Dehumidifiers Can Help Improve Air Conditioning
Dehumidifiers Can Help Improve Air Conditioning
Learn how to control humidity indoors
Your air conditioning system provides your home with fresh, cool air during the hottest months of the year. You may find, however, it may struggle with the ever-climbing humidity in your area. Dehumidifiers are designed to assist your air conditioning unit by removing excess humidity too much for your cooling system to handle. Excess moisture in your home causes your body to feel warmer than it is, forcing you to turn the thermostat down to cool off. Know how to maintain your dehumidifier and watch for warning signs when it needs to be repaired.Why Too Much Humidity is Bad
When your home is too humid, it creates an ideal breeding ground for mold, mildew and dust mites to grow. You will frequently suffer more allergy, asthma and respiratory issues when the air has too much moisture. A whole-home dehumidifier will keep moisture levels in check during the summer and stop microscopic organisms from growing in your home. Generally, the ideal humidity level in your home needs to be between 35 and 50 percent year-round. Your air conditioner can pull some humidity out of the air as it’s cooling it. It can’t eliminate all the moisture if the humidity levels outside are high, so a whole-home dehumidifier installed to work with your current air conditioning unit is best. It works by drawing warm, moist air through the return duct and moving it into the air conditioning system to be cooled. The moisture is then condensed into water droplets, which collect in a pan or drain directly into a drain. The dry air is passed back through the air ducts to circulate and cool your home. Whole-home dehumidifiers are a comprehensive solution to removing moisture throughout your entire house.Keep Your Dehumidifier Healthy
Just like with your air conditioning system, dehumidifiers need routine maintenance to keep them performing at their best. Once a year your dehumidifier needs the filter cleaned, for example. Call for service from a local HVAC pro and a NATE-certified technician will ensure the filter is clean during routine maintenance. There are signs to watch for when your dehumidifier isn’t working properly, such as:- Musty Smells: When a dehumidifier isn’t working right, moisture will gather in your air conditioning unit, ductwork and other areas of your home. This causes mold and mildew to grow, resulting in a musty odor throughout your home. The smell will be more intense while your air conditioning unit is operating, blowing the odor through your ducts into every room in your house.
- Rise in Moisture Levels: If you notice the moisture in your home is high, despite the dehumidifiers supposed to control it, there might be something wrong. You will notice sticky surfaces in your home, condensation collecting around pipes, and a clammy feeling on your skin when humidity is too high.
- Allergy and Asthma Issues: When your dehumidifier isn’t doing its job, you will experience more problems with allergies and respiratory issues. Dust mites are a common threat for those dealing with asthma and allergies, and they grow in moist environments. Sneezing, itchy/watery eyes and difficulty breathing are symptoms of allergens spreading throughout your home. Call an HVAC professional if you notice an increase in these symptoms and let the technician inspect your dehumidifier. The solution might be to repair or replace your whole-home dehumidifier.
