It works by creating a very fine mist into the hot forced air. The mist evaporates almost instantly given the very small size of the water particles and the temperature and speed of the blown air. It is simply not going to go back down to the furnace.
The device is provided with a sensor that projects into the duct. It senses the temperature of the air, and opens the valve for water to flow when air reaches high enough temp. The device has a nob to change the sensitivity of the sensor, so you can set it to open early or late after the air starts to blow depending on level of desired moisture. The sensor will also shut water off when air temperature starts to decrease. Again the sensitivity can be changed by that nob.
If you are afraid that this device may damage your furnace as some have suggested, just decrease the sensitivity. It will open only when air temp is maximal, and shut with the beginning of temp decrease. I have played with the nob several times and watched how it changes the flow (light turns on and off to indicate water flow). I have also pulled out the nozzle and watched the mist formation to make sure it is still as fine as it should be. I can tell you that after 3 years of use, it still does produce a very fine mist as it did when I bought it. I didn't have to change the nozzle yet. However, the water here is of good quality, and doesn't have a lot of minerals (lake michigan). If you do have hard water, you'll need a filter to prevent nozzle malfunction, and dust formation.
Another important factor is water pressure. It has to be 50 or above for optimum function. In my house it is usually around 65. The higher pressure drives the water through the nozzle to produce the fine mist. without it, it will not be fine enough to evaporate quickly.
You can measure your house water pressure easily. Just go to any homedepot, lowes, menards, etc.. and buy a pressure gauge. It is fairly cheap (less than 10 $).
Also important, determine the humidity level using a hygrometer. Mine was less than 30% before installing Thermomist, and became and stayed at around 50% after using it. You can notice the difference in comfort also.
Overall, I have had nothing but good experience with this device. If installed properly, and adjusted accurately, it'll provide you with a long, reliable, and cheap whole house humidity. Compare that to the other pricey products out on the market, the maintenance they need, the cost of installation, and repair. I did. I found it a good choice.
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I have been using this product to humidify the house for 10 years. I am very happy with it's operation. We do have hard water so it does require maintenance every year. I replace the nozzle, and the filter each year. Once I started doing this I had no problems with this unit. And I have never experienced any damage to my furnace which is serviced every year. The only complaint that I have is the valve which is included for the water source. This valve puts a small hole in the copper pipe to create the water source. After you have turned on and off this valve a few times it no longer shuts off the water source. So, now I have to shut off the water main to perform my service. This wouldn't be a problem except for the fact that I have a whole house water filter, and the media gets disturbed when I turn the mains back on. This leaves sediment in my faucets which is a problem. It would be best to figure out a different way to connect to the water source, or add an inline shutoff in the tubing.Best Deals for ThermoMist Automatic Humidifier
I bought this item and had it professionally installed. The product is horrible, the 'mist' that it claims is enough to corrode my HVAC unit, short out circuitboards and cost me close to $800 in parts to fix my HVAC unit.Given the choice between this and boiling water on my stovetop to humidify the place. I would go for the pot of water.
I am only giving it one star because I dont have an option to give it zero.
Honest reviews on ThermoMist Automatic Humidifier
I bought this device to replace the humidifier that I had which failed. I did not wish to deal with a pad-type humidifier which can breed bacteria and make a mess. This humidifier sprays a fine mist of water into the air duct when the furnace is running. Humidity level is adjustable by turning a screw.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ThermoMist Automatic Humidifier
I initially wrote this review as I was starting to do repairs caused by this product. Once started, the damage turned out to be much more extensive than anticipated. It cost me $500 in new ducting materials and three 12 hour days of my labor to repair what this product did to my HVAC system. I have updated this review based on that experience.I have had one installed for three years and just ripped it out. I am also cleaning rust from and repainting the steel parts of my evaporator coil, and replacing the moldy insulation lining the evaporator case, replaced my fiberglass lined plenum and my metal plenums all of which were difficult and time consuming jobs. The problem is the Thermo-Mist water bleed stone sprays too much water into the ducts and they stay moist. This is especially true at the end of the cycle, when the furnace fan turns off and all that water is left hanging in the ducts with no place to go but to settle into the ducting and atop the evaporator coil. In the entire air system, the only things not damaged were the plastic flex duct, which did not provide a place for mold growth, but I did find small pools of stagnant water which I had to clean out from those. Fortunately the furnace was below the evaporator coil, as in most systems, and itself was spared, but I did have to clean out all the rust particles which had settled into it from the rusty plenum above. I still have on my schedule to clean out the rust particles from the blower fan housings where they also settled. Another day of my time doing clean out. A contractor installed humidifier is a good deal less expensive than a contractor replaced evaporator (evaporators contain refrigerant, impossible to change yourself unless you happen to have an EPA 608 permit). If you have one of these already, turn it off and disconnect the water line NOW, and remove it ASAP.
If I could give this product negative stars, I would gladly do so. It works, but at far too high a long term cost.
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