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Does your summer comfort strategy only include your air conditioning? Well, that’s a good start. And, a cooling system goes a long way toward keeping your York, PA home comfortable. But, adding dehumidification into the mix takes it even further — and even keeps you healthier.
Of course, your air conditioner does already dehumidify your home — to a degree, anyway. We’ll talk about that a little later. Or, maybe you use a portable dehumidifier in one or two rooms.
In this article, we’re talking about taking this all to the next level. We’ll outline four great reasons to dehumidify your entire home. And, we’ll talk about how to do it and where your central air conditioner fits into all of this.
And, if you have any questions about the air quality or comfort in your Southcentral PA home, call or email us here at Air Comfort Technologies today!
Why Should You Dehumidify Your Home In The Summer?
Four excellent reasons to remove excess moisture from the air in your home are that it:
- Keeps You Even Cooler
- Lowers Your Energy Bills
- Improves Indoor Air Quality
- Protects Your Belongings
Let’s look closer at each of these.
Keeps You Even Cooler
The more moisture is in the air, the less comfortable — and warmer — you feel in the summer. It’s why you groan when people say, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” Sure, it’s true. But it’s also a tired cliche.
At any rate, that moisture does make a huge difference! It’s as close as you’ll get to wrapping yourself in a blanket when it’s hot out. That’s because your body gets rid of moisture through sweat.
But, when there’s too much water vapor in the air, the sweat doesn’t evaporate. Instead, it stays on your skin. Then, you don’t get rid of the heat. And, you feel sweaty and slimy. Not only are you overheated. You’re just plain uncomfortable!
Even with an air conditioner running, this can be a problem. That’s especially when the second-floor rooms always seem to be hotter than downstairs in the summer.
Simply removing that moisture makes you comfortable. And, it makes you feel cooler. And, it saves you money.
How Long Should an Air Conditioner Run Without Stopping?
Lowers Your Energy Bills
You may not realize it, but you’re relying on your air conditioner to do two things: Keep you cool AND keep you dry. Sure, they go hand-in-hand, as we’ve just gone over. And, when you add extra dehumidification, you rely less on your cooling system.
Not only are you more comfortable at that point. You’re also paying less on your electricity bill in the summer.
With dehumidification taken care of, your central air has to do less work. And, you can even set it a few degrees warmer than usual. When the air is nice and dry, you don’t need to cool it down nearly as much.
Of course, it’s possible you’ll end up using just as much electricity running portable room dehumidifiers. But, we’ll get to a better, more cost-efficient solution a little later.
Whole-House Humidifier Pros And Cons For Dover, PA Homes
Improves Indoor Air Quality
Dry air in the summer is an excellent way to improve your indoor air quality. This way, pollen, mold, and mildew are not nearly as much of an issue. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, then this section is especially for you!
Here’s the problem with pollen: It attaches to water droplets in the air. Then, those tiny irritants never fall to the floor. Instead, they are suspended in the air. That puts them right in line with your nose and mouth. It’s how you breathe them in so easily.
That’s not nearly as much of an issue with dry air. Without anything to attach to, those allergens fall to the floor or other surfaces. Sure, you still need to keep up a strong cleaning regimen to get rid of them. But they won’t bother you nearly as much.
Mold and mildew, on the other hand, are year-round nuisances that can really take hold in the summer. They require three things to thrive: Darkness, warmth, and moisture. Take out the last one, and you’ll reduce the chances of them growing in your home.
How A Dehumidifier Improves Your Summer Indoor Air Quality
Protects Your Belongings
We’ve talked about your comfort, health, and wallet. What about your stuff? Adding dehumidification in the summer helps keep your belongings in great shape, too. In particular, we’re talking about wallpaper, wooden furniture, books, and musical instruments.
Water can damage any of these: Wallpaper peels and wooden furniture or flooring warps. Books can get wavy and smell musty. And, excess moisture corrodes delicate electronics in keyboards, electric guitars, and other expensive equipment.
Does An Air Conditioner Dehumidify?
An air conditioner will dehumidify your home in the summer. That’s actually a crucial part of the cooling process. As we’ve mentioned, getting rid of moisture makes you feel cooler and more comfortable. But, your central air can only do so much.
Remember, the bulk of its work is drawing in warm air throughout the house, running it over a heat exchanger, and re-circulating it once that air is much cooler. While it gets rid of some moisture, you can’t always dial in the dehumidification as much as you would like.
Then, there’s the fact that it doesn’t dehumidify all the time — only when it’s running. Sure, your central air kicks on a few times each hour. But, when it’s not running, it’s not removing moisture from the air.
Why Does My Air Conditioner Keep Turning Off and On?
So, what’s the best dehumidification option for your home?
Whole-House Dehumidifiers In York, PA
A whole-house dehumidifier increases comfort and improves the indoor air quality in your home. You use it along with your AC for better treatment. It costs less to run — and does a much better job — than portable, plug-in models that only treat one room at a time.
These models attach directly to your HVAC system. This way, they dry the air as it passes over the heat exchanger. It’s an extra step that makes a huge difference.
Is A Whole-House Humidifier Worth It For My York, PA Home?
And, it requires much less effort on your end! With the smaller ones you can pick up at a hardware store, you have to drain the tank once a day or so manually. And, you need to buy for each room or lug the same one all over the house.
A permanently-installed model uses a condensate line to drain on its own, just like how your central air gets rid of water. And it touches every room with ductwork and vents.
If you’d like to make your home cooler and more comfortable this summer — while lowering your electricity bill and increasing your indoor air quality — in York, PA, call or email us here at Air Comfort Technologies for a free consultation.
