Aprilaire700 18-gal. Whole-House Fan Powered Evaporative Humidifier with Automatic Digital Control for up to 5,300 sq. ft. + AprilAire Model 5846 Humidifier Installation Kit

I had to replace my old Aprilaire 700 Humidifier since the console was having issues after 18 years of very successful use. I got a good deal on this open boxed humidifier and compared to replacing just the console and maybe a few other parts, it was a no brainer. I really like the newer digital console and the intelligent humidity sensor that will adjust the humidity level indoors based on the external temp to reduce window condensation. My old unit sort of did this, but not as efficiently. My old unit also didn’t function properly with my newer energy efficient furnace since I have the fan circulate constantly. The newer model version works perfectly with my new furnace. Can’t be more happier with my purchase. Wished I’d done it sooner. Love the new look and display.

I had an HVAC friend help me install it. I would suggest that you do the same. Ease of installation was even easier with the friend advising! Installed in December and love the house maintaining around 40% humidity. No more shocks on light switches or on each outer or from our dog! Highly recommend!

** 2 year update:I still love this humidifier it has never caused me issues that required replacement parts. The only maintenance i've done is changing pads every 6 months to a year and wipe down the inside with vinegar water to clean it up. Also twice the small orfice clogged causing water to slow or stop and humidity to drop. Easy fix with a small wrench and needle.**Original review:First of all, this humidifier is a lifesaver. It works amazingly well. But I'm reviewing because I want to help buyers who have a Carrier thermostat and furnace. My Carrier Infinity Touch thermostat did not use all the standard wires that most thermostats use. The wiring instructions for this unit did not apply to my system at all unfortunately because my Carrier thermostat was wired up with just 4 wires: +power, -power, data+, and data-. At first I thought the install wouldn't be possible because of the wiring but then I realized that my furnace computer board had a "hum" pin on it. In my case, the output was 24v AC, which is exactly what the Aprilaire unit was expecting in order to trigger the relay to activate humidification. So What I did was plug the two loose wires from the humidifier directly to "Hum" and the "C" terminal on the furnace. WARNING: Not all furnace "hum" terminals are 24v AC, so you need to make sure your unit has the correct voltage on that pin before doing that. Because the wiring was this way, my thermostat had to directly control the humidifier, so i did not use the aprilaire humidistat that comes with it. The most trouble in the whole install that I faced was that initially, my Carrier Infinity Touch thermostat would not allow me to control the humidity. At first, all the humidity settings were greyed out so I couldn't click them. If this happens to you, you need to enable the humidifier "accessory" on the thermostat. This is how: Go to the main menu on your thermostat (dont try this on the phone app), then click and hold the "service" button until it turns green (about 10-15sec). Then you should see a hidden menu that the technicians are supposed to use. From there, go to "setup" then scroll and click "accessories". Then click "humidifier". Now you can tell the system that you have a humidifier plugged in. You can also set a reminder for 6 months or a year or whatever to change your humidifier filter. The other option "humidifier with fan" is a little bit vague but i have it enabled and it works how i want it to. If the humidity drops down, the furnace fan and the humidifier both turn on, even if the heater itself is not heating. This was my desired feature. Now you will be able to control all those settings for humidity that were greyed out before. I highly recommend enabling "window protection" if you live in a cold climate. Because this humidifier works really well and it will cause some condensation on your windows (especially upstairs) if you are not careful. Humid air rises! Check your windows and keep an eye on them because if they get moisture on them that means your attic can also get moisture and you really don't want that. I Hope this helps at least one person! Thank you Aprilaire!P.S. I had no water flowing on my humidifier after the first install, but i realized there is a tiny yellow restrictor hole that got plugged with something so i stuck a fine needle in it and water works fine now. I Haven't had an issue with that since. The restrictor is just after the solenoid on my 700 model.

I ordered the Humidifier with install kit, thinking the extra $75 for a ready to install kit would be a good value for the money. Well - it isn't. Here's a couple reasons why:-They tell you the preferred location for the humidistat is on the return duct, but only give you about 10 ft of 5-wire thermostat wire. There's NO way to run that neatly into the furnace cabinet/control board.-They give you a 25 ft roll of 1/4 OD PEX, but the ferrules in the saddle valve and humidifier solenoid port are brass (no-no for plastic tubing). Had to buy my own ferrules.-The humidifier comes with a saddle valve, but there's no way I'd risk breaking into my water heater's hot water output pipe with that thing....I ran PEX from my ManaBloc all the way to the humidifier, with a Sharkbite quarter-turn shutoff adapter.The only thing that ended up being useful from the install kit was the drain line, which I could have gotten for far less than $75....Save yourself the money and get a nice PEX crimper/cutter kit for that, instead..All told, the install wasn't too hard, and I ended up $600 into it after all was said and done - almost half of what the local HVAC companies were quoting for the job, and I've got a new set of tools/experience under my belt for the next job...As far as operation - this is a great unit, and it had an immediate effect on the dry air in our home this week!

I really like this humidifier, increased the overall home humidity. Installation was straight forward. I bought one for myself and one as a gift for my friend and installed both. Had a bit of difficulty for installation at both places because of the relative location of the duct works, not having an easy location to drill the hole and pass the thermoatat out. Took me 4 hours to cut the furnace and install everything, but could be 1-2 if everything is straight forward.Not super happy with the automatic controller, its not easy to set the right moisture.The running without the furnace heating the air also reduces the temperature feel if your house is not very warm due to the added moistureHowever, overall very effective

I have wasted a lot of money on home humidifiers. Nothing has been successful until now. If you are looking for a first-time purchase or replacement, don’t consider anything other than the Aprilaire 700. Here’s why:Humidipads Do Not WorkFlow through humidifiers cost approximately $100.00 per month in wasted waterCeramic drum humidifiers require major maintenance and do a minimal jobSteam humidifiers are a little better if you can afford the operating cost. My hydro bill increased nearly $100.00 per month‘Regular’ humidifiers rely on air movement from the heat exchanger to get into the pad and move some moisture through the by-pass and ultimately into your home. This results in a filter change every two months (at approximately $12.00 each) so it doesn’t plug up and lose efficiency (which is only minimal at best).For my money, I just found the best for me. I purchased an Aprilaire 700 from Amazon.ca, spent a couple of hours replacing a 400M model which was not a good buy, and now I am the happiest guy around. On setting ‘5’, I have 35% RH in my 2200 square foot two-storey home and my hardwood floors are happy again. I checked the digital automatic humidistat several times a day and when the RH reaches 33%, the system turns on until 36% at which time it rests again. Love it and know you will too.I do not work for or know anyone at Aprilaire. This is an honest evaluation and personal testimony.I forgot to mention the real reason this is a superior product that REALLY works. It is fan powered and forces the moisture from the Water Panel into the furnace for peak efficiency. The panel requires only annual service (not bi-monthly).

I ordered my Aprilair 700 Humidifier and it arrived two days later as promised.Everything except the copper tubing, Drain tubing, Metal Screws and cabling was in the box.I followed the instructions and the install went smoothly once I bought the missing items,Instructions are clear and the template worked well.It took me 2 hours from start to finish, Straight forward, no help needed.I would recommend this humidifier, I have a large house and this humidifier does its job, no more guessing on the humidity setting, has a bright blue display of the relative humidity and it takes care of the adjustments itself, If you turn blower control on it will run the furnace fan for 2 minutes every hour to check the humidity, if the humidity is good it will stop, if not it will do its job and humidify the house, doesn't need the furnace to be running as it has fan controlI would buy this again

- Good humidifier & works well But- Requires a professional installation as it is complex for DIY: wiring options ie to furnace vs fan, fishing sensor to outside, etc.- Expensive price and unit comes with minimum hardware. The connection to hot water is very basic: the unit should come with a solid water valve instead of a pin to attach to the water pipe with the risk of causing unstoppable leak afterward. Be prepared to make a list of quality hardware and have it in advance of installation.

Good