Need Humidifier recommendation??

[chrisandpugs]

Hi everybody!
There are so many different brands and price ranges of Humidifiers in the market. What are your suggestions and recommendations?
I live in a place where it's sunny and warm most of the year but I need increased humidity in the air especially when we get our Santa Ana winds and wild fires that really lower the humdity!
I now use an electrical water boiler to create the humidity next to the Chameleon cage but I find that it doesn't really increase the humidity in the room( I have a humidity temp therometer) and doesn't create the moisture necessary to combat the dryness in the air.

Christine

 

[dodolah]

i use vicks ultrasonic humidifier.
Usually work to increase the whole room to 50% without misting.
per misting, you can get the cage to be 70%.
If you have veiled, i think that's good enough.
I don't use PVC Pipe from the humidifier into the cage. Because, honestly, I kind of need the humidity also if i want to survive dry winter without catching cold or sore throat .

I also buy a small office ultrasonic humidifier wind chaser (20 bucks) at Frys.
It's compact and you can put it inside the cage if you need an extra humidity..

I live in LA county so if it work for me, it should work for you too.

hope that helps

 

[Phatturk]

I just got a honeywell ultrasonic from homedepot for $39 and it looks and works great. my only problem is not being able to find one that I can add water from the top. I hate having to move the entire thing to fill it with water. And if you drill any kind of hole in the top it ruins the entire machine.

 

[Will Hayward]

Vicks Ultrasonic Humidifier

Features
* 6 pounds
* Variable mist control allows you to regulate the humidity level
* Directional mist outlet
* Whisper quiet

Item #: 119563
SKU: FD846D3F
UPC/EAN/ISBN: 328785251005
Manufacturer #: V5100NJUV

 

[chrisandpugs]

Thanks for the feedback!

Hi!
Appreciate your input!
Follow-up Question: What makes these professional humidifiers different than my old-fashion method of just filling water in my electrical tea pot and creating steam.??
There are some humidifiers that also do cool steam.....Is that better to get only because you are able to have the flexibility in creating cool steam that may be less drying to the air?

Christine

 

[Will Hayward]

The Vicks model I offered above is a "cool mist". To me, it's much more refreshing. Some hot water humidifiers have "Steam" that rushes straight up and condensates on the ceiling above, instead of wafting around the room. Not all of them do this of course. The steam coming out of them can be hot enough to hurt pets who are curios as to what this new toy is down at their level... In my opinion most Quality brands are just as quiet, if not quieter than Warm air types.

The old fashion way is... Well... old fashion. There's a reason these were designed over that. A) less electricity requied, B) Most only do it until the water is boling, then turn off. So if you have time to go push the button each time, then go ahead, C) Most good ones are designed to keep as much heat and evaporating water IN while letting the built up pressure OUT. Just some things that come to mind why kettles dont really work as well.

Browse through these:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cool-mist-humidifiers/AN01577
http://housewares.about.com/od/humidifiersdehumidifiers/f/coolwrmhumidify.htm

 

[chrisandpugs]

Thanks, Will for the info!! Off to get my humidifier!!

Christine

 

[Sage]

How much was the vicks and often do you fill it?

 

[Will Hayward]

That depends how high you have it turned up.
Highest level, once a day. Lowest level, every couple days I think.

It should in the $50 dollar range in the US I'd think. but by far the best humidifier I've bought, and those cheaper ones have never stacked up for me.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

Hey .... I just got a used Honeywell Warm Moisture Humidifier for $30. But now I'm thinking that it may make the air too warm.

Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HWM2030-3-Gallon-Moisture-Humidifier/dp/B000050APZ#productDetails

However it does have a high/low setting and it has a variable control for humidity level. I was planning on getting some PVC and/or flexible dryer tubing and piping into several cages. I was also planning on using a timer with it so it comes on several times a day.

Does anybody see any problems or have any suggestions with using this type of humidifier?

Thanks ... Dyesub Dave.

 

[Phatturk]

You need to be careful with warm mist, keep it really clean all the time cuz it can breed lots of bacteria from what I have read.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

OK .. Thanks.

Are there any issues with the temps getting too warm??

Also ... any suggestions for getting the humid air to my enclosures?

Dyesub Dave.

 

[Phatturk]

I have an ultrasonic like I said before and what I did was hot glue a rectangular vacuum hose attachment to the outlet of the humidifier then I can attach and detach the hose and have it go to the top of the enclosure.

As for the heat I am not sure. I doubt that it will get too hot unless it is already borderline in the enclosure. Your enclosure is well ventilated right? I have a big enclosure so i never really had an issue with Over Heating. If he gets too hot he just goes down a few branches to where it is cooler or finds some shade.

My problem with the ultrasonic is that my little guy is afraid of the smoky mist it puts out. He hasn't been to that side of the cage since I installed it.

 

[dodolah]

You need to be careful with warm mist, keep it really clean all the time cuz it can breed lots of bacteria from what I have read.

actually warm mist is less likely to be a breeding ground for bacteria.
The warm mist humidifier boiled the water then release the steam out.
thus, it ensures the water to be bacteria free.
however, the fan is very noisy. The humidifier tends to raise the temperature inside the enclosure or your room. Also, the electric usage is higher than the
other humidifier due to its heating plate.
Also dangerous around babies and little kids. With that, i am guessing it's dangerous for your chameleon too..

Cool mist is basically fanning the cool water.
The protection for the bacteria is the filter that they put inside.
This is the type that susceptible as a breeding ground for bacteria,
From what i heard, the filter is not that effective and the fan is also noisy.

Ultrasonic humidifier use some sort of vibrating metal plate to condense water droplet.
Also use cool water (not cold).
Also susceptible to bacteria and lime.
They often use mineral filter cartridge to filter the mineral content if you are using tap water.
But the fan is very quiet. and it does not raise the temp.
_________________________________________________________________
Of all i choose ultrasonic humidifier specifically vicks.
The ability to raise the humidity is very fast (depending on your room size off course).
I don't have to worry my room going to be like a steam bath house (as the ultrasonic humidifier does not raise temperature.. it actually cools it down sometimes).
The quiet fan is perfect. I can use it at night while sleeping.

Since you don't want you and/or your chameleon to breathe water filled
with bacteria, you have to religiously clean the tank once a week with
solution of vinegar and water.

Hope that helps

 

[Phatturk]

Actually it is not the bacteria in the water that is the problem its the areas where the steam goes after being boiled that is the problem. Like the shaft the air and steam go through to get out and around the opening. My sister in law told me her doctor told her that when they bought one for the kids room.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

Thanks everybody! Actually ... the humidifier that I have doesn't use a fan just the warm air rising up. I was looking for one of the VICK'S humidifiers mentioned earlier but didn't easily find one and then saw this one used for a decent price so I grabbed it.

Then I started wondering if it would be OK for my chams. Mind you I am planning on using a timer with it so it's not on all the time and the enclosures are mesh. So I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on the temps and humidity to see if it will work OK.

Basically I just wanted to make sure the response wasn't 'NO - DON'T USE THIS TYPE OF HUMIDIFIER FOR YOUR CHAMS!' So now I just have to figure out a way to get the humidified air to the enclosures. I'm a little worried about the warm moist air cooling on the way up any tubes that I would be using and condensating and dripping back down! I guess that trial and error will dictate the best way to go about setting this up.

Dyesub Dave.

 

[Phatturk]

The mist from mine goes through great and comes out the other side with no problem. I do get a lot of condensation that builds up at the bottom of the tube but since I can detach it I just empty it every morning when I fill the tank. I have noticed that if there is a puddle in the tube somewhere the mist will not get past it, just the air. I don't know why but maybe the puddle of water somehow sucks the moisture out of the air or something. The puddle formed in the bottom of a loop on my setup, after i got rid of the loop everything works fine.

 

[Dyesub Dave]

Do you have any pics of your humidifier and tubing setup?

Thanks ... Dyesub Dave.

 

[Phatturk]

I hope that works.

This is not my setup but a setup from a member on here that I used as a guide to making mine. I will get pics of mine soon. Actually I might have my webcam up and running tonight too. I will post a link later.

 

[Phatturk]

This one too. Look through his/her whole gallery.