Humidification using steam heat

Phil Brennan

What's your thoughts on adding humdification? Specifically, is there anything out there that I can hook up to my 125,000 BTU residential steam boiler that can improve the humidy conditions in my home?

Thad English

I have always put a pyrex glass dish filled with water directly on the radiator. It works. It's cheap. There are also radiator enclosures that have built in water holders for humidification purposes.

flange

the steam produced by your boiler would not be clean enough, most likely. there are manufacturers of whole house humidifiers that can be installed in your mech room and vented to a low point in your crib.

Tim Gardner

My 1925 house has metal radiator covers for the steam radiators. The lids on the covers lift up and there is a tray inside for putting water.

I suppose I could run 1/4" irrigation line to these trays and hook it up to a timer and/or a sensor via a sprinkler valve. That would be fun, but a bit more than I have time for at the moment.

Jim_22

Humidification

I was in an old high end home once and each radiator had a small copper tray that was made in the shape of "T". The leg of the T was very slender and made to slip into the end of the tubes on the radiator, leaveing only the top of the "T" exposed. They extended about 2/3 of the way through the rad and could be filled with water for humidification. Very nicely made, the work of a very crafty tin (copper) knocker.

Very cool.

canuckDale

Just remember

..you are are adding make-up water if you use your steam heat to humidify. More calcium, magnesium, iron and oxygen. Not friendly to steam boilers. The need for blowdown and chemical treatment will be required. And, you shouldn't use any amine condensate corrosion inhibitors. Maybe a stand alone unit?

Drod

I didn't know

you COULD humidify using the actual steam heat. I thought any humidification (wheter it be pans, inserts, or separate stand alone units) was done independently of the steam within the system.

Eric

humidification

Most commercial humidification is done by direct steam injection. Some Amine chemicals for PH control are known carcinagins and the use of direct steam humidifiers has decreased.

Armstrong makes steam humidifiers for duct mounted and I believe they are now making a gas fired humidifier. Nortec makes a nice electric electrode type humidifier as well.

All steam is clean by definition. In fact it is about as pure of water that you can make. Thats why condensate is so corrosive, water is the universal solvent. All the minerals are left in the boiler water.

Most hosipitals are now installing indirect steam humidifiers. They use boiler steam to make more steam and thus it is a "closed" boiler loop and no makeup required.

Care should be taken when humidifing. The increase in Relative humidity will increase dew point temperatures leading to condensation and frost on windows. In additon, A good vapor barrier for wall construcion will be required in a cold climate.