Humidity Reading

Jerry8C

Humidity Reading –
My hygrometer reads about 60% in my house throughout the winter. I have a humidifier on my furnace, but do not seem to require its use due to my house reading. I was curious as to my high house reading so I placed my hygrometer inside the duct work going into my humidifier. My reading there was about 30%. I also have a humidistat mounted directly above the humidifier that when I adjust it I can hear a click when the dial is about 30 to 35%.
1. Why do the two readings differ?
2. Which reading should I use to determine if I should use my humidifier?
Thanks,
Jerry
11/10/11

yuri

I have compared my customers hygrometers to my Pro unit and have found them to be out 10-20%. Probably yours is too. Those cheap table top units are usually inaccurate. If you want accurate readings try order a UEI one online. Especially important if you have hardwood floors.

http://www.ueitest.com/product-dth10.html

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Jerry8C

I understand your comments. However, I checked the accuracy of my readings as follows:
1. Although my hygrometer is store purchased, it did agree with another store purchased unit.
2. I have a wet-dry bulb hygrometer, which should be accurate, and it agrees with the hygrometer I used.
3. And, although the furnace mounted humidistat is not a professional reading device, when I heard it click on and off at about 30 to 35%, that seem to me another confirmation of my duct readings.
And finally, a 50% difference seem to me more of an issue than accuracy.

Also, my hygrometer read about 60% next to my humidifier when it was reading about 30% inside the duct work going to the humidifier.
Thanks,
Jerry

yuri

Depends where you live. I can guarantee you that most peoples windows will sweat like crazy at 40% RH when it is below -5 deg C or 23 F for the US. Anybody in the Great White North where I live can attest to that. Seems rather unlikely that you could ever get the humidity that high. Impossible to get it over 40% here unless you have a large steam humidifier. Seems to me like your duct humidistat is accurate and not the one you are using upstairs.

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Jerry8C

Thanks for your reply. I may need to do more checking.

Jerry

beenthere

Post pics of your duct work, where the humidistat is.

Marty S.

Is there a fresh air pipe bringing in outside air into the return?

jfrotten

......

how

In "never stop raining" Vancouver with coat rooms dripping with wet gortex, live musicians with fine wood instruments who run there furnace humidyfyers at max 24/7 and never get over 40%.

yuri

Yep, at least in Wpg. aka Winterpeg it is a "dry" cold. -60 with a windchill but what the heck the Sun is shining.

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how

Yes Yuri
Makes ya wonder why all my relatives from Winni have now moved out here. I'd show them your sunny posting if I thought it might make em reconsider.

yuri

Kinda wonder what those occupy the **** protesters are thinkin. Sleepin in a tent in the Peg is goin to get mighty miserable soon.

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