Why Is My Pure Humidifier Not Working? Should I Toss It Out? Not Before Reading This!
Why is your Pure Enrichment humidifier not working? Clearly, this must be irking you. You have to do something about it.
Luckily, an ultrasonic humidifier not working does not necessarily mean that you have to toss it into the trash bin and get a new one.
No sir!
Cool mist ultrasonic humidifiers are almost the same across all brand names, so this write up can apply to many others. It is not just for the Pure Enrichment MistAire Cool Mist Humidifier.
However, for style and design, manufacturers add extras. That’s why we say you must read the user manual before operating a unit.
So, for Vicks humidifier not steaming, ultrasonic humidifier no mist, cool mist humidifier not misting and other problems, this short write-up might help you.
What does humidifier not working mean?
In the past, we have discussed various issues to do with humidifiers. For instance, we looked at the problem of white dust from humidifiers.
In addition, we have looked at the best position to place humidifier for the best, maximum effect and so on.
Now, here, we look at the problem of humidifier not working.
Just what does this mean?
Well, it could mean a few things. These are:
- Humidifier not working right out of the box when you plug it in
- Humidifier stops working after a few days, a few weeks or a few months
- Humidifier has everything – electricity and water but produces no mist
Pure Enrichment humidifier blinking red
Red light is a sign that something is not working. Therefore, if you see a Pure Enrichment humidifier blinking red, you need to do some checks.
Check the wiring for water
Is the humidifier tank full of water? The first suspect is that the water could have gotten into the wiring. You can fix this on your own by doing the following:
- Empty the tank and flip the humidifier upside down to drain all water out of the base. Give it several hours
- Disassemble the unit with a screwdriver and then wipe the circuitry with a paper towel. Give it some time to air-dry and put it back together
Check whether you removed all the plastic packaging
New humidifiers come with plastic or Styrofoam packaging around the pump. If you forget to remove this, the humidifier is not going to work. It will start blinking red. You have to remove the Styrofoam packaging, fill it up with water and run it again.
Check humidifier float valve
Check whether the float valve is floating just fine. If it is not, the humidifier will not work. These appliances are like a precise science.
Everything has to be working for it to work correctly. Check whether the valve is floating. If it is not, nudge it with your hand or something and once it floats, the humidifier will work.
Pure Enrichment humidifier troubleshooting tips
Just because you are experiencing ultrasonic humidifier not producing mist, you don’t need to go into worry mode just yet.
It is time to troubleshoot your appliance and see what could be causing the issue.
Luckily, the operation of a humidifier is not rocket science. If we are dealing with the first instance of humidifier just not working right out of the box, do the following:
i) Read the Pure Enrichment humidifier user manual
One of the most popular humidifiers from this brand name is the Pure Enrichment MistAire ultrasonic humidifier.
When you order the Pure Enrichment MistAire Ultrasonic humidifier from Amazon.com, it comes with a user manual in the box.
Also read: How to control humidity in grow tent
If it does not come with a hard copy one, you can get it from their website or other online sources. In the manual, you will find express instructions NOT TO OPERATE the unit before reading the guide.
You will also find cautions and warnings that you should not overlook. There are clear instructions for setting the unit up, for cleaning and for storage.
This user manual also comes with troubleshooting tips. For instance, if the humidifier is running, is not increasing humidity and is not making mist, you should check whether the tank is attached properly.
If the humidifier blows air but it is not producing mist, they say you should check the water level, and pour the excess out.
They even have tips for transporting the humidifier, making sure it does not spill water in transit.
What we are trying to emphasize here is the need to read the humidifier user manual. Some things such as opening it up and trying to fix things can void the warranty.
It must come with one. For instance, you can read the Geniani Top Fill cool mist humidifiers manual if you have this Geniani model.
Even if you do not find the manual in the box, don’t fret. Check it out online on the manufacturer’s website.
When you read the user manual, you can retrace your steps to find out whether you missed a step. If everything seems right with the setup, continue reading to the next step.
ii) Check the electrical connection
Check whether you have plugged the plug of the humidifier fully into the socket. This is a common occurrence by the way. If not fully pushed in, the plug will not work.
You can also check whether a switch in the circuit breaker has tripped. If that is the case, raise it back up and find out whether the humidifier starts to work.
Sometimes, when you switch on an appliance, some switches may flip off automatically. So check that out.
iii) Check the safety features of the humidifier
Modern humidifiers come with many safety features. One of them is that anti-tip function which ensures that the humidifier stays upright all the time.
However, on the flip side, a humidifier with this feature might not work if it is not flat on the table. Therefore, if you have done everything and the humidifier still won’t turn on, check whether it is level on the table or floor.
Also read: Humidity too high in incubator
Another thing that you might want to check is whether the humidifier has child protection functions. If such a function is turned on, the humidifier will refuse to turn on until you switch the function off.
iv) Is it leaving white dust on your surfaces?
Ultrasonic humidifiers are notorious for leaving white dust on surfaces, if you use hard water. If this happens, just clean the unit and then use distilled water only. Don’t use boiled water since it does not help.
Other humidifiers do not cause white dust, but it is still better to use the recommended water type since they can still disperse mineral traces in the mist.
Besides, the humidifier filter will be doing too much work and will need replacement sooner.
v) It is leaking water around the base
Many things can cause water to spill in the area immediately surrounding the humidifier. However, the most common ones are:
- Placing the unit on a slanted surface – unplug it and place it on a level surface
- The humidity level is set very high, so you need to set it lower
- The mist is falling on a surface, condensing and rolling down. Just keep the unit a good distance from walls and furniture
vi) Mist has a bad smell
If the mist has a bad smell, it means the unit is dirty. Check for mold in humidifier symptoms, usually indicated by pink slime in the tank.
Nasty smell in the mist could also be indicative of bacteria, germs, grease and other things that should not be there.
Do not add anything apart from water into the unit. Essential oils could also alter the smell of the mist.
Vii) It is producing a low amount of mist
If the water in the humidifier is too cold, the Pure Enrichment humidifier might produce low mist. It is a cool water, rather than a cold water humidifier.
If the ultrasonic disc is dirty, the humidifier will also produce low mist or fail to produce any altogether.
Humidifier Does Not Produce Mist
Sometimes, the humidifier will turn on just fine. However, it might not produce mist. When people complain of ultrasonic humidifier not working, mostly, this is what they mean.
If this is the case, there might be a few things to consider, which are as follows:
i) Does the humidifier have water?
When a humidifier is not working, always start with the basic checks. For instance, start by checking whether the appliance has water. If it has a little amount of water, top it up and check whether it will start producing mist.
ii) Check whether the humidifier is level
If a humidifier is not level, some models might refuse to create mist. This is a safety feature that protects the appliance from falling over.
Therefore, once again, check whether it is level on a flat position. At the same time, do check whether the humidifier is connected to electricity.
iii) Spray outlet might be blocked
When a humidifier turns water into mist either through boiling it or using ultrasonic vibrations, the mist gets out into the room through a small spray outlet.
However, when you use tap water in the humidifier, the mineral quantity in the water might be a bit high. Therefore, a mineral layer could end up blocking the outlet and no mist will get out.
The same thing would happen if the appliance is dirty. If you have hard water in your home, you could buy a demineralization cartridge. Also make a habit of cleaning your humidifier as often as possible.
You can read our article here on how to clean a humidifier. That way, there will be no debris blocking the spray hole.
If you do not clean a humidifier, it will pass whatever contaminants might be lurking in the humidifier tank to the mist. Therefore, you will also inhale the contaminants.
iv) Is the power enough?
Another reason why a humidifier might fail to produce mist is when there is not enough power. Therefore, you should check the amp rating of the appliance as given by the manufacturer. That way, you will know what socket to plug it into.
You can test the socket where you have plugged in the appliance with another appliance. If it works, you will know that the humidifier could be the problem.
v) If the humidifier is too old
Sometimes, an old humidifier might just start failing of its own volition. Therefore, if it has lasted a few to several years, it might be time to buy a new one.
You can take the humidifier to a repair shop. Most likely, if it is too old, it will not be under warranty. However, if it is not too old, you can check whether it is under warranty and then call the seller to direct you to their approved repair shop.
vi) Check the heating elements of warm mist humidifier
A warm mist humidifier has heating elements that heat the water so that it can start producing mist. However, if you have hard water at home, the minerals might cake the heating elements so that they do not work correctly.
Because a warm mist humidifier produces mist by heating the water, the heating element fails if it is caked with minerals. There will be no mist. You have to clean the heating elements and remove the layer of minerals.
You can check the user manual for information about how to remove and clean the heating elements. If there is no information for such, you should email the manufacturer and ask how to remove them.
vii) Tank is not installed properly
If the humidifier tank is not installed properly, the humidifier might not produce mist. Remember, you have to detach the tank from the humidifier to fill it with water and then reattach it again.
If the tank sits sideways even by a small margin, the unit is not going to produce mist. You might feel air coming out, but it will not be misty.
viii) The ultrasonic disc is dirty
The ultrasonic disc can get dirty from time to time. That’s why your dehumidifier should come with the right brush for cleaning it.
If the disk is dirty, your Pure Enrichment humidifier will not produce mist. The disc is located in the center of the base. Therefore, to clean it, you will need to detach the tank.
Clean it lightly with the provided brush and be careful not to scrape it. Usually, this gets the humidifier working again.
If the humidifier ultrasonic disc can become worn out with time, in which case you would need to replace it with a new one.
Here is what a humidifier disc looks like:
Pure Enrichment Humidifier not Working FAQ
While portable humidifiers are not complicated appliances, still, many new owners find it hard to understand how they work. Here are some questions that are commonly asked about the Pure Enrichment humidifiers:
How does a pure enrichment humidifier work?
The most popular Pure Enrichment MistAire humidifier is ultrasonic. Therefore, to produce mist, it has a diaphragm that vibrates at very high frequency. It breaks the water into small droplets.
These tiny droplets of water are dispensed into the air, where they evaporate fast and raise the indoor humidity level.
This humidifier is so good at what it does such that if left unchecked, it can raise the humidity higher than you need it to.
It does not have a built-in humidistat, so you have to lower the mist output speed when the humidity level in your home is raised appropriately.
How do I know if my cool mist humidifier is working?
The first and the simplest method is to put your hand close to the nozzle to feel whether there is any mist coming out.
Please note that this “testing” method is only appropriate for cool mist units. If you try that with a warm mist humidifier, you could scald yourself.
Another way is to measure the humidity level in the room using a hygrometer. If it has risen considerably, the humidifier is working as it should.
Warm mist and cool mist humidifiers are designed to alert you when something is wrong. They do this by displaying a blinking red light.
If this happens, the tank might have run out of water, the filters need changing or cleaning or something else could be wrong.
What does a Pure Enrichment humidifier do?
A Pure Enrichment humidifier raises the level of humidity in your room to healthy levels. To keep your home free from dry air, you are supposed to maintain the humidity level at 30 to 50 percent. The humidifier helps you to achieve this if you live in a place with dry air.
By enhancing the humidity level, this humidifier creates a much bigger ripple effect. For instance, it:
- Keeps your house free of indoor allergens like mold, dust mites and others
- It enhances the health of your family members
- The best humidifier for dogs improves the health of your pets
- It safeguards your electronic items, clothing, furniture and others
Wrapping Up
Why is my Pure Enrichment humidifier not working? You have seen a few probable causes. Sometimes, it could be a manufacturing defect. In that case, you should just return it for a refund or replacement.
That is why it is important to buy your warm or cool mist humidifier from Amazon.com because they have a 30-day return policy.
You can buy a working Pure Enrichment humidifier from amazon.com for your humidity needs at home, office or business.
