If you’ve lived in Northeast Ohio for any length of time, you probably have noticed the high humidity levels and how it can hurt your home and create health hazards and discomfort for its occupants. To avoid problems such as mold, rot, and health hazards related to mold and mildew, many residents use both A/Cs and dehumidifiers. To decide whether you need a dehumidifier to complement the moisture removal of your air conditioner, you first need to know how they work.
How A/Cs and Dehumidifiers Work
A/Cs and dehumidifiers work in much the same way. Warm air is pulled into the system and across chilled pipes. Condensation forms on the chilled pipes and is drained out of your home. By removing the condensation, the humidity level is reduced in your home.
Although air conditioners and dehumidifiers work basically the same way, the main job of the A/C is to cool the air, and for this reason it’s less efficient in removing humidity. This is especially the case with oversized A/Cs, which cycle on and off too frequently to remove sufficient moisture from the air.
Dehumidifiers are very efficient at removing moisture but don’t cool your home. They may actually raise the temperature slightly. However, the good news is that when your indoor air is drier, the air actually feels cooler. You can turn up the thermostat a few degrees without any loss of comfort. You can also choose between room dehumidifiers and whole house dehumidifiers depending on your needs.
A/Cs and Dehumidifiers: Do You Need Both?
Both become necessary when the relative humidity gets so high the A/C can’t effectively remove the excess moisture from the air. How much humidity your air conditioner can remove depends on the size of your air conditioner, the amount of humidity in the air, and if your A/C is working correctly.
If the air conditioner can’t remove all of the humidity in your home, you’ll begin to notice some of the following problems:
- Condensation on windows
- Rotting window sills due to condensation dripping down the windows
- Mold on walls
- Mold in windows
- Condensation and staining on walls
- An uncomfortable, clammy feeling among occupants
If you’re seeing these signs in your home, please contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. With more than 50 years of combined HVAC experience in Lorain County and the surrounding area, we have the expertise you’re looking for.
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 home moisture and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area