Your thermostat will use your home’s heating and cooling systems to keep your house at a comfortable temperature, but sometimes even when the thermostat is set correctly, you’ll feel too cool or too warm. There are several reasons why your home’s “feels like” temperature may not agree with the reading on the thermostat. One common reason is humidity.
Humidity is the measure of water content in your air, and it can affect more than you might think. High humidity is a culprit in mold, mildew, bacteria, and fungus growth, while low humidity desiccates fixtures and furnishings and contributes to dust production, static electricity, and respiratory irritations. But it also affects the temperature you feel.
Humid air holds heat more efficiently – which is why a humidifier can help you feel warmer through the winter months. It also keeps your body from shedding heat through sweat: the more moisture is in the air already, the less readily sweat will evaporate from your skin. The evaporation of sweat is one of your body’s major cooling mechanisms.
Dry air, on the other hand, doesn’t hold heat well at all, meaning that dry air usually feels cooler than wet air. It is, however, eager to suck up moisture through evaporation, meaning that you get much more cooling on your body.
Interestingly, the relationship works both ways: humid air can hold more warmth, and warm air can also hold more moisture. That’s why your air conditioner works to dehumidify your air as it conditions it – though often not enough to handle homes with serious humidity concerns.
If your home “feels like” temperature is being skewed by high or low humidity, a whole-house dehumidifier or humidifier may be a workable option. If you want to learn more about balancing the humidity in your Lorain-area home, call us up at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning today!
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about the “feels like” temperature and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area