Humidity Affects Air Temperature
Think about when people complain the most about our Atlanta heat. It’s usually on days with higher humidity. Humidity increases the heat index making it feel hotter than the actual temperature reading on the thermometer. It's time to consider a whole house dehumidifier to help improve your indoor air quality and improve your home's HVAC system efficiency.
If your air-conditioning is set at a comfortable temperature but you still feel hot or “sticky” it may be because of excess moisture in your home. That’s right, moisture. It’s not something we think about until it gets too low or too high and we become uncomfortable.
Ever wonder how dry sauna users enjoy temperatures between 160-180°F, while steam rooms (with 100 percent humidity) are generally set no higher than 110°F? Without moisture, heat is not as “hot.”
The same is true in our homes. Humidity makes heat less bearable.
Utility Bills & The Life of Your Cooling Unit
Whole-house dehumidifiers help you save money on your monthly cooling bills because with less moisture in the air you are comfortable at a higher temperature. Because you aren’t always bumping down the thermostat, your air-conditioner or air handler runs less often and lasts longer. It is much more cost effective to run a dehumidifier than a central cooling system.
A strategically placed dehumidifier continuously dries out moist air in your home’s HVAC system before it circulates back through your home. This helps your AC run more efficiently, extends the life of your coils, and reduces cooling bills.
Whole-house dehumidifiers are sensitive to your home’s moisture levels so they only kick in when you need them to. This means a lot during the summertime, less in the spring and fall, and usually not at all in the wintertime (when you run the heat continuously and want to ADD moisture to the air).
Does My House Need a Dehumidifier?
The more air-tight and insulated your home is, the more you need a whole-house dehumidifier because excess humidity created by normal everyday activities (cooking, showering, breathing) can’t escape.
Aside from feeling comfortable, several sure signs your home could benefit from a whole house dehumidifier are:
- Too much moisture (condensation on the windows, home feels muggy, and uncomfortable)
- Organic growth
- Musty house smell
- Dust mites
- Aggravated allergies and upper-respiratory issues (from air-born bacteria)
- Stains or water damage on ceilings
- Rotting woodwork (especially around windows where condensation collects)
- Basement or crawlspace feels wet
Reducing or eliminating these common aggravations are some of the many benefits of a whole-house dehumidifier.
Installing a Whole-House Dehumidifier near Atlanta
Newer whole-house dehumidifiers are much smaller and take up less space than traditional bulky dehumidifiers that you may have seen. They’re mounted to your cooling unit to pull moisture directly from the ductwork before it passes back through your home and is controlled by a built-in adjustable humidistat that you can set to the percentage you want and be done with it. This means you can maintain optimum moisture levels throughout your home and not just in a single area. And the best part is, they connect to a nearby drain (or furnace condensate drain) for continuous operation and low maintenance (no reservoir to dump).
We replace existing dehumidifiers and install new ones on your existing cooling system or as part of a new unit installation.
While we have our favorites, we install and service ALL whole-house dehumidifiers including:
- Aprilaire
- Braeburn
- Bryant
- GeneralAire
- HealthyAire
- Honeywell
- Johnson Controls
- Lennox
- Sylvane
- Sante Fe
- Trane
- Ultra-Aire
- York
Our licensed and experienced HVAC technicians make recommendations based on your home needs so you don’t have to become an expert to feel cooler and breathe easier!
