INFO HOT-LINE: If, after reading this owner's guide you have any questions or comments, please call 1-800-5-HOLMES and a Consumer Service Representative will be happy to assist you. Console Humidifier HM3500 FILTER# HWF75 FILTER TYPE: WICK Owner's Guide PLEASE READ AND SAVE THESE IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS PLEASE READ AND SAVE THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WHEN USING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, ESPECIALLY WHERE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS FOLLOW THESE BASIC PRECAUTIONS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK AND INJURY TO PERSONS: 1. Read all instructions before using the appliance. 2. To avoid fire or shock hazard, plug the appliance directly into a 120 V AC electrical outlet. 3. Keep the cord out of heavy traffic areas. To avoid fire hazard, NEVER put the cord under rugs, near heat registers, radiator, stoves, or heaters. 4. DO NOT place humidifier near heat sources such as stoves, radiators, and heaters. Do locate your humidifier on an inside wall near an electrical outlet. The humidifier should be at least 4" away from the wall for best results. 5. NEVER place humidifier in an area where it is accessible to children. NEVER use humidifier in a closed room, particularly where a child may be sleeping, resting, or playing (a closed room may result in excessive humidity). 6. WARNING: DO NOT attempt to refill humidifier without first unplugging the unit from it's electrical outlet. Failure to heed this warning may cause personal injury. Be sure to pull the plug and not the cord. 7. Never place anything over moisture outlet when the unit is running. 8. NEVER drop or insert any object into any openings. 9. DO NOT operate any appliance with a damaged cord or plug, after the appliance malfunctions, or if it has been dropped or damaged in any manner. Return appliance to manufacturer for examination, electrical or mechanical adjustment, or repair. 10. Use appliance only for intended household use as described in this manual. Any other use not recommended by the manufacturer may cause fire, electric shock, or injury to persons. The use of attachments not recommended or sold by The Holmes Group, Inc. may cause hazards. 11. DO NOT use outdoors. 12. Always place humidifier on a firm, flat, level surface. A waterproof mat or pad is recommended for under the humidifier. NEVER place it on a rug or carpet, or on a finished floor that may be damaged by exposure to water or moisture. 13. DO NOT allow the Moisture Outlet to directly face the wall. Moisture could cause damage, particularly to wallpaper. 14. Humidifier should be unplugged when not in use. 15. NEVER tilt, move, or attempt to empty unit while it is operating. Shut off and unplug before removing the water tank and moving the unit. 16. This humidifier requires daily and weekly maintenance to operate appropriately. Refer to daily and weekly cleaning procedures. 17. NEVER use detergents, gasoline, glass cleaner, furniture polish, paint thinner, or other household solvents to clean any part of the humidifier. 18. Excessive humidity in a room can cause water condensation on windows THIS PRODUCT IS EQUIPPED WITH A POLARIZED AC (Alternating Current)PLUG (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully into the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact qualified personnel to install the proper outlet. DO NOT DEFEAT THE SAFETY PURPOSE OF THIS POLARIZED PLUG IN ANY WAY. and some furniture. If this happens, turn the humidifier OFF. 19. DO NOT use humidifier in an area where humidity level is in excess of 50%. 20. DO NOT attempt to repair or adjust any electrical or mechanical functions on this unit. Doing so will void your warranty. The inside of the unit contains no user serviceable parts. All servicing should be performed by qualified personnel only. 21. Never place housing under water flow or immerse in liquids. 22. DO NOT plug in the cord with wet hands: electric shock could result. 23. DO NOT fill through openings other than intakes. 24. DO NOT block intakes or exhaust grills. 23. To prevent damage to surfaces, do not place humidifier under overhanging surfaces. PLEASE READ AND SAVE THESE IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Thank you for choosing a Holmes Cool Mist console humidifier. To ensure the best performance from your humidifier, please read and save the following instructions. Consumer Safety Information Note: This is an electrical appliance and requires attention when in use. Note: If moisture forms on the walls or windows of the room, turn off the humidifier. The room already has plenty of humidity and additional moisture may cause damage. Cord and Plug Installation Safety Instructions The length of cord used on this appliance was selected to reduce the hazards of becoming tangled in, or tripping over a longer cord. If a longer cord is necessary an approved extension cord may be used. The electrical rating of the extension cord must be equal to or greater than the rating of the humidifier. Care must be taken to arrange the extension cord so that it will not drape over the countertop or tabletop where it can be pulled on by children or accidentally tripped over. HOW COOL MIST WORKS Your Holmes Cool Mist humidifier draws dry air through the rear air intake grill area. This air is then passed through a moisture­laden wick filter, which retains the minerals and deposits in the water. The resulting moist air is directed back into the room from the top air grill. NOTE: This humidification system provides a cool, invisible moisture output. It is normal not to see the mist. NOTE: A humidity level below 20% can be unhealthy and uncomfortable. The recommended humidity level is between 40%-50%. FEATURES - OPERATION Figure 1 A WHEEL INSTALLATION A. STATIONARY WHEELS B. SWIVEL WHEELS C. UNDER­SIDE OF HUMIDIFIER BASE C OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS With housing placed properly onto the base, the filter installed correctly, the tanks filled and the plug correctly inserted in the outlet, you are now ready to operate the humidifier. NOTE: The HM3500 produces clean, cool, INVISIBLE moisture.It is normal not to see the moisture. 1. Switch the Humidity Control Switch to the HI position and slide the humidistat to HI. 2. Allow up to 30 minutes for the filter to fully absorb water and the unit to produce the maximum moisture output. 3. Adjust the 3-speed Humidity Control Knob and the Humidistat as desired. 4. The Automatic Humidistat Control is designed to operate between 25% and 60% Relative Humidity range. The recommended setting is between 40% and 50%. When the humidity level in the room is below the level you have set, the humidifier will operate to produce moisture. When the set humidity level in the room is reached, the humidifier will stop. When the humidity again drops below the set level, the unit will automatically start and produce moisture again. A humidity level below 20% can be unhealthy and uncomfortable. The recommended humidity level is between 40% and 50%. 5. When the water level is low, the refill light will illuminate to indicate the unit needs refilling. Shut off and unplug the unit. NOTE: THE FAN WILL CONTINUE TO RUN TO ALLOW THE HUMIDIFIER TO DRY OUT AND PREVENT ALGAE GROWTH. 6. Before refilling, follow Daily Maintenance Instructions. 7. Refill water tanks. 8. Plug into the electrical outlet. Turn the Humidity Control Knob to the HI, MED, or Low setting. NOTE: If moisture forms on the walls or windows, turn off the humidifier. B PRE-OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS 1. Be sure the humidifier is switched OFF and the unit is disconnected from the electrical outlet. 2. Remove housing, filter and tanks (see fig1). 3. TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MOBILITY AND CONVENIENCE TO YOUR CONSOLE HUMIDIFIER, install the wheels. Remove the four wheels located in a small pouch in the box. Turn the base upside down, and locate the holes at each of the four corners on the underside. NOTE: You will notice that there are two different shaped wheels. Two of the 4 wheels are stationary wheels and two are swivel type wheels. The stationary wheels are identified by a flat top surface, while the swivel type are curved and include a small plastic piece on the shaft. See figure 1 for installation location for each type of wheel. DO NOT use any tools to install the wheel because tools may damage the base of the unit. Return the base to the upright position. 4. Replace filter, housing and tanks. 5. Choose a location out of reach of children. DO NOT place the humidifier on a finished floor or near furniture which can be damaged by moisture or water. FILLING THE WATER TANKS 1. Remove the two tanks from the base of the humidifier and bring each tank to the faucet. Turn the tanks upside down and twist off the tank caps by turning counter-clockwise. Fill each tank with cool, fresh tap water. Replace the cap on each tank FIRMLY. NOTE: Adding a water softening agent like Holmes Water Treatment (Model S-1705) to the water will soften mineral deposits and prevent lime and scale build-up. It will also help prolong the life of the wick filter and make cleaning easier. 2. When full, carry each tank to the humidifier and place onto the base (use both hands when carrying each tank). Each tank holds 2.2 gallons of water, and the base holds 2 gallons of water. WHEN THE TANKS ARE FULL AND PLACED INTO THE BASE, YOU CAN HEAR THE WATER SLOWLY EMPTY INTO THE BASE. When the water stops emptying, remove the tanks and refill each again. Replace the tanks into the base. The WATER LIMITING feature on the tank cap will prevent the tanks from overflowing into the base. YOU NOW HAVE 2.2 GALLONS OF WATER IN EACH TANK AND 2 GALLONS OF WATER IN THE BASE OF THE HUMIDIFIER FOR A TOTAL OF 6.4 GALLONS OF WATER. 3. Plug the power cord into the electrical outlet. Figure 2 HUMIDITY SETTING REFILL POWER E F A B C D J I OFF LO MEDIUM HIGH G H A. WATER TANKS B. HUMIDISTAT C. REFILL LIGHT D. MOISTURE EXHAUST GRILLS E. POWER LIGHT F. 3-SPEED HUMIDITY CONTROL KNOB G. AIR INTAKE GRILLS H. HUMIDIFIER BASE I. HUMIDIFIER HOUSING J. FILTER CHECKTM INDICATOR REPLACING THE FILTER CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS - STORAGE REPLACING THE FILTER Through normal use, waterborne minerals and sediment become trapped in the wick filter. The harder your water, the greater the amount of minerals in the water, and the more often you will need to change your filter. You will be able to monitor the life of the filter in your humidifier by checking the Filter CheckTM Indicator. When the unit is off, the Filter CheckTM Indicator will read in the OFF position. After 60 minutes of use, Filter CheckTM Indicator (refer to fig. 4 for close-up of indicator) will move from the OFF position and indicate your filter condition. A brand Figure 4 new filter will register in the blue section reading GOOD filter. After frequent use of your humidifier, the Filter CheckTM Indicator will let you know when the filter needs to be changed. When the needle is in the red (CHANGE) section, this means the proper amount of moisture is not getting into your air due to the excessive minerals and sediment that have become trapped on your filter. At this point, you should replace your filter. It is important to change your filter as indicated to obtain stated performance level. To replace the filter, follow the steps below. 1. Be sure the humidifier is switched OFF and the unit is disconnected from the electrical outlet. 2. Remove the tank and main housing to access the base tray. 3. Discard the old filter and follow weekly cleaning instructions. 4. Insert a new filter into the filter support in the base. 5. Replace the main housing and then the tank. 6. Repeat Operating Instruction steps. It will take about 30 minutes for the humidifier to reach maximum output. You can obtain a new filter by calling 1-800-5-HOLMES in the USA or by visiting your nearest retailer or authorized service center. This humidifier takes model HWF75 replacement filter. CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS Humidifiers provide comfort by adding moisture to dry, heated indoor air. To benefit most from the humidifier and avoid product misuse, follow all instructions carefully. Please note that this is an electrical appliance and requires attention when in use. In addition, if you do not follow the recommended care and maintenance guidelines, micro-organisms may be able to grow in the water within the Water Tank. You must routinely follow the cleaning procedures that follow in order to ensure proper, efficient operation of your humidifier. Proper maintenance and cleaning is essential to the continued performance of your unit and the avoidance of algae or bacteria build-up. DAILY MAINTENANCE 1. Be sure the humidifier is switched OFF and the unit is disconnected from the electrical outlet. 2. Remove the housing and the tanks from the humidifier and place them in sink or tub. 3. Carry the base of the unit to the sink, remove the wick filter, place in sink, ...