We recently addressed ways to combat allergy season in your home, and one of the recommendations we touched on briefly was to have our professionals install a whole-house dehumidifier. But you donb t need to be concerned only with allergies to want a dehumidifier installed into your HVAC system. We recommend scheduling this service with us before the real summer weather arrives. Itb s one of the best ways to stay comfortable, save energy, and protect your home from the dangers of mold.
The Air Conditioner Is Not Sufficient for Dehumidification
This is a common error people make when thinking about how to lower humidity levels in their homes. As an air conditioner runs, it draws moisture from the air along with the heatb something like a package deal. Youb ll hear this at work on occasion as a dripping sound coming from the AC cabinet. But this dehumidifying property of an air conditioner isnb t enough to properly balance relative humidity in a home. The excess humidity in a North Carolina spring and summer will overwhelm the air conditioner. It can even lead to algal growth in the condensate drain, which will create the need for AC repairs.
No, youb ll need a dedicated dehumidifier for this jobb &
The Whole-House Dehumidifier in Action
In many ways, a dehumidifier works the same as an air conditioner: a refrigerant coil evaporates chemical refrigerant to absorb heat from the air and moisture along with it. However, the same way an AC isnb t designed to control moisture, a dehumidifier isnb t designed to control heat. Itb s focused on removing moisture and draining it away. To prevent interference with the air conditioner, the dehumidifier reheats the air after draining away the excess humidity. This keeps proper balance in the HVAC system so the home has precision cooling along with humidity control.
The Multiple Ways a Whole-House Dehumidifier Help Your Home
- Balancing indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50% helps the human body release heat through perspiration. The reason humidity above 50% can make people feel hotter is because moisture makes it more difficult for the body to expel internal heat through the skin. On average, a home will feel about 8B0 to 10B0F cooler with balanced humidity.
- The difference in how cooler a house feels with a dehumidifier means less need to have the air conditioner running. Most homes in a humid climate like ours can expect savings of 25% off the cost of operating the AC over the season.
- Lowering moisture levels means fewer problems with water damage to surfaces and the growth of unhealthy molds. Mildew and wood rot, both of which thrive in humid conditions, are major sources of building decay. Dehumidification cuts out the root problem.
For indoor air quality service in Hendersonville, NC and elsewhere in Western North Carolina, web re the team to call. Along with whole-house dehumidifiers, we also install humidifiers (you may need one in the winter), air purifiers, and air filters. When you require air conditioning assistance web ll take care of that as well.
Serving Western North Carolinab s Heating, Cooling, and Indoor Environmental Needs: Comfort Central, Inc.