Add a Home Dehumidifier to Stay Cool this Summer
One of the ways to help stay cool in a hot Ohio summer is choosing a home dehumidifier. Moist, humid air holds heat energy very efficiently and thus feels warmer. Dry air, on the other hand, doesn’t hold heat well, so the indoor environment feels cooler. That’s probably why the first A/C developed in 1902 by Willis Carrier was called an “air conditioner” — not simply an air cooler. It was primarily designed to dehumidify the interior of a large factory. Cooling was just a secondary side effect of lowering the humidity in the air.
High indoor humidity has other negative consequences beyond simple discomfort. Excess moisture in the air triggers toxic mold growth by activating dormant mold spores. A chronically moist environment can also accelerate deterioration of structural components and building materials.
Air conditioners still bear the main burden of keeping home humidity levels in the comfortable range. However, on a humid summer day, an A/C alone may not extract sufficient water vapor to keep indoor humidity in the proper range for optimal cooling. If excess humidity is an issue, choosing a home dehumidifier to assist your air conditioner can make summer days and nights more comfortable. You have two options:
- Individual room units are portable and dehumidify the air in enclosed areas. While they do an acceptable job in single rooms, humidity migrating from other areas of the house is still an ongoing problem. These units also require daily draining of condensate and regular cleaning.
- Whole-house dehumidifiers install directly into your HVAC ductwork. Since all the air inside your house circulates through the ducts multiple times per day, the home’s entire air volume is continuously dehumidified. Condensed water vapor drains into your household drain system automatically, so maintenance is limited to annual cleaning. Desired humidity settings can be input on a digital humidistat mounted on a wall that functions much like a digital thermostat.
Ask the air quality professionals at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling, Electrical and Plumbing for more information about choosing a home dehumidifier to stay cool this summer.