Did you know that your air conditioner helps to balance humidity levels inside your home? You may be wondering exactly how this works and why your air conditioner acts as a dehumidifier for cooling. You can keep reading to learn more about how your air conditioner helps to balance humidity and what the limitations are for doing so.
Then you can give our team a call to schedule your Eugene AC installation or service appointment if you’re concerned about humidity levels in your home. You can also talk to us about your options for installing a dehumidifier alongside your air conditioner and how that might benefit the unit itself along with your home and family.
How Does an Air Conditioner Dehumidify?
As part of the cooling process, your air conditioner removes some of the moisture from the air. This humidity condenses down into droplets and exits your home via the condensate drain line. Humidity levels don’t actually impact the overall temperature of your home.
However, having managed humidity levels does make your home feel a little cooler than what it really is. This can mean that you can set your thermostat a little higher and save on energy costs. When humidity levels are too high, your home can feel hot and muggy no matter how low you set the temperature for cooling.
Limitations to Humidity Control
Realistically, your air conditioner can only remove so much humidity from the air. If your home tends to be very humid, you may need to take additional steps to dehumidify your home. You may have higher than normal humidity levels if you notice condensation developing on windows and other surfaces around your home. It’s also possible that you have high humidity levels if you struggle with frequent or persistent mold problems
Additional Solutions
You can install a standalone dehumidifier alongside your existing air conditioning to help manage humidity levels. Using a hygrometer is the first step in determining how high humidity levels are. A hygrometer measures the humidity levels so that you know how much moisture is in the air.
Experts recommend that humidity levels stay between 30 and 50%. Anything lower is too dry, and anything higher is too humid. Once you determine your average humidity levels, you can work with our team to select a dehumidifier that best fits your needs. A whole-house dehumidifier will work alongside your air conditioner to balance humidity levels. You can select a setting between 30% and 50% humidity and the dehumidifier will automate maintaining those levels to improve your indoor air quality.
This can also lighten the load on your air conditioner. If your AC unit doesn’t have to work as hard to remove humidity from the air, it can operate more efficiently and potentially lower your monthly energy costs by at least a little bit.
Your comfort is our business! Comfort Flow Heating serves all of Oregon, so contact our team today to schedule your appointment.