Air conditioners are designed to cool the air in your home by eliminating heat. But having colder air doesn't mean it's less humid. To solve this problem, an air conditioning system removes moisture by collecting and draining the condensation that forms from water vapor in the air. It's important to make sure that the air conditioner is the right size for the job you want it to do. The size of your air conditioner is essential for it to be effective at controlling humidity.
If you have a window unit designed for a small room, such as a home office, it won't be able to handle a large master bedroom or a large room. Air conditioners reduce the humidity of your home's air by regularly processing them to cool the air. The refrigerant is pumped through the evaporator coils, causing the temperature of the coils to drop below the dew point. When air is processed through the evaporator's cold coil, the water is drained and only cold air is pumped through the house's ventilation grilles. Yes, air conditioning removes moisture from the air.
Well-maintained air conditioners help maintain relative humidity between 30% and 50%, which is considered ideal. But how much does it eliminate? The answer depends on several factors. If you live in an excessively humid area, your air conditioner will have a hard time keeping up, so you may also need to install a dehumidifier. You may have heard that a central air conditioner can withstand humidity. An AC lowers the temperature inside a home, but that's not the same as reducing humidity. To overcome the feeling of extra heat indoors on a humid day, the air conditioner must run longer than it would otherwise.
For example, when it's 72°F, you might not need to have your AC turned on to stay comfortable in your home. Open the windows, turn on a fan and you'll be fine. But if the humidity causes it to sit at 82°F, you'll have to close the house and turn on the AC, which means spending extra money. One of the best advantages of an AC is that it cools the house and also regulates indoor air quality. Anyone who lives in an area prone to high temperatures and humid weather knows that relief is imminent when a properly functioning AC system is in place to alleviate the problem.
A TXV supplies the precise amount of coolant determined by air temperature, and a variable fan motor increases or decreases fan speed to meet demand. If the air inside your home is humid, you may still feel hot and uncomfortable even if it has reached the temperature you set, so make sure your AC also provides sufficient humidity control. Sometimes, turning on an AC will be enough to reduce relative humidity below 50 percent in dry climates. When an AC cools the air by evaporating the refrigerant, it draws moisture from the air along with the heat. Excessive moisture can cause AC leaks, wood floors to bend, and mold or mildew to form. If your home is having ongoing comfort issues and your AC is wearing out, it might be time to change it.
If you think it's time to install a whole-house dehumidifier or to change your AC unit, experts at 26% Air Conditioning Heating Service can help. If you have adequate ventilation through exhaust fans, you can ensure that the air in your home is not stale or sticky. An AC has some dehumidifying properties, so people often make the mistake of assuming that an AC can replace a specific dehumidifier. Reducing humidity is just one of many benefits that regular AC maintenance can provide.
