AprilAire

AprilAire is made by Research Products Corporation of Madison, Wisconsin, founded in 1938. It is an independent company, not part of any of the big equipment families on this site, which is why AprilAire products bolt onto almost any brand of furnace or air handler. AprilAire still manufactures in Madison and in Poynette, Wisconsin.

In 1954 AprilAire introduced the Model 100, which it calls the first evaporative, flow-through, whole-home humidifier, patented by Research Products engineer Carl Rowe. In 1989 it added the first automatic humidifier control for homes. Today the company that built its name adding moisture sells a lot of equipment in places like Austin for taking it out.

• Specialist, not a generalist. AprilAire makes indoor air quality and humidity equipment, not air conditioners or furnaces.
• Brand neutral. Because it does not make the main equipment, its products work with Carrier, Trane, Goodman, Lennox and nearly everything else.
• Simple maintenance. A media air cleaner takes a new filter on a regular schedule; a dehumidifier needs its filter and drain checked.
• Whole-home approach. Instead of a portable unit humming in one bedroom, AprilAire equipment treats the whole house’s air through the ductwork.

• Humidity is the big one. On mild, rainy days the AC may not run long enough to dry the house, so the rooms feel cool and clammy at once. A whole-home dehumidifier pulls moisture out whether or not the AC is running. Read more in our humidity and moisture control resources.
• Pollen. Cedar and oak seasons fill Austin air with pollen, and a high-efficiency media air cleaner catches more of it than a thin filter.
• Attic installs. Dehumidifiers and air cleaners often live in the attic next to the air handler, so the drain line and a clear path for service need planning. For a dehumidifier, we choose the attic or a closet when we inspect the house.

In a Central Texas house, this is the order we usually suggest:

• 1. Humidity. If the house feels damp, smells musty, or you set the AC low just to feel comfortable, start with dehumidification.
• 2. Filtration. A media air cleaner in a proper cabinet at the return gives deeper filtration than a thin filter, with less airflow restriction than trying to force a dense filter into a narrow slot.
• 3. Ventilation. Tight, newer homes may need controlled fresh air, paired with dehumidification so the fresh air isn’t muggy air.

All three lean on a healthy AC. If yours is short cycling or not keeping up, fix that first; see AC repair.

Gold Eagle installs, services and repairs AprilAire dehumidifiers, media air cleaners and fresh air ventilation in Austin-area homes, on whatever brand of AC is already in the attic. Start with whole-home dehumidifiers or our indoor air quality page, or schedule a visit online. Replacing the AC too? Use Build Your Own System, and our Home Maintenance Plan keeps the filters on schedule.

Related: Honeywell Home thermostats and controls, and Mitsubishi Electric ductless systems with a dry mode.

Who owns AprilAire?
Research Products Corporation of Madison, Wisconsin, an independent company founded in 1938.

Do I need a whole-house dehumidifier in Austin?
Many Central Texas homes do, especially for mild, humid days when the AC doesn’t run long enough to pull the moisture out.

Does AprilAire work with my HVAC brand?
Most likely. AprilAire products are designed to work with most ducted systems, whatever the badge on the equipment.

Is a media air cleaner better than a regular filter?
A media air cleaner holds a deeper pleated filter in its own cabinet, so it can filter finer particles while restricting airflow less than a thin, dense filter.