After putting up with dry skin and electric shocks everytime we touch anything, we have finally decided to invest in a humidifier.

Looked in Bed, Bath & Beyond yesterday but were a bit unsure whether we should splash out on a $100+ one, or whether a $30-$50 model would do the trick.

Any recommendations or suggestions?

Check the coverage area of them. You will pay more for a decent one. We have this one (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/product.asp?SKU=109948&) and it works well. Covers up to 860 square feet but we find that placed in the lounge it's enough to cover our 1,000 sq ft condo. The cheap ones will basically provide enough output for one smallish room.

You may as well invest in one, as you'l be using it every winter if you don't have a house with a furnace that has a humidifier option.

This is the one I have - http://www.homedepot.ca/product/quie...idifier/939669 $99.99 on sale

It will cover up to 2300 sq ft.

I wouldn't get one that has a small water container (i.e. less than 5 gal) as you will be constantly refilling it., this one has a 9gl capacity and has 2 tanks (though they are a little awkward to fill).

My furnace has a humidifier with a small pump with a long pipe to extract the collected water out.

However, it is a small thing and constantly pumping every few minutes and what makes it worse is it's noisy and next to the basement bedroom so a pain in the butt for anyone down there !

I think the pipe run is too long anyway as the VERY SMALL tank contained in the pump is always full.

Is there a better way than this ? Could I just drill a hole through my basement floor and stick the pipe down there so it drains away ?

A pan of water left on top of the wood stove works welll.

If it's extracting water then its a de-humidifier not a humidifier, surely?

hehe - True so slightly off topic

However - I still need a quieter way to get rid of it all !

This is the one I have and it works a treat. The only slight issue is that getting both tanks to deplete without wiggling them mid cycle is a little tricky.

Switch it off?

I could but then all the water it is extracting would end up on the floor.

I meant switch the dehumidifier off. Rather worrying that you need one in the winter. Is your basement that damp? A Peterborough special?

Nope - Basement is dry as it can be.

I'm probably wrong, and can check when furnace man gets home but is it supposed to be on in the winter? Will ask about drainge thing too.

You need to use a humidifier in the winter.
You use dehumidifier in the summer.

I just did a bit of googling and it's a condensate pump !

It still seems to be too noisy for me and doesn't fully empty the small resevoir it has so I'm guessing it could be on it's last legs.