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Humidifier Filter: Replacing the Water Panel

How Often to Change the Filter in Your Whole Home Humidifier

Here in Kansas, we know all about the problems of dry winters. That cold harsh wind makes low temperatures feel even colder. Cold air in your home also contributes to problems. Dry air can also cause problems like dry skin and static throughout the home.

The best way to tackle dry air is with a whole home humidifier. While these devices work great, it is important to realize these units require regular maintenance. The main task homeowners need to be aware of is to regularly change the humidifier filter.

Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning provides complete service of whole home humidifiers that work directly with your HVAC system and ductwork. Whether it is an AprilAire humidifier, Honeywell, or some other brand, you need to change the humidifier filter on a regular basis. These humidifying systems are excellent at maintaining comfortable humidity levels, but they require basic maintenance.

Whether it is an AprilAire humidifier, Honeywell, or some other brand of unit, it is vital that you change the humidifier filter regularly. For a home humidifier to work well for many years, you need to keep it maintained, primarily by replacing its water panel.

What is a Water Panel?

Inside your humidifier unit is something called a water panel. It is also referred to as a humidifier filter or humidifier pad. It is important to know these different terms for when you need to purchase your replacement filter. You will often see it listed as a “water panel.”

This water panel is a rectangular piece that works to disperse moisture that passes through the humidifier into the air throughout your house.

You will see it immediately upon opening your humidifier. Different types and brands of humidifiers will open differently.

You may see a screw at the bottom to undo to open the unit to access the water panel. The image to the right shows a Honeywell humidifier. Others open from the side.

How Often do you Need to Change the Humidifier Filter?

Much like the air filter you change at your furnace, this water panel gets dirty and needs to be replaced regularly. If ignored, it will get clogged over time with the dirt and particles.

You may notice when your humidifier filter is dirty. The air will feel less comfortable, drier and colder in the winter months. Look at your thermostat to see what your current humidity levels are.

You should replace your house humidifier filter about once a year. You can schedule this water panel replacement to coincide with one of your air filter changes in the fall. Another great idea is to set a recurring reminder or task on your calendar to change it September 23.

September 23 is the first official day of fall. That is also typically when homeowners turn on their home’s heating system for the first time of the season. This will also serve to remind you to turn your humidifier on. There is usually a knob for you to switch it from on to off.

Some homeowners may find they need to change their humidifier filter more often. If you notice signs of a dirty water panel, take it out and inspect it. If it’s dark or covered with dirt, you should change it again right then.

How to Change a Water Panel

Changing a humidifier water panel is rather simple and quick! While manufacturers create each model differently, here are the basic steps:

Set your unit to Off or Closed.
Open the humidifier unit’s cover. Many just pop right off.
Find the hose connected to your water supply and take it off.
Pull 2 tabs at the top to pull out the humidifier filter.
Simply slide the panel out of the frame (you will need this frame later) and dispose of this old panel.
Put the new filter in. Be sure to install it in the right direction. You will see colored marks (it doesn’t matter what color). Those need to be pointing up.
Put the frame back into your humidifier unit with the drain hole at the bottom of the frame. That goes above the drain coming out of the bottom of your humidifier.
Put that hose you removed earlier back into the hole at the top of the frame.
Replace the humidifier front cover and you’re done!

If you are doing these steps at the beginning of the cold season, now is the time to turn your system back on.

When Humidifier Maintenance Doesn’t Happen

Not changing the water panel when needed can cause problems, even damage to parts of your home. A clogged humidifier filter can potentially lead to basement flooding problems. It can affect your home’s heating and cooling systems. A humidifier with a very dirty filter can cause the furnace fan to work harder, putting a strain on your HVAC system.

If you have any problems with replacing your humidifier filter or need any other type of service on it, contact us at Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air. Call us at (785) 776-5012 or you can request service by sending us a message online.

Furnace Not Heating Due to Clogged Exhaust Vent

Troubleshooting Tips When a Furnace is Not Venting Outside

Losing Heat in the Middle of a Manhattan Winter

When your furnace stops working in the middle of winter, it’s vital to get it fixed right away. Unfortunately, a lot of different issues could cause this problem to happen. However, some issues – like a clogged exhaust vent – is something most homeowners can check and possibly fix themselves! Keep reading to learn about this common furnace problem and how to possibly clear things up yourself.

Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning provides professional furnace repair and replacement for the entire Manhattan, KS area. It can be a complicated job, as a home’s heating system is more than just a furnace in your basement. It is an entire system that works its way through ductwork, vents and other components throughout your home.

There are potentially a lot of different possible causes to a furnace breaking down. One problem that can easily be missed by homeowners is a blocked furnace exhaust vent.

What is a Furnace Exhaust Vent

Your furnace isn’t only piping warm air throughout your home. Just like when we breathe out carbon dioxide, a furnace also emits something called exhaust. This exhaust is like the furnace’s breath that it doesn’t need anymore.

A furnace makes hot air for your home, but it also makes some not-so-nice stuff along with it. Your heating system is designed so that this exhaust goes outside, away from your house, so that you and your family can breathe fresh air.

The furnace exhaust vent is like a tunnel for that exhaust to be find its way outside. Modern high efficiency heating systems have two pipes sticking out of your house. These pipes are the combustion air intake and the combustion air exhaust pipe.

Signs of a Blocked Exhaust Vent

Look out for any of these signs that indicated your furnace exhaust vent is blocked or clogged.

Strange odors could mean you have a blocked vent. This can release dangerous gases like carbon monoxide into your home. If your carbon monoxide detector goes off, take it seriously. A blocked exhaust vent can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside your home, which is a potentially lethal threat. If you suspect a carbon monoxide leak, turn off your furnace right away, make sure your family is safe, and call for an emergency repair.
Your furnace is frequently shutting down and restarting. That might be due to your system’s safety mechanisms kicking in to prevent the buildup of harmful gases.
Your furnace is not heating well. A clogged exhaust vent can decrease how well your furnace operates, causing uneven heating or reduced airflow in your home.

What Can Clog a Furnace Exhaust Pipe?

Rodents or birds getting inside the vent
Snow blocking vent
Leaves gathering around or in the vent
Soot buildup in the vent
The vent could have blockage from being damaged or rusted out

Lost Heat After a Snowstorm?

If you lose heat shortly after our Manhattan area was hit with a large snowstorm, you may want to checkout the furnace exhaust pipe outside your home to see if it’s blocked by snow. If your vent pipes are relatively low to the ground, it may not take a lot of snowfall to block it. Wind could have pushed a pile of snow, clogging the vents.

See if snow has gathered up around those exterior furnace pipes. Shovel the snow away to make sure the area around the pipes are clear.

If you clear the snow and that doesn’t get your heat to turn back on, contact Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning for a quick repair on your heating system. We provide 24/7 emergency repair service to Manhattan, Junction City, Wamego and surrounding towns.

Safety Precautions and DIY Solutions

Because a clogged furnace exhaust vent is a safety concern, you may want to call on a professional HVAC technician that services the Manhattan area like our team at Standard. However, here are some good steps homeowners can take:

If you think your exhaust vent is blocked or clogged, turn off your furnace and do not use it until the problem is resolved.
Remove any visible debris around the exterior pipes, such as snow, leaves or twigs.
Clear snow around the exhaust vent to prevent it from getting blocked during the winter.
Install a vent cap or screen to keep debris and small animals from getting into the exhaust vent. Note: Installing something not designed specifically for covering a furnace exhaust pipe can cause blockage and furnace problems.

Professional Manhattan, KS Furnace Exhaust Pipe Service

For a thorough inspection of a furnace exhaust vent, get help from the heating experts at Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. Our experienced technicians are trained and experienced in handling all components of your home’s HVAC system. We will ensure that your furnace is operating safely.

If you have any problems with your furnace, just contact Standard! Give us a call at (785) 776-5012 for immediate service or you can contact us online to schedule service.

Mold in Your Ductless Mini Split

ductless mini split "does your system have mold?"

HVAC: Maintenance How to Clean a Mini Split Unit

Ductless mini splits are becoming much more popular options in America for providing comfort for living and work spaces. They are modern HVAC systems that provide heating and cooling for homes, offices, and other places. As the name suggests, they require no ductwork. So these ductless mini split systems are an excellent option for spaces where it is not possible or feasible to install ductwork. But they can face their own unique problems, including finding mold in the mini split.

Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning are professional installers of mini split systems here in Manhattan and surrounding Kansas communities. We are the area’s Diamond Contractor for Mitsubishi ductless systems.

We provide full service for ductless units including repair and maintenance work on any brand or type of ductless system. Our techs are experienced at handling whatever problem is happening. They have often been called out to handle a repair on a mini split unit that was completely preventable.

Just as traditional heating and cooling devices need regular maintenance, so does a mini-split unit. One of the most common problems we run into here at Standard is servicing a mini split unit that is dirty and moldy.

A dirty mini split can lead to several problems. Having mold inside a unit that is dispersing air throughout your living space can greatly decrease the quality of the air you breathe.

Finding Mold in Your Mini Split

Finding out that you have mold in your mini split unit can be quite alarming, not to mention disgusting. But unfortunately, this happens more often than you might think.

When not properly maintained, the inside of your ductless mini split could become a home for mold and mildew. A ductless unit with mold inside emits mold spores into the air you breathe. This damages your indoor air quality and can make create problems for your home and also be detrimental to you and your family’s health.

Whenever mold is found or suspected, a homeowner should not ignore it. Mold can cause a variety of problems, especially to the health of the people and pets living in the home. The Environmental Protection Agency lists the Ten Things You Should Know About Mold.

5 signs of a Mold Problem

While opening your mini split unit will likely reveal whether you have a mold problem, there are some other tell-tale signs that you may notice, including:

A bad odor that may smell like a dirty sock or something cheesy
Black or odd-colored splotches on the wall unit, visible when lifting the cover on the air handler
Finding a lot of moisture or standing water beneath your ductless unit
Having increased difficulty with respiratory problems
Experiencing more allergy-like symptoms inside your home

How to Clean Mold from Mini Split

So what can you do when you find disgusting black mold in your mini split? One option you have is to call for cleaning and maintenance from Standard Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning. Our mini split cleaning and tune-up services start at $79.99. We can quickly come out to get your system completely cleaned so you can quickly go back to having clean, fresh air again.

You could also try to clean the mold out of your ductless unit yourself. Opening and cleaning a mini split is typically not too difficult and does not require great technical skill. Cleaning mold from your mini split is something just about any homeowner can handle themselves.

Process to Clean Mold out of a Mini Split

Start by turning off your system.
Flip up the top cover in order to remove the filters.
Find the two filters right at the top and pull them up and out.
Take those filters to a sink and rinse them off.
Allow the filters to completely dry (wait at least 20 minutes)
Put the filters back in the mini split unit.
Put the cover back on. It should click in place.

It is important to note that some mini-split systems have an additional antimicrobial, anti-allergy filter. If your has that, remove it from the larger filter before washing as this special filter should not be cleaned. Reattach it back to the other filters once they are completely dry.

Following those steps you should be able to successfully remove any dust, debris, and mold. But if the mold in your ductless unit is a bigger problem or if mold is apparent on parts of your mini split system other than the filters, you may need professional service. Call us at Standard for a thorough mini split cleaning and tune-up by contacting us online or by calling (785) 776-5012.

Click here for more information on our professional mini split mold cleaning service.

How to Prevent Mold Problems

The best way to prevent mold from developing in your mini split is by keeping the unit always turned on.

You can prevent future mold problems by simply not turning off your system, even when you don’t need it on. Unlike a furnace and AC system, mini splits do not cycle on and off again repeatedly. These units will instead continue operating in low-power mode.

When a mini split is on, the device is doing more than just working to provide the desired temperature. It is also draining moisture. When you turn the mini split off, it cannot work to remove the moisture. And so that moisture stays inside the unit causing mold to form.

For ductless mini split system installment, repair or maintenance in Manhattan, Wamego, Junction City or the surrounding communities, call the Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning mini split experts at (785) 776-5012.

Furnace Blowing Cold Air: 4 Troubleshooting Steps

Why Are My Vents Not Blowing Hot Air?

The middle of a cold Manhattan winter is a bad time for a furnace to break down. The coldest days of the season are the busiest for our repair technicians at Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.

Waiting in a cold home until a technician can arrive is something you want to avoid. With this article on one of the biggest furnace issues that can happen in cold weather, you will have some troubleshooting steps to get the heater back on yourself.

One of the most distressing problems a homeowner can experience is when your vents are not blowing hot air. It may seem like your air conditioner is running.

While you may be worried your furnace has died, that probably isn’t the case. When a furnace appears to be blowing cold air, it’s a problem that can usually be fixed.

What to do first when your furnace is blowing cold air

Do not immediately call for a repair. While you may need a professional to fix your problem, you can eliminate some minor issues that may be causing the cool air first.

Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning in Manhattan is here whenever you need a professional heating technician to service your furnace. Just call us at (785) 776-5012, or you can schedule service online. But before you do, we want to arm you with troubleshooting steps that could save you time and money by avoiding paying for a service repair.

Furnace Blows Cold: 4 Troubleshooting Steps

Here are the four basic steps a homeowner can try before calling a professional HVAC repair technician. You don’t need a lot of experience in home repair to tackle some of the most common reasons why a furnace can stop working. Most of these steps can be done easily and with little or no money.

Run through these questions. If the answer is yes to any of them (or even several of them), then you have the opportunity to fix the root of the problem quickly yourself.

#1: IS THE THERMOSTAT SET TOO LOW?

Make sure that your thermostat is set for a temperature higher than the current temperature in your home. It is possible someone else in the home lowered the setting without you being aware.

You also want to make sure it is set to HEAT and not COOL or OFF.

While that may put a kid in timeout or a spouse in hot water, this is the easiest problem to fix, at least technically.

If this is the problem, simply setting the temperature up several degrees than it is now should pretty quickly cause your furnace to blow warm air again.

#2: IS THE THERMOSTAT FAN ON?

While you’re checking the thermostat, make sure you see what the FAN setting is. If it is set to ON, that could make it feel like cold air is coming up through your vents.

If the air in your home is already at the set temperature, the furnace will not be heating. Yet air will still be pushed out of your vents. Compared to the existing temperature, that air will probably feel cold, even air-conditioned.

Make sure your fan is set to AUTO. That will cause the blower fan to run only when the furnace is working to heat your home.

#3: IS YOUR AIR FILTER DIRTY?

Having a clean air filter is vital for your home’s entire HVAC system. It can even make a furnace start to blow cold air.

A dirty furnace filter can block a sufficient amount of air from flowing through the ductwork. This can cause the heat exchanger to overheat, possibly creating dangerous problems like a cracked heat exchanger with a carbon monoxide leak. A furnace may shut off its burners as a safety precaution if this happens.

Change a dirty filter, even if it’s ahead of schedule for your regular changing. It may need to be changed more frequently than you realize.

#4: IS THE PILOT LIGHT OUT?

If you have a gas furnace with a pilot light, you may find that it is not lit. Check where your burners are to make sure a flame is still burning.

If you need help, check this article for how to relight your furnace’s pilot light.

HOMEOWNER DIY vs HVAC Professional Repair

While those are the easy steps for homeowners to try to fix the problem themselves, none may end up solving your problem. There are various other (and more complicated) issues that can cause a furnace to stop blowing hot air.

If you need a professional to fix the problem, call Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning at (785) 776-5012. We are available for 24/7 emergency furnace repair Manhattan, Wamego, Junction City and surrounding Kansas towns.

We can repair and service any type or model of furnace or heating system. We have hundreds of positive customer reviews and are the HVAC team trusted across the Manhattan, KS area.

Is Your Furnace Ready for Winter?

Now is the Time to Check Your Heating System

Even though it feels summer just ended, now is the perfect time to think about your heating system. The snow and ice seems like an eternity away, but the reality of a furnace breaking down in the middle of a cold Kansas winter is a real concern. It’s a threat our trained HVAC technicians at Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning deal with every winter.

Without fail, some problem or system breakdown is bound to happen to some Manhattan area homeowners at the worst possible time. While you can always call our Standard team for emergency furnace repair 24/7, we want to help you prevent this problem from happening at all.

In this article, we explain how proper furnace maintenance can save you from potential heating disaster. And we will also show you the easiest thing you can do NOW that will go a long way in preventing a problem.

Can You Turn Your Heater On?

You have not needed your heat for many months. Will it be ready to work when the first cold snap happens in Manhattan?

Waiting until temperatures drop low enough to need your heat is too late. Finding out that your furnace is not working when it’s very cold out means you don’t have time to wait for a repair.

If that happens, you will probably be left waiting in the cold.

You can expect to wait quite some time for a qualified HVAC repair technician to get your heating system back up and working. Just as you may be finding out that your furnace isn’t working, so might hundreds of other families. We have seen this happen every year for the near century Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving the greater Manhattan community.

As we head into another cold Kansas winter, we are here to help homeowners avoid this sort of emergency. The truth is that many of these furnace breakdowns can be avoided. By doing one thing, you could prevent finding yourself without a heating system in the coldest days of the winter.

Prevent a Heater Emergency: What to do RIGHT NOW

Doing a test run of your furnace by simply turning your heater on should be done every year before the cold season starts. When precisely? Our weather is not the same every year so there’s no perfect date to always test out your heating system. You will want to do it well before you need heat.

Do you recall when you first turned your heat on last year? Taking 2019 for example in Manhattan, our first night of freezing temperatures happened on October 11^th.

Graph from timeanddate.com showing the freezing temperatures in Manhattan in October 2019 — Manhattan, KS temperatures October 2019 as posted by timeanddate.com

Remember, it’s not just about you and your home. When does everyone else turn their heat on? While you may be an energy saver who holds out until it gets quite cold before turning on your furnace, that is not common.

Turning your heater on before you need it may sound dumb, but it is the smartest thing you can do.

Sure, it’s probably still quite warm out, but turning on your heater before you actually need it is important. If you don’t feel the heat or detect some problem such as hearing odd, persistent sounds, at least now you know you may have a problem. You will be giving yourself plenty of time to get any problem fixed before you need to use it this winter.

When hundreds of families across the Manhattan area are all in need of a furnace repair at about the same time, there aren’t suddenly hundreds of more skilled HVAC technicians available to do the job. Our skilled furnace repair team will be working night and day getting broken heating systems up and running.

The Heat Comes On: Are You in the Clear?

If your heating system successfully turns on, emits heat, and appears to be working normally, you may be in the clear. This is especially likely if you have a newer system that is regularly maintained and has had the air filters changed on a regular basis.

It’s always a good idea to have your heating system maintained on a yearly basis. There are a variety of issues that could affect how well a furnace operates that are not always obvious.

Regular HVAC maintenance is the absolute best way to ensure your heater is working well and efficiently. Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning provides a yearly VIP Maintenance Program that allows for us to provide this service to homeowners and give them peace of mind that their system can be expected to run at peak performance year in and year out.

Standard’s Fall Furnace Tune Up

Contact us to schedule service for a Fall Furnace Check & Tune Up. One of our experienced technicians will come to your home and do all the necessary testing of your HVAC system. We will make sure that your furnace is working properly and efficiently. An inefficient heating system will waste unnecessary amounts of energy, possibly leaving you with a larger than expected energy bill in the middle of winter!

Testing to make sure it is working properly and safely
Changing the air filter
Checking duct work and all other components of your cooling system to make sure any possible problems or issues are detected and resolved
Checking that the thermostat is working properly

October: Early Bird Furnace Special

Because a fall tune-up of your heating system is the best way to ensure your house is ready for our next cold Kansas winter, we are offering a special deal for our seasonal maintenance service. Contact us to get our fall furnace special available during the entire month of October 2023. For the special price of $75.00 we will make sure your furnace is ready to keep you warm all winter. Call us today at (785) 776-5012.

Category: Heating