sometimes they just stand in it and capillary action draws up the moisture), and air is blown through the mesh to evaporate it. Mineral buildup will occur on the wick, but it tends to be slow, and generally the wicks are inexpensive and easy to replace, so you need not bother with pure water. The fan may produce a low noise level - probably lower than the cool-mist type of humidifier - but it is usually not an issue.

A "do-it-yourself" humidifier can also made with some aquarium-related components - an air stone, air pump, and a tank. Just immerse a very fine air stone (as large as you can accommodate) into a tank of water - the deeper the better, although 12"-18" is sufficient - and turn on the air. The fine bubbles will be totally saturated by the time the reach the surface, where they will break, releasing the moisture into the air.

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by calypsoB

If you have asthma or allergies you might want to go with a warm humidifier because you get less bacteria.

good idea! because i actually have both. but they arent severe

Originally Posted by JDawggie

I bought a Honeywell Germ Free (has a UV light that supposedly kills bacteria)...seems to work well and it was not too bad with price -- $46

ill keep an eye out!

Originally Posted by Ray

An article taken from my FREE INFORMATION page:

Through emails and especially on forums, I see a lot of questions concerning humidification of the home or growing area of the home, especially as Fall and Winter draw near.

While I cannot give specific brand-name recommendations (I have a Jaybird manufacturing Aquafog 700 in my greenhouse), there are a few guidelines that can be shared:

First, talk to a knowledgeable store salesman and look for something that can put out a sufficient volume of moisture to keep the RH at about 50%-60%. That is a good level for you and the plants, while not being so saturated that furniture damage will likely occur. A moderately-sized "whole house" humidifier out do do the trick, but try to get one that works off of a humidistat rather than one with just high-medium-low controls. (You can add a remote, in-line humidistat easily, if you cannot find one with it.) Remember that your home or apartment is not 100% "tight", so you will be losing moisture to the surroundings, so purchase a humidifier with a bit of excess capacity.

There are three basic mechanisms used in humidifiers:

"Cool mist" or ultrasonic devices atomize the water and force the micro-droplets into the air. Any minerals dissolved in the water will precipitate as a white dust on plants, furniture, and any horizontal surface. The use of pure water prevents that, but some ultrasonic transducers won't work with it. The mechanical atomization or "buzzing" of the ultrasonic transducer can be a slight problem, but it usually ends up as a mild source of "white noise" that is ignored.

"Warm mist" devices heat the water and add moisture to the air in the form of steam. With those, the dissolved minerals tend to build up on the heating element. Pure water solves that problem. Such devices are essentially silent in their operation.

A "wick" type of humidifier is typical for the "whole house" device. Typically a cloth mesh belt or sponge is moved through a water bath (sometimes they just stand in it and capillary action draws up the moisture), and air is blown through the mesh to evaporate it. Mineral buildup will occur on the wick, but it tends to be slow, and generally the wicks are inexpensive and easy to replace, so you need not bother with pure water. The fan may produce a low noise level - probably lower than the cool-mist type of humidifier - but it is usually not an issue.

A "do-it-yourself" humidifier can also made with some aquarium-related components - an air stone, air pump, and a tank. Just immerse a very fine air stone (as large as you can accommodate) into a tank of water - the deeper the better, although 12"-18" is sufficient - and turn on the air. The fine bubbles will be totally saturated by the time the reach the surface, where they will break, releasing the moisture into the air.

thanks ray!! i didnt even think to look on your website. how well does the DIY option work? because i think i have all that on hand.

as for the hardness of my water, i usually dont get waterstains on my plants

i wont be able to use pure water, so maybe on of the other options is best