You need to clean your humidifier every year, because it builds up scale, rust, and hard water marks as it operates. You can disassemble it for cleaning--please consult your unit's owner's manual to learn the proper technique for your unit. For a good cleaner, see our "Accessories" section.
When your humidifier's pad or filter gets covered with hard water scale, you probably won't be able to get it perfectly clean again. It's best to just replace it each year.
If you have a reservoir-type humidifier, the float assembly may get stuck while sitting unused all summer. To avoid this problem, remove the float assembly after each heating season and thoroughly clean and inspect it. For cleaning, try vinegar, or the humidifier cleaner we sell in our "Accessories" section.
Over time, the water reservoir on reservoir-type humidifiers gets encrusted with calcium and other minerals. It may also begin to harbor bacteria. Use a humidifier cleaner and anti-bacterial solution to clean the reservoir completely at the start of the heating season and again at the end of the heating season.
If the instructions for the bacteria-control product you use allow it, we suggest that you also clean the reservoir periodically throughout the heating season. See our "Accessories" section for humidifier cleaners.
Bacteria can grow in the standing water reservoir of your humidifier and become airborne whenever the furnace blower is on. You can kill this bacteria within the humidifier. Use a humidifier cleaner and anti-bacterial solution to clean the reservoir completely at the start of the heating season and again at the end of the heating season.
If the instructions for the bacteria-control product you use allow it, we suggest that you also clean the reservoir periodically throughout the heating season. See our "Accessories" section for humidifier cleaners.
