Humidity…
It comes & goes, it’s coming back & it will affect your home & HVAC system.
Do you ever wish you could be comfortable, cool & dry? The main issue in the IAQ business that can cause discomfort is humidity. This means we should think about how we handle water vapor or ‘moisture’ as its better known. In this climate we are classified as “a Hot-Humid Climate”.
The only effective way you can reduce Humidity in the indoor environment is to have a dedicated system and to make sure that you have control of the “Gaps, Cracks, & Holes” in your building. This also means there are certain strategies that are used in other climates that won’t work for our climate.
Oh sure, your A/C unit will remove some of that moisture, but if you don’t have a whole house or portable dehumidifier, you need to be calling for “cooling” to get the A/C to run[MSOffice1] . There are times during the year that we experts call “the shoulder season”; the time when there is plenty of humidity but it’s not warm enough to run the A/C system. This is that dreaded “Humidity Season”; cool, clammy even wet enough to sustain mold growth in many cases.
Have you noticed all the fog we have on some mornings? All that cool air & humidity is exactly what’s going on in the house. That is called reaching “Dew Point”. We don’t actually get fog in the house but you can get some sweating on the vents or surfaces that get cooler than the dew point temp.
Lets put this into simple terms ~ your house can get like the outside of a glass of iced tea if you let the relative humidity (RH) get above 60% ; we’re talking about sweating vents, moisture on the inside of the wall cavity that you can’t see, even mold growth on the walls or other cool surfaces. Not to mention, if you have somebody at your house that is allergic to dust mites you really need to have the house below 50% RH.
You can monitor RH yourself with an inexpensive gadget or you can get a whole house “leak test” done to figure out the problem exactly! But the solution is to consider a whole house De-Humidifier, and then you have a dedicated system to make things drier, take a big load off the A/C system and make your home a healthier, more comfortable place for you & your family.
We have a very innovative and affordable way to monitor your humidity for a week or a month, ask us about “data logging” your humidity levels when you call with your humidity questions or concerns!
Two Easy Secrets to a comfortable home & lower utility bills
1) Prevention: You can save plenty of cash & keep a more comfortable home if you plan ahead & take advantage of the seasonal check up that most companies offer, usually at a discount, going into the hot summer season. Having your system inspected & cleaned is like the old saying “an ounce of prevention & a pound of cure”. The lesson is this: “PAY ATTENTION”! Hey, the HVAC system is the most costly system in your home and it falls under that “Outta Sight, Outta Mind” category ~ plus, it’s unbearable when you don’t have it running properly. So plan ahead don’t be unhappy in the summer heat. Get it inspected.
2) Monitor Humidity & Temperature: The easiest way to save money and to live comfortably is to keep a close eye on the humidity level in the home. For each and every degree of temperature you raise your thermostat this summer season, you can save 10% on your utility bill ~ this is according to research by Gulf Power. “But how do I raise temp & still stay comfortable?” The secret is to lower humidity. If you can keep the moisture out it will still be fresh & crisp at a higher temp. The worst thing in the world for a high humidity problem is an A/C unit that is too big for the home. This little known secret can cause longer run times & you really need a properly sized A/C system. A seasoned service tech knows that the problem is usually in the duct system, if the A/C equipment is cooling. This means looking elsewhere for the problem ~ like in the attic. Listen, if this sounds right to you, maybe we should talk.
If your humidity is out of whack (above 60%) or you aren’t comfy in the evening when the heat of the day is gone ~ maybe, we can help! Remember, if there isn’t a true diagnostic test, then it’s just a guess.
