Step outside on a hot summer day and you’ll feel the effects of humidity immediately. If the scorching temperatures don’t chase you back inside, the heavy, moisture-laden, sometimes hard to breath, air will. Keeping humidity outside where it belongs is the goal, and a good air conditioning system is the key to making that happen.
High humidity makes the “feels like” temperature skyrocket. The Midwest, especially Michigan, surrounded by its great lakes, has some of the highest humidity in the country during the summer months. Living in a place prone to high humidity can result in higher than necessary energy bills if the air inside your home isn’t properly conditioned.
Signs the humidity inside your home is too high.
Condensation around pipes or on the inside of windows is an indication that the humidity in your home is too high. An easy way to help combat high humidity is to make sure the vent in your bathroom is running while you shower. This will ensure the steamy air is directed outside instead of staying trapped inside your home.
If you want to know the percentage of humidity in your home, use a relatively inexpensive tool called a hygrometer. A hygrometer comes in handy not only when determining the percentage of humidity, but also maintaining the optimal humidity level in your home.
What is the optimum humidity level for an air conditioned home? Find out here.
Why you should keep the humidity inside your home low.
Comfort and lower energy bills are two very good reasons to keep the humidity in your home low. Here are a few more, often overlooked, reasons:
Humidity promotes mold growth. Mold growth inside your home can severely reduce indoor air quality.
Humidity can cause your home to rot. Too much water in the air is not only detrimental to your health, but also to the wood used to build your home, especially in your attic and crawl space if you have one.
Humidity can make asthma and allergies worse. Humidity can lead to an explosion in dust mite population. Both mold and dust mites can trigger rhinitis and asthma. See how to help control indoor allergens here.
Why you need to choose the right sized air conditioning system.
Most air conditioners have a built in dehumidifier. When moisture is drawn out of the air, there is much less chance of humidity causing mold in the walls and the growth of allergens. So not only does an energy-efficient air conditioning system ensure your comfort, it also stops humidity from building up and causing the quality of the air you breathe indoors to go down.
Looking for tips on choosing the right air conditioning system? Hear what our experts have to say here.
Since an air conditioner needs to be running to remove humidity, choosing the proper size air conditioning system is important. Basic systems (13 to 16 SEER rating) typically run in either “on” or “off” mode and will only pull humidity from the air when the system is turned on. High efficiency systems (16 SEER and up) have two-stage compressors, which can run longer on lower power, giving the system more time to remove humidity.
If you’d like to learn more about humidity control or which air conditioning system best suits your home’s needs, talk to us. Accu-Temp Heating & Cooling has been serving Metro Detroit since 1983. Our goal is to provide comfort you can feel from a family company you can trust. Give us a call today at 586-598-2828.
