How To Clean a Humidifier

If you use a humidifier in your home or business, knowing how to clean it properly will go a long way in helping you breathe easier. A poorly tended humidifier can emit contaminants that can cause respiratory stress and. Diligent cleaning will also increase the overall functionality and lifespan of your humidifier. In this blog, our HVAC professionals at Dean’s Home Services cover how to clean and care for your humidifier.

Cleaning & Maintaining Your Humidifier

To keep your humidifier clean and in good shape, regularly perform the following humidifier maintenance tasks:

• Clean humidifier daily: Empty the humidifier’s water tank every day and wipe it down with a clean cloth.
• Filter checks: If your humidifier has a filter, regularly check it and replace it when it becomes dirty or clogged. Buildup on filters can lead to algae and mold.
• Descaling: Over time, minerals can build up in your humidifier, which worsens its performance. To descale it, unplug the humidifier, empty the tank, and fill with a mixture of one part vinegar to two parts water. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes, then drain and thoroughly rinse out.
• Humidity monitoring: The recommended humidity level for a home is between 30% and 50%. If your home’s humidity levels are higher than that, turn the humidifier off.

How To Tell Your Humidifier Needs To Be Cleaned

While ideally, you’re cleaning your humidifier every day, life happens, and sometimes humidifier maintenance can get away from us. If this happens, your humidifier will start to show signs that it needs to be cleaned. Keep an eye out for:

• Visible mold or mildew
• Musty or sour odors
• Greasy or grimy feelings
• Decrease in moisture output
• Mineral buildup

Why Regular Humidifier Maintenance Matters

Keeping your humidifier clean and well-maintained helps ensure that it runs smoothly and doesn’t spread any contaminants throughout your home’s air. Some of the reasons to maintain your humidifier and the benefits of doing so include:

• Prevent mold and mildew: Humidifiers can start to develop mold if they aren’t cleaned regularly, and this can lead to mold spores being spread throughout your home.
• Better air quality: By regularly cleaning your humidifier, you don’t have to worry about unwelcome contaminants making their way into your air supply.
• Improved performance: Dirty filters, scale buildup, and other issues can harm your humidifier’s ability to work properly.
• Longer lifespan: Humidifier maintenance helps address issues that could otherwise cause your humidifier to work harder and shorten its lifespan.

Call Dean’s for Humidifier Services

At Dean’s Home Services, we provide whole-home humidifier installations and ongoing services in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding areas. If you struggle with a home that’s too dry and portable humidifiers aren’t cutting it, let our team install a whole-home humidifier. These systems are installed directly into your HVAC system to help maintain the humidity levels throughout your entire home. We also provide a range of other indoor air quality services to ensure you and your family are breathing easily.

Contact Dean’s today to get started with humidifier services in the Twin Cities area.