AIRCARE 831000 Space-Saver, White Whole House Evaporative Humidifier 2700 sq. ft
We live in Las Vegas Nevada and dry air is unbearable some months in summer and winter so we tried many humidifiers and were not happy with a few things.
1. They were never putting enough humidity in the air.
2. They all had small tanks for water and needed frequent refill.
3. Also all of them required distilled water because tab water or RO water would leave white crystal dust on the furniture, windows and all around the house.
4. They also needed frequent cleaning
We tried many. Seven or eight in 10 years.
I also looked at entire house humidifier that connect to your water supply but the cost was the reason. 1700 Square feet house and $1800 humidifier. So I kept searching till I did not discover this type of humidifier.
We have it in the house for about a month and are very happy with it. There are a few good and bad things about it.
Good :
It takes 5 gallons of tap water so refill is not so frequent
Every 24-30 hours and we keep it on slowest speed for fan.
Water evaporates naturally without use of any hot or cold mist so it does not leave any white crystal dust throughout house.
It looks ok and it’s got his wheels so it is easy to move around.
It keeps our house that is 1700 ft.² at 30 to 40% humidity and it is big difference. We are also running it on lowest speed for the fan and it is the quietest.( for those they are looking for a super quiet fan this is not one and I think you will never find one as long as it’s got the fan that moves the air. Faster it goes more noise it produces it is just logical) We are all fine with it.
Bad:
Very cheap materials used to build it. But hey for $100 what do you expect.
Top buttons for the fan operation humidity control and on and off button are the same size and if you’re standing up you can tell them apart. So you my push few till you figure out which is the one for the speed of the fan or humidity. That is also till you don’t get used to it and you know which one is for which operation.
For closure I am stating that this is the best product for what we needed and the price. I am ordering one for my parents and they will get it as a Christmas gift. This is also one of my longest reviews and I hope you find it helpful.
Pros:
1. It takes up very little space, has wheels and is easy to move.
2. It was very easy to assemble.
3. It has a large, six gallon tank, so I only have to refill it every 2-4 days depending on the outside humidity (Note: I only run it on the 45% humidity and lowest fan speed settings. Obviously, it will require more frequent refills if you run it at a higher humidity and/or fan speed).
3. It's very easy to refill. You just take off the small front grill, and dump in water. I'm using two empty gallon milk jugs for refills. I fill one in the sink, then start filling the other. I dump the first one. By the time I get back to the sink, the second jug is full, and repeat...it takes about 5 minutes to do a full 6 gallon refill.
4. The control buttons are very simple to use, and it tells you on the display when it needs a refill.
5. The filter is very easy to install and will last for an entire winter season.
6. Unlike other humidifiers, it does NOT require regular cleaning during the season due to its simple and efficient design (Note: I add humidistat solution to the water every 2-3 refills to kill bacteria/mold buildup in the water tank as a precaution. You can buy this at places such as Walmart).
7. I live in a modest, 1200 sq. ft. rancher, and this humidifier easily keeps our house comfortably humidified; however, I also run a small, one gallon humidifier in our bedroom at night because we keep our door closed.
8. The fan is very quiet on the lowest speed setting.
For multistory houses or houses with much more square footage, I would recommend one of these on each floor and/or in opposing ends of the house.
Cons:
1. The fan sound is quite loud on the medium and high settings; however, I've learned from years of experience that the best speed to run the fan on any humidifier is on low. It's quieter, saves water, and your house will get humidified steadily and just as effectively.
In addition, there's really no need to set the humidity level above 45-50%. That is a healthy humidity level, and anything higher is a waste of water.
I highly recommend buying this product!!
I Really like it. The set up was very easy and it works as it is suppose to. I have it in the family room where we spend the majority of time. It monitors the humidity in the room and turns off and on according to what it is set to. We have a television in the same room and when set on low, we can still hear the TV fine without any adjustments. The medium setting on the humidifier is a bit louder, but really not that bad. I would probably have to adjust the volume on the TV if running on high. But, with that being said, the low does the job for the room that I'm using it in. I may eventually put it in the next room over, near a cold air return, which I'm sure would humidify most of the rooms on either medium or high. This unit is very easy to fill and maintain. Just pull off the front (slanted) grill, add water and set it back on. I do not even have to do that every day on the low setting. I just use a one gallon container, add a bit of the Essick Air 1970 Humidifier Bacteriostatic Treatment and dump it in. It is so much easier than carting the plastic water containers back and forth like some of the other humidifiers. I don't see it as flimsy at all as some of the other reviews state. As far as longevity goes, I can't say. I haven't had the unit long enough to comment on that which is why I gave it a 4 star review instead of a 5 star review. But if it stops working this heating season I will update this post. I might also add I have two small dogs that are scratching a lot less due to dry skin. I'm glad I purchased this model and would buy it again. We are much more comfortable and feel warmer using this. We have those northern winters which can really be drying with the heat on. I recommend it highly.
UPDATE: I've edited my review to 5 instead of 4 stars. This is the second season of using it and it is working as good as when I got it.
I started with 27% Relative Humidity in an 884 sq. ft. apartment and got to 45% in 24 hours. My Aircare arrived yesterday and I was able to put it together and start running it when I got home from work at about 5 o'clock. Setup was very easy. I initially thought the float ring was not included but later found it laying on the floor. I don't know where it was located in the box (it must have been loose somewhere in the box) but it did not come in the little parts bag.
I loaded with six gallons of water and ran the fan at the highest level. In five hours, I had reached about just under 40% humidity with a goal of 45%. I refilled the tank to the fill line, turned the fan down to the middle setting (there are three settings) and went to bed. I woke up to 43%. I filled the tank again and ran it all day on fan setting 2. I just got home at just under 5 PM and had achieved 45% relative humidity. So technically, it reached my goal of 45% relative humidity in less than 24 hours.
I have turned it down to level 1 fan and it is currently on auto. I am hearing it start and stop automatically because of its own hygrometer that is properly reading the relative humidity (I have an additional hygrometer in the house so I know the unit's is is measuring true.) I'll come back and note if, and by how much, the relative humidity dropped over time.
Important note: I also ran a small, single room humidifier in my bedroom last night. I do not know how much this contributed to keeping/getting the Aircare to maintain a mid-40's humidity percent but it can't have hurt. I'm not sure it was necessary however. That unit was not run at all from about 4 AM until now and the Aircare still reached 45% on its own.
I'm pleased. I'd recommend.
For the record, I personally do not find the fan as loud as a jet engine. But then, I worked near jet engines for years and frankly, it's a ridiculous analogy. Is it loud at speed three? Sure is, but not anywhere near deafening. Could I sleep next to it at level three? Mmmm depends on how tired I was but I could do it in order to be able to breathe and not have nose bleeds all night and day. Light or easily annoyed sleepers will have a problem at speed three if it's near their bed. Mine is in the entry foyer next to the living room, literally, the other side of the apartment on a diagonal plane.
I am starting my 3rd winter with this unit. Happy with my purchase. The 6 gallon tank is awesome. The largest I could find in this type of humidifier. Tank lasts for 2 days on an average winter day. Lasts 24 hours on really dry days when temps are 25° or below. Totally mobile on sturdy wheels if you want to roll it to the sink for filling. Top removes for complete fill and easy cleaning. And front fill for quick fill is convenient and super easy. The fan runs quietly on low and barely noticable or disturbing. It maintains the desirable humidity settings according to my hygrometer. I remove one star because sometimes putting the entire top back on can be tricky. But with the front fill this only needs removing for thorough cleaning or filter"wick" replacement. One note...make sure to use the water treatment additives to prevent contaminates from dispersing in the air and prevent mold bulid up on filter. It is not a pretty unit to blend in with furniture and decor. But with this great functionality it is a small sacrifice. If you are going for something stylish, be prepared to refill and refill often with smaller tank capacities on decorative models. I would buy this unit again for sure when this one gives up the ghost. Hopefully that wont happen too soon.
Feature Product
- Digital Controls with Auto Humidistat. The maximum run time is 70 hours and the capacity is 6 gallons
- Automatically Shuts Off When Desired Humidity Level is Reached or When Unit is Empty
- Trapmax Filter Technology with Protection
- Check Filter and Water Refill Indicators
- Easy to Use Pour-in-Fill.Voltage:120 V
Description
Evaporative humidifiers are a great solution for adding much needed humidity to dry air in the home. By raising indoor relative humidity levels to 43% or above, 86% of airborne virus particles are rendered powerless. Maintaining proper humidity levels also helps treat flu and allergy symptoms by soothing dryness, itchiness, and irritation in the nose, nasal passages, sinuses, mouth, throat, and eyes. Many people think pet hair is the cause of allergies, but in reality, the cause of allergens from pets is actually from their dander. Adding moisture to the air reduces pet dander and other airborne allergens. Evaporative Humidification not only produces comfortable/healthy air, it is also an extremely effective way to save money on energy cost. Adding humidity to the air allows you to remain comfortable at lower thermostat settings. "The rule of thumb is that you can save about 3% on your heating bill for every degree that you set back your thermostat," says Bill Prindle, deputy director for the non-profit American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. This means evaporative humidification could save you up to 20% on your energy bill. WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including benzene which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
This Humidifier is awesome. I live in Colorado and we have very dry air. I got tired of filling up the little 1 gallon humidifiers that we had in every bed room. This one does our whole house which is about 2600 sq ft. The built in humidistat is pretty accurate. I purchased two hygrometers to put in different rooms around the house and it is usually with in a percent or two of them. My family has been very very satisfied with this purchase. It really does do a fantastic job. I have recommended it to several people who all said the same thing.
Pros:
Quickly puts a lot of moisture in the air
Easy to fill the 6 gallon tank
Filter is easy to install, remove, replace
Cons:
High speed is very loud. Louder than a box fan
We have a 2 story plus basement house. We put this in the center of the ground level in a hall between our kitchen and living room and keeps the humidity level comfortable. On high, it's too loud for the kitchen and living room, but the other rooms are OK. When we are at home, we turn it on low so that we can talk and then high at night or when we are at work. I would buy this humidifier again as I'm not sure how you can improve on the design to reduce the noise. I've only had the humidifier for 2 weeks and cannot comment about how long it will last. If/When it fails, I will update this review. No updates means the unit is still working.
I don't understand why belt humidifiers aren't a thing anymore. Were they really less sanitary than our disposable filters? Can't someone do something about this? /Rant over. Begin review.
After reading other individuals experiences with this particular model of humidifier, I took the leap and bought one. Humidifiers are my white whale. I wistfully daydream about the old, ugly behemoth that stood like a silent sentinel in my childhood dining room; it held approximately two million gallons of water and was quietly reliable. Oh, how I miss the old days.
Other reviews indicated that this Aircare is a flimsy unit and they weren't overstating. The plastic has some give and it's a small struggle to get everything aligned. This should pose little problem, I'd think, as the only time one would have to remove the top is to change the filter. On the plus side, the whole thing is pretty light and easy enough to move around (when empty!)
Now here's the real OH WOW! part of this review. Being able to dump pitchers of water into the thing without having to remove or open and close lids is so, so, so very convenient. I've got two old tea pitchers that I use, filling one while dumping the other. It makes filling this thing up a few minute task and then you're set for OVER 24 HOURS*.
A couple of things to note: you can add water while the fan is on low and it won't blow back, but if you are only putting in teaspoons of additives, the fan can AND WILL blow whatever it is back on you. And when the fan is on high, you can't even pour in water, as it, too, will create a small Niagara Falls personal experience. Turn the fan off. That's what the instructions say to do. Do not ignore them as I did. Let my folly be your redemption.
OK, now on to the settings. The humidifier I purchased has two settings and a humidistat. When on low it's not going to bother you. Especially awesome when the humidity is only running a little bit low. Then there's the high setting. It's loud. Like vacuum cleaner loud. Fine at night, when everyone has their door closed. Not so great when you're trying to chat.
The humidistat has three settings. Low, medium, high humidity. The unit automatically shuts off when your desired humidity is reached.
Assembly is quick. There aren't many parts and the filter/wick just sorta hangs out in the bottom of the unit. Refill is so easy. You might need a flashlight to see water level. Don't overfill if you value your floor.
I've been using this for about a month now. Rating at 4/5 broken down as:
Materials - 4/5
Adjustability of settings - 3/5
Water output - 5/5
Best of luck, and if you find an amazing, perfect, holy grail humidifier please bookmark this and let me know.
*On low, I've never run it constantly on high.
The Aircare 831000 really works great. I use it for my new wood floors in my renovated house here in DC. Upstairs this winter 2017, which the heat travels upwards, the dry air really dries out wood and even extreme cold can cause damage to wood flooring. I started hearing loud pops and cracks from some of the brand new flooring in my house, even in my bedroom, some of the wood slats were actually beginning to separate some what from the seams. The humidity and temperature has to be optimal to maintain your wood floors. They can actually crack when too cold and too hot. The popping sounds was when the house was too cold. Luckily none of my wood floors became cracked. But the Aircare humidifier works really good. Helps maintain the right of amount of moisture. It it doesn't emit the mist. It's a non-mist humidifier, or evaporative humidifier. I have it downtown stairs on the first floor and have it at full blast, level 3. When the set humidity reaches the set number, it will shut off.
Update Dec-18th:
Replacement unit makes same humming noise and fan speed very slow on F2. F1 & F3 work fine. Not enough to send back again but doesn't bode well for life expectancy of the unit. On the plus side it is putting 3-4 gallons of humidity in the air every day. What a difference 50% humidity makes! We are both sleeping much better, no dry skin, no eczema outbreaks.
Update: Dec-10th:
3 weeks in the F2 (medium) fan speed stopped working. It would hum but fan would not spin (I tried unplugging, no change). F1 (low) & F3 (high) worked. I contact Amazon support and they are cross shipping a replacement unit. Hopefully the new unit won't have an issue. I still really like t his unit. We're putting 2-3G of water into the air everyday to keep at 50% humidity and it has made a huge difference with dry skin and comfort level. The noise on F3 is way too loud for sleeping or even talking but F1 is perfect at night and I like to leave it on F2 during the day.
dBA noise levels - Initial obnoxious odor
I have just unpacked the unit. It has a strong, obnoxious plastic smell that is making me feel nauseous. I hope this smell fades quickly. It's the smell of very cheap plastic which is all that is really needed for the body. Yes, it is cheap but has a nice, big filter and is very simple.
At 7'6" away, facing front of humidifier: Machine off (ambient noise level): 25 dBA. F1 (low): 42 dBA, F2: 55 dBA, F3: 62 dBA (all ratings are +/- 1 dBA. The fan noise is steady with no vibration or clicks. Comparisons to a box fan are only accurate in loudness not quality. This fan is much smoother operation with no rattle.
Search for "Loudness comparison chart" to understand dBA ratings
I will provide updates as the winter season dries out and this machine starts to get used more.
After 1 week the unit is running strong. Stops/Starts as expected and the fan noise has not changed. The smell is still there but only noticeable for a second or two on startup and if I get real close to it.
