Humidifier Settings, Installation and Maintenance Tips

Posted by Jim under Homeowner, Tips

During extremely cold weather, your home loses humidity to the outdoors and may drop to as low as 10%.  The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommend that your home maintain a humidity level between 30-60%. As the exterior air temperature changes so do the optimal interior humidity levels of your home (see chart below):

A simple visual inspection test, look at the condensation forming on your windows. If excessive moisture collects on windows your humidistat is set to high. Excess humidity over a prolonged time can damage windows and walls especially when outdoor air temperatures are very low.  As the temperature drops outside so must the humidity levels in your home. If the weather man calls for a prolonged cold snap be sure to lower your humidistat.

Settings:

In general we recommend setting the dial at 35%. You may want to raise or lower it slightly because each home is different. Increase the humidity setting until you see a small accumulation of water droplets forming on the bottom half inch of your window panes then back it off slightly (a few percent) to ensure the proper humidity level for your home have been reached.

Depending on the model you choose and the size of your home, a humidifier uses from 1 to 15 gallons per day when the furnace is operating. This minimal amount of water is enough to raise the humidity to your desired level

Installation:

A whole house humidifier is installed in the duct work, right beside your furnace. Although it can be installed by a handy do it yourself home owner it requires knowledge of HVAC, plumbing and electrical so it may be outside the expertise level for the average do it yourself home owner (Tip: leverage ServiceLive to find a professional in your area).

As far as console/room humidifiers, simply purchase one at your favorite retailer, following the instructions and plug it in.

Maintenance:

One of the most important aspects of a humidifier, whether it’s a console/room unit or a whole-house unit, is the filter. The filter allows air to circulate through the wetted media trapping particles and adding clean water to moisten the air. Depending on your water’s hardness and mineral content you may need to change your filter twice during the season (Tip: if you have the humidistat on max and the air in your home is still dry and/or your console/room humidifier doesn’t need refilling as often, it’s probably time to replace the filter).

Whole-house humidifiers are recommended for their lower maintenance and because they evenly distribute the humidity across the entire home. Because of lower water requirements, a whole house humidifier can run for eight to twelve weeks before needing a thorough cleaning (Tip: do it your self by purchasing a  filter sold at major home improvement big box stores and/or local hardware stores. Simply right down the make/model, purchase and replace the filter… the process is similar to changing your furnace filter).

Console/room humidifiers, on the other hand, need to be refilled daily and may need to be cleaned out weekly during the season to remove any mold and bacteria build up.

Irregardless of the type of unit you have we recommend installing a new filter at the start of the season and then once again after the first of the year (every 2-3 months depending on the hardness of water in your area).

Tags: Energy, Humidifiers, Installation, maintenance, Tips

A Homeowners Testimonial

Posted by Frank under Homeowner

Recently, I needed a new kitchen garbage disposal installed and decided to give ServiceLive a try. I registered and submitted my project and within a couple hours, I received a response from a service provider with a counterproposal, which I subsequently accepted. The service provider called me the next morning to schedule a date and time for the service call, and he was willing to come early in the morning to accommodate my work schedule.

He and his associate arrived as scheduled and were very professional, courteous and careful to keep the area clean. The disposal was replaced in no time and works perfectly. They also took time to answer all of my questions which I greatly appreciated.

Although I was very pleased with the overall experience, I had some difficulty navigating through the ServiceLive website. I was told that these issues are being resolved and the site will add changes to improve usability and performance.

ServiceLive is convenient, as you can request services in the comfort of your home over the internet. ServiceLive is a perfect tool for homeowners who need repairs or new installations.

Highly recommended…

Tags: garbage disposal, home improvement, Installation, servicelive, services

Home Service Simplified

Posted by Frank under Homeowner, ServiceLive News

ServiceLive.com is the first online marketplace for home repair, maintenance and improvements. It is an online auction/name-your-price Web site you can use to get a wide variety of services done around your home.

Looking to have a flat panel TV installed in your home, or you’re ready to hire help for that tough flooring or painting project? From simple repairs and installations at home ServiceLive SIMPLE provides the fast, easy access to service professionals you need.

Hire service professionals on your terms, at your price, and on your schedule. ServiceLive makes it easy to find the pre-screened service provider you need to tackle your tough jobs. Name your price, let service providers compete for your business, and release payment only when you’re satisfied, and even rate the work. -it’s that simple.

For a limited time we are waiving the posting fee through September 30th 2008!

Create an account today!. Our online platform is easy as 1 - 2 - 3!

To learn more about creating a service order click here.

Tags: Home Repair, homeowners, Installation, servicelive, services

Declaration of DIY TV Installation

Posted by Frank under Homeowner, Tips

There are a number of websites that have easy to follow, step-by-step instructions for wall mounting your own flat-panel television. Most of them contain the proverbial warnings that point out dangerous consequences if the process isn’t carefully followed. “The television may fall down if…” (Or) “You may electrocute yourself if…” Some of these websites even point out potentially fatal errors that are common for the average Do-It-Yourself consumer. Aside from these extreme examples, there are a few common mistakes people make when wall mounting a flat panel television. Below is one example from this extensive series that we call the ‘Declaration of DIY TV Installation’.

The Cable Quandary

Even when the length of the necessary cables is carefully measured, they will never be long enough. Although you measured that 6’ cable when you opened the package, it shrank the minute you plugged it into the TV and now won’t reach the DVD player. It can be initially painful for the pocketbook, but spare yourself the aggravation by purchasing longer cables than you think you will need.

It is far better to have an extra foot of cable than have one that is two inches too short. Many consumers make the mistake of neglecting to measure the horizontal distances and adding it to the overall length. When you think you have the right measurement, add to it, and make sure you can convert meters to feet. To further add to the cable length quandary, most manufactures make (and advertise) their cable lengths using the metric system. (Hint: 1 meter = 3.2808399 feet).

When you find yourself digging a hole, we all know that rule #1 is to stop digging. Rule #2 is to immediately find your mouse (the one tethered to your computer), go to ServiceLive.com and click on a professional.  Identify what needs to be done, schedule a time that is convenient for you, indicate the amount you are willing to pay, and grab yourself a cold beverage.

Credits: Scott Hall at www.westwingsolutions.com

Tags: Cabling, DIY, Installation, technology, TV