Imagine how much easier it would be to have a cool, comfortable house in Florida if our humidity wasn’t so high. Humidity doesn’t make the air hotter but certainly makes our bodies feel hotter because it traps heat. Humidity is like putting on a coat in the middle of July.
But your air conditioning system can take care of it, right? Well, probably not. An air conditioner cools the air in your house, but when it comes to humidity, well … let’s talk about that more below.
An Air Conditioner vs. Humidity
Does an air conditioner dehumidify the air? Yes, it does. But not by much. The way an AC works removes some amount of moisture from the air, but this is a byproduct of how it runs, not the object.
An air conditioner cools the air by evaporating cold refrigerant inside an indoor coil. As the refrigerant evaporates, it absorbs heat energy from the air. The evaporation also causes moisture in the air to condense along the coil’s surface, the same way moisture collects on the outside of a cold beverage when it’s removed from the refrigerator. The AC removes this moisture through a condensate drain.
This dehumidification property of an AC is simply not enough to have a substantial effect on air as humid as ours. Dealing with the extra heat humidity causes requires running the AC more to cool down.
What You Can Do About Humidity
If your air conditioner can’t deal with the humidity, what can you do?
First, you may have a malfunctioning HVAC system. Poor air circulation will increase humidity in the home, and if an AC starts to lose its modest dehumidification properties, that will also contribute to a humidity rise. Proper repairs from our technicians can fix these problems.
If you’re looking for a powerful solution to high humidity, the best option is a whole-house dehumidifier. Essentially, the dehumidifier steps in where the air conditioner falls short, but also works in conjunction with the air conditioner to ensure ideal conditions. (This is something you cannot get with a limited portable dehumidifier.) You can control your dehumidifier through a special panel (which can be integrated into a thermostat) so you’ll have the ideal humidity balance, which is around 45% relative humidity.
We highly recommend whole-house dehumidifiers. They can make a house feel 8° cooler, which means you’ll need to run the AC less often, saving you money and lowering the wear and tear on the cooling system. Dehumidifiers also stop other problems from humidity, like wood rot and the growth of mold and mildew.
Call Us for Humidity Solutions
If you’re looking for a dehumidifier in Palm Harbor, FL or you think your HVAC system needs repairs, you can trust our team for the job. We provide several indoor air quality services, including both humidifier and dehumidifier installations. We’re also the pros when it comes to everything air conditioning.
The A/C Guy of Tampa Bay Inc. serves our Tampa Bay Family with integrity and honor. Call today for a cool house.