How Your Wallet And Comfort Are Impacted By Humidity
Here in the Houston area, it is a bit silly to say that summer is almost here. Our temperatures are pretty high here most of the time, so we use our cooling systems on a regular basis. However, there is one threat that can make hotter temperatures even more unbearable than they already are – and that is humidity.
There is a tendency for humidity levels to increase as temperatures do, which adds extra water vapor – or moisture – to the air. This makes it a lot more difficult to get comfortable since we can’t simply sweat out the heat. And although humidity doesn’t actually raise the temperature, it definitely makes you feel warmer – and when that occurs inside your home, you need to have an effective solution to the problem. The best solution is to have a dehumidifier installed by a reputable Houston AC Repair Company.
Is Your Comfort Really Impacted That Much By Humidity?
Typically the relative humidity where most individuals feel comfortable inside of their homes is between 30% and 50%. Whenever humidity levels start to exceed that, your body will start to feel hotter, no matter what the thermostat says the temperature is.
Sweating is how we naturally cool off. As sweat starts to evaporate from off of your skin, you start to feel cooler. However, high moisture levels are introduced into the air by humidity and your sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily. So when it isn’t a dry heat you will feel a lot warmer.
Isn’t Humidity Controlled By The Air Conditioner?
Your home’s air conditioning system does help with controlling the humidity that is in the air. The evaporator coil is a component contained in the cooling system. That is where refrigerant absorbs and evaporates heat as it is moving through your outdoor and indoor units. As that happens, the coil cools off significantly, and the moisture from the air condenses onto the coil – which means there is less moisture contained in the air to block back into your house.
So when you use an air conditioner, in most cases humidity levels do go down, but it comes at a cost and has a minimal effect. As you know, it isn’t cheap to use your air conditioner and to dehumidify it needs to use up, even more, energy and run for a longer period of time. Whenever the air gets too humid, your cooling unit basically has to work harder. This results in your air conditioning system perform less efficiently and costing you more to operate it.
Why Dehumidifiers Are Worthwhile Investments
As shown above, your best solution for dehumidifying your home might not be to use your air conditioning system. However, a dehumidifier can be added to your HVAC system in order to decrease the moisture levels that are in the air so that you can stay comfortable. There are other benefits as well:
Financial Savings: A whole-house dehumidifier does require an initial investment, just like there is for any type of indoor air quality system or product. However, when a dehumidifier is run, it allows you to adjust your air conditioner by a couple of degrees, or when the temperature is mild you can even shut if off, to help lower your energy bills and save money.
AC System Protection: Of course you will want to avoid having to replace your air conditioner as long as you can. When a dehumidifier is integrated into your HVAC system it helps to reduce the wear and tear that your air conditioner is subjected to, which helps to prolong its life.
Improved Indoor Air Quality: Reducing the moisture levels inside your house can help to reduce or prevent the development of mildew and mold, which are two of the main reasons why we recommend you get a whole-house dehumidifier instead of a portable, small system. If you decide to buy one they have been known to use up a substantial amount of energy, so looking into a new quote through price comparisons sites similar to Usave might help to mitigate the additional eletric costs.
Call AC Man Houston today, to learn more about to balance the humidity inside your home and why it is so important. Or you can contact us here!