High humidity is a common comfort problem people experience during the summers here in Northern Indiana. High relative humidity levels make hot days feel even hotter, but there are other troubles that high humidity can cause when it occurs inside a home, from illness to building damage.
If you’re dealing with high humidity problems in your home, the best solution is to have a whole-house dehumidifier installed. You can purchase portable dehumidifiers, but not only are these limited in how effective they are (you don’t really want to drag the unit from room to room, do you?) they can also present fire hazards. It’s easy to enjoy a whole-house dehumidifier in Fort Wayne, IN: you only need to contact our experienced indoor air quality team and arrange to have one installed.
The Benefits of a Whole-House Dehumidifier
A whole-house dehumidifier has a lot in common with a standard central air conditioning system; in fact, an AC has some dehumidifying properties, although it isn’t built for this purpose and shouldn’t be used in place of a dehumidifier. The same way that an air conditioner uses refrigerant to draw heat out of the air, a dehumidifier uses refrigerant to draw moisture from the air. When a whole-house dehumidifier is professionally installed, it will work in conjunction with the AC to ensure the house doesn’t end up too dry: the aim is to keep relative humidity balanced around 45%, a level that most people will find comfortable.
Here’s how your house can benefit from a dehumidifier:
- Better hot-weather comfort: Humidity traps heat inside the human body, making it harder to release heat by slowing down perspiration—and this makes the air feel When relative humidity rises higher than 60%, an 80°F day can feel like a 90°F day! Proper dehumidification translates to superior comfort through the summer.
- Lower air conditioning costs: With a dehumidifier helping everyone in your home to feel cooler during the hot days, the air conditioner won’t need to put in as much work. When you’re able to give your AC a break during a heat wave, you’ll see significant savings on your energy bills.
- Prevent mold and mildew growth: Moist, wet environments allow mold, mildew, and other unpleasant growths to thrive. This can lead to building damage, a drop in indoor air quality due to toxic mold spores, and corrosion inside the ductwork. Mold and mildew also create unpleasant odors. Putting in a dehumidifier stops these problems at their source.
- General improvement in indoor air quality: Along with preventing the development of toxic mold spores, a dehumidifier reduces other allergens in a home, such as dust mites. You’ll have a reduction of allergy and asthma triggers that cause congestion, eye irritation, rashes, wheezing, and more.
We Install Humidifiers As Well
If you have problems with dry air, we can also help! Ask our technicians about installing a whole-house humidifier. We can provide you with both a humidifier and dehumidifier to see that you always have balanced humidity for your house.
Collier’s Heating & Air Conditioning: For over 30 Years a Company You’ve Grown to Trust.