Why HoMedics Humidifier Is Not Working?

HoMedics humidifiers can help improve dry lips, skin, and throat and even reduce headaches and snoring. However, sometimes the technology can be temperamental. HoMedics sells a variety of these appliances, but occasionally, technical issues arise that stop the device from working as it should. 

When your HoMedics humidifier is not working, there are likely power source issues, humidistat adjustment, debris getting caught in the appliance, or damage in the fan motor.

The rest of this article details how to reset your appliance, the advantages and disadvantages of a HoMedics humidifier, and troubleshooting suggestions if your humidifier isn’t working.

How Do I Reset My HoMedics Humidifier?  

You can reset your HoMedics humidifier by turning it off and unplugging it before refilling the water tank. Then, reset the flashing cleaning light by holding the power button for five seconds. 

The cleaning light should go off at two-week intervals. If there’s no obvious buildup, cleaning it may not be necessary; you can just reset the light. The unit should work, even if it does need to be cleaned, so if the unit isn’t working and the cleaning light won’t turn off, your HoMedics humidifier may have a bigger problem.  

Humidifier Not Working After Cleaning

If you’ve just finished cleaning your humidifier and now it won’t turn on, check the power source, humidistat, evaporation pads, and fan motors. 

Suppose you just finished cleaning your humidifier. You should’ve unplugged it. It’s possible that you forgot to plug it back in or that the wall outlet isn’t functioning. Make sure that this isn’t the case before continuing your troubleshooting process. 

If your humidifier isn’t producing mist, check the humidistat. The humidistat may take some time to adjust and reacclimate to the room’s humidity after you’ve cleaned the humidifier thoroughly. Give it some time to recalibrate. 

Suppose you’ve given the unit time to recalibrate, and it still isn’t producing mist. Then you’ll need to keep troubleshooting. If you have an evaporative cool mist humidifier, make sure that the wick filter doesn’t need to be changed. Even if you don’t have a cool-mist humidifier, you should check for clogs in the system, especially if you have hard water in your home.

If you start having lots of clogs in your humidifier, you should use distilled water in your system. It will help you avoid mineral buildup in the system, preventing the humidifier from releasing those minerals into the air.

You should also make sure that you refill the tank after your cleaning. Cleaning the humidifier involves emptying the tank, so if your humidifier is no longer producing mist, you may have forgotten to refill the tank. 

If your humidifier isn’t increasing the humidity, check the evaporation pads. They won’t function at the level necessary to produce noticeable humidity if they aren’t clean.

If you’ve cleaned your humidifier and now it sounds louder than it did before, double-check the fan motors; you may have damaged them during your cleaning. 

Finally, if you notice an odor even after you’ve cleaned your humidifier, there’s a possibility that mold or mildew is growing somewhere in the unit. If this is the case, you’ll need to clean your humidifier again and more thoroughly. 

Take it completely apart and clean the water tank using white vinegar. I like the Harris Cleaning Vinegar (available on Amazon.com) because it’s a powerful cleaner with a pleasant orange scent, which is sure to get rid of any odor.  

How Do I Remove Debris From My Humidifier?

Warm mist humidifiers are prone to minerals blocking the heating elements because as tap water moves to the heating elements, it evaporates and leaves behind impurities. This coat of minerals creates a layer of insulation and makes it difficult for the water to turn into steam. 

You can remove debris from your humidifier by chipping the layer of minerals off of the heating elements. Some HoMedics humidifiers even come with a special tool to help you open the cap and chip the minerals off. 

Most HoMedics cool mist humidifiers don’t have filters, but you can fix any debris problems by cleaning or replacing the filter if yours does. 

Why Is My Humidifier Leaking Water?

Another common issue that humidifier owners run into is their appliance leaking water. 

Your humidifier is leaking water, likely due to improper placement of the reservoir tank. Ensure the reservoir tank is fully in place. If the issue persists, check your drain line. Water will leak out if it builds up inside your humidifier. So check your drain line to ensure there’s no damage.  

Benefits of Using a Humidifier

Humidifiers have many health benefits. Here are a few: 

• Humidifiers help protect your throat. If you’re exposed to indoor air that’s too dry, your vocal cords can become dry and scratchy, and your throat will begin to hurt. A humidifier combats this pain and prevents you from losing your voice. 
• Your sinuses will feel smooth. Low humidity dries out your sinuses, which can lead to discomfort in the nose, headaches, and more bloody noses. Humidity smooths your sinuses and helps you clean out the excess mucous. 
• You may snore less. Dry air can increase the severity of snoring, as the dry air causes the throat to swell and the nose to congest, restricting air movement through your nose. Having more humidity in the air will help you breathe through your nose instead of your mouth, reducing your snoring symptoms.
• Your plants will be happy. If you have houseplants, they’ll probably be thrilled about the extra humidity in the air, especially if they’re of a tropical variety.
• Your humidifier could increase your furniture’s longevity. The right humidity level in your home is beneficial to your hardwood floors and your furniture. Not every piece requires the same moisture level, but extremely dry environments aren’t good for anything made of wood. 
• Humidity is good for hair and scalp health. If there’s a lack of moisture in the air, your scalp can become dry and itchy, and you may experience more dandruff. Your hair also becomes dry and brittle in dry environments. 

Disadvantages to Using a Humidifier

While using a humidifier is typically beneficial for your health, there are some possible disadvantages. Here are a few things to consider: 

• Humidifiers can be harbingers of bacteria and fungus. If you don’t clean your humidifier regularly, bacteria and fungi can build up in the appliance and be distributed into the air you breathe. 
• You need to clean it regularly. On that note, if you don’t want the responsibility of cleaning yet another thing in your home, a humidifier may not be for you. Humidifiers are relatively high maintenance, as you should be checking them every three days or so to avoid bacteria buildup. 
• Some humidifiers make noise. While most air humidifiers are quiet, some models create noticeable noise that could bother you. One way to fix this is to drape a wet towel over the radiator. HoMedics ultrasonic models are very quiet.  
• Humidifiers can create excess moisture in the air. If a humidifier isn’t self-regulated, it could put out too much moist air, which could be just as bad for your health as the air that’s too dry. 
• Humidifiers can stop working or malfunction for a variety of reasons. They can sometimes stop working, and it can be difficult to determine the problem and whether it’s a power problem or an issue with the unit. Humidifiers can be fickle, so the device won’t work if the unit isn’t perfectly level or the GFCI plugs are triggered.  

Final Thoughts 

HoMedics humidifiers have great health benefits and can be useful appliances for you and your household. However, humidifiers are prone to functionality issues. If you run into problems with your humidifier not working, there are ways you can troubleshoot and try to fix the humidifier on your own.