Jim wrote:

I have a small cool-mist humidifier, but I can't figure out if it is doing
any good or not. I think it may be too small for the area, but consider
the following facts please:

I have a small vacation cabin, measuring 24 ft by 32 ft. The first
floor is mainly "open" except for a bath room area. It has a cathedral
ceiling, about 20 ft tall. This same basic main floor (768 Sq ft) has a
"open" loft area, which covers 1/2 of the main floor. So, this open
loft area is 24 ft X 16 ft,

I have a fireplace in the main area, which of course can be fully seen from
the loft area, looking down on to the main floor. Mainly because of this
fireplace as well as a k-1 oil heater, this cabin gets extremely dry, down
to about 25 % humidity.

I bought a small humidifier, just to use in the small loft area, thinking
it would help the area around my bed where I sleep in the loft. Its
capacity is about 2 gals every 24 hours.

Perhaps I am expecting too much out of this small unit because the loft area
that I am trying to humidify is "open" to the full area of the main floor,
but at the same time I would think that it would raise the humidity level in
the general area that is 8-10 feet from the unit. Yet, I can run it for
24 hours a day, and although it indeed uses up water (about 2 gals every 24
hours) neither the humidity gauge on the unit nor a separate humidity
gauge usually show any change in humidity levels. There have been some
times that the humidity has gone up by about 8-10 %, but other times that I
can run the unit all day and night, and see no increase in the humidity
level.

So, if the unit is using up water (it can't just disappear), then I guess
that it isn't doing enough good to bring this loft area up to 45-50 %
humidity level. Do I just need a much larger unit ??

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Thanks !!

Jim

Hi Jim...

Just the thoughts of a retired old guy...

The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can absorb (and hold).

Warm air ir "lighter" than cooler air, hence it rises to the highest
point in your cottage... in this case the ceiling of the loft.

So... what you're doing now is humidifying the air on its way to the
ceiling. Not only is this futile, it also puts your ceiling and
insulation at risk.

I suggest trying moving the humidifier to the immediate area of the
fireplace or the oil burner. Close enough, that is, to be in the
low level warmed area, yet not so close as to be in the airflow that's
on its way out the chimney(s)

Take care.

Ken