Humidifiers adjust the moisture in the air surrounding us; it prevents dryness in the air, often leading to irritation and discomfort in different parts of our body. Humidity is nature’s moisturizer, and it can relieve many issues related to dryness, such as itchy throat, dry cough, difficulty breathing, and cracked lips.
Considering all the benefits of increased humidity levels, it might sound like a good idea to increase humidity around you; however, too much moisture can also lead to respiratory problems and skin irritation. The ideal humidity levels lie in between 40-60 percent, and to keep the humidity in this range, you need a decent humidifier.
There are small humidifiers that work for mid-sized living spaces. If you have multiple rooms in your house, you might need more than a single humidifier, but why get multiple humidifiers when you can easily get a whole-house humidifier?
A whole-house humidifier works like a central humidifier, and it is connected to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system in your house. Its operation is rather simple when the humidifier is powered on; water gets stored in a distribution tray. The air then travels through the distribution tray, picks up moisture along the way, and then humidified air is distributed in your living spaces via the central ventilation system.
A whole-house humidifier can also save you some money by cutting down on your electricity bills. In fact, higher humidity levels allow you to set your thermostat much lower, keeping you safe from all kinds of infections and allowing you to breathe much more comfortable.
Based on functionality factors, the three main types of whole-house humidifiers are bypass, fan-powered, and steam humidifiers.
- Bypass humidifier adjusts the humidity levels in the air by adding moisture to warm air by using a furnace.
- Fan Powered humidifiers use a fan to push air through the distribution tray for better and faster water evaporation.
- Steam humidifiers operate by electrically boiling the water to convert water into steam, which in turn creates humidity. Steam humidifiers are more of a natural humidifier since it only works on boiling water.
Out of these three different types of whole-house humidifiers, a fan-powered humidifier works better because it uses an internal fan in the humidifier that pushes air through the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. A fan-powered humidifier is efficient and saves energy as well.
Contents
Honeywell Whole-House Humidifier (HE360A)
Honeywell Whole-House Humidifier (HE360A) is a fan-powered humidifier, and it is an ideal whole-house humidifier for all your humidity needs. It successfully eliminates the dry-air that has been surrounding you and causing respiratory problems such as coughing, itchy throat, breathing difficulties, difficulty sleeping, and dry skin.
Not only does it eliminate these health-related problems, but it also saves your wooden furniture and your floorings from wearing out due to the dry air. Just like human beings, plants are also affected by humidity, and if you have plants or a flower in your living space, they might get dull in color due to the low humidity levels in the air. Honeywell Whole-House Humidifier is an exceptional product, and it’s specifications, and features are as followed:
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Features
Honeywell Whole-house humidifier features a unique and compact design, with the dimensions being 10.25 x 15.25 x 14 inches. It weighs 18.5 lbs with everything attached. Honeywell Whole-house humidifier is electric powered and doesn’t require any kind of batteries to be installed in it. It comes in a light gray color and offers a saddle valve assembly for smooth operation and easy installation.
All these included, the company also offers a one year warranty with it. So you do not have to worry about any damages. But the chances of it getting faulty are very unlikely due to its maintenance-free design.
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Mechanism
Honeywell Whole-House humidifier is based on a fan-powered mechanism and uses your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system for adjusting the humidity levels in your home. For increased water evaporation, it uses a fan to push warm air through the distribution tray. This allows the air to collect moisture when it goes through the water tray and is then pushed back into the ventilation ducts into your living spaces.
Since there is no actual water stored in the humidifier itself, it lowers the growth rate of mold and other micro-organisms that rapidly grow in high-moisture environments –thus keeping your attic and ducts safe. The flowing water also keeps your unit maintenance-free.
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Coverage
Honeywell Whole-house humidifier is designed to provide ideal humidity levels effectively in large living spaces that are as big as 4,500 square feet. Whether you install it in your house or your office, it will keep the humidity levels in your living space healthy.
It can produce up to 18 gallons of humidity per day –thus allowing you more comfort and a better breathing environment for longer. If used overnight, it can help people with difficulty sleeping. With ideal humidity levels, you can have a better, peaceful sleep.
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Humidity Control
There are days when you want a stronger humidity output, and then there are days where you need a light breeze. Higher moisture levels in the air can be more harmful than lower humidity levels. Honeywell Whole-house humidifier features an H8909 Humidistat mounted in the duct and connected to the unit itself. It is one of the most essential components of Honeywell whole house humidifier parts.
Whether it’s the summer season or the winter, You’re in control of your house’s moisture! H8909 Humidistat lets you control the humidity in your surroundings by its variable speed control.
Comfortable humidity not only helps purify the air, but it also keeps your respiratory system healthy, and if you own any plants, they stay fresh too.
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Filter and Enhanced Distribution Tray
It is also bundled with a unique Honeywell whole house humidifier filter, technically referred to as Vista Model 714. No matter how pure your water is, you still need a filter to drain out the impurities and other micro-organisms that might be harmful to you.
Honeywell whole-house humidifier offers a PerfectFLO Distribution Tray, which speeds up the moisturization process in the humidifier and provides better control over the humidity.
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Maintenance Free
Moisture can build up in your ventilation system due to the continuous usage of whole-house humidifiers. This moisture then leads to the growth of mold in your ducts, and it gets distributed in your living spaces. Mold can cause many adverse effects on your health. It can cause allergic reactions, including dry coughs, sneezing, dry skin, and itchy eyes. It can also cause damage to your wooden furniture and floorings.
If you can not be bothered with cleaning the ducts, filter, and the humidifier itself regularly, Honeywell whole-house humidifier is ideal for you. The water-flowing design and the PerfectFlo distribution tray keep the water filtered and running, which keeps your ducts clean, mold-free, keeps the harmful micro-organisms away, and thus giving you a maintenance-free operation.
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Energy Efficient
Unlike bypass duct humidifiers and steam humidifiers, Honeywell whole-house humidifier features a fan-powered mechanism that is more energy-efficient compared to the traditional humidifiers. It uses the same energy as a 25-watt light bulb would.
Ideal humidity levels lie between 40 and 60 percent range. When the humidity in your house is in the ideal range, the air feels warmer, and thus, you will have to lower or adjust your thermostat accordingly, and in return, it helps you cut down on your overall electricity costs.
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Easy Installation
The dimensions being, 10.25 x 15.25 x 14 inches, It is compact in size, and since it is a fan-powered humidifier, it does not require a bypass duct. It can be installed horizontally or vertically as long as it is installed on the warm air supply duct of any forced-air furnace.
However, you will need to buy a separate installation kit with it, since this particular Honeywell whole-house humidifier only comes with an instructional video and no installation kit.
In a nutshell, Honeywell whole-house humidifier is an ideal product, but it also has flaws like every other product. We have listed the pros and cons for you to grasp a better idea of the Honeywell whole-house humidifier review.
Pros
- Fan-Powered mechanism
- Provides coverage of up to 4,500 square feet
- Maintenance-free
- Up to 18 gallons of humidity per day
- Humidity control; features an H8909 Humidistat
- Vista Model 714 Filter
- Energy Efficient
Cons
- Requires an installation kit to be bought separately
- No proper water drainage system
Due to no proper water drainage system, the water that is not absorbed by the air in the distribution tray is wasted. But according to some critics, it can be reduced by controlling the water intake.
Comparison with other Honeywell products
Honeywell offers three whole-house humidifiers namely,
- Honeywell Whole House Fan-Powered Humidifier with Installation Kit HE360A1075
- Honeywell Whole House Flow-Through Bypass Humidifier, HE240A2001
- Honeywell Whole House By-Pass Humidifier with Water Saving Technology, HE280A2001
All of these are whole-house humidifiers but are based on different mechanisms. They vary in the coverage area, weight, size, and operation mechanism.
For a detailed comparison, find the table attached below.
| S. No. | Honeywell Whole House Fan-Powered HE360A | Honeywell Whole House Flow-Through Bypass Humidifier HE240A | Honeywell Whole House By-Pass Humidifier HE280A |
| Mechanism | Fan Powered | By-Pass | By-Pass |
| Dimensions | 10.25 x 14 x 15.25 in | 15.75 x 15.75 x 9.47 in | 16.25 x 18.5 x 9.75 in. |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs | 9 lbs | 14 lbs |
| Coverage | 4,500 square feet | 1,500 to 3,000 square feet | 4,000 square feet |
| Humidistat Included | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Apart from all these factors, the main factor that makes Honeywell Whole House Fan-Powered HE360A better is the fact that it uses an internal fan for better airflow. It is efficient and works effectively due to the humidified air being forced into the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems. One downside to this is that it only ships with an instructional video and no installation kit itself. You will have to buy a separate installation kit with it to be able to make it functional.
Final Verdict
Honeywell Whole House Fan-Powered HE360A Humidifier is an all in one solution to your moisturizing needs. Due to its compact design, it can be installed in all kinds of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems. The fan-powered mechanism works flawlessly and efficiently, allowing you to experience optimum levels of humidity.
Honeywell Whole House Fan-Powered can provide ideal humidity in large living or workplaces. It can offer more than 18 gallons of humidified air for a place as big as 4,500 square feet. The H8909 Humidistat itself is an excellent controller that allows you different speeds to ensure you get the best out of it. All in all, it is an effective humidifier that provides instant relief to dry cough, itchy throat, cracked lips, itchy eyes, and dry skin. Apart from all these respiratory issues, it can also improve the overall quality of your sleep so that you can wake up relaxed and fresh the next morning. The only downside to it is the lack of a proper drain system, the water that is not absorbed by the air gets wasted. But it can be reduced by controlling the water intake. It can be done by installing a valve in its water supply line.
