Summer’s going by too quickly. We haven’t had enough barbecues, vacations, or ice cream, but most of us are already getting tired of the bugs, the heat, and the humidity of Clearwater, Florida. You can’t have the good without the bad, unfortunately. However, humidity is more than just a nuisance — it can also affect the comfort and efficiency of your home. By weighing down the air with excess moisture, humidity will reduce efficiency without giving anything in return. Here’s a guide to understanding the relationship between humidity and HVAC efficiency and what you can do about it.
Humidity and HVAC Efficiency
In the summer, higher temperatures make it so the air can hold greater amounts of moisture. This decreases efficiency in a couple of major ways. First, that moisture will make the air feel warmer, driving you to turn up the AC, which can waste energy and put more strain on the system. Secondly, thanks to the higher level of moisture in the air, your AC will have a harder time cooling down the heavy, clammy air, which means it will work longer and harder to get your home to the desired temperature, reducing energy efficiency and hiking up your energy bills.
How to Regulate Humidity
While you can’t do much about the humidity outside your home, you have a fair amount of control over indoor humidity. Getting fresh air flowing through your living space will help break up humidity, but since you don’t want to open windows on the hot, muggy days, a whole-home ventilator may be your only option. If the indoor humidity is bad enough, install a whole-home dehumidifier into your HVAC system. As air passes through the system, the dehumidifier will draw enough moisture out to leave the humidity at an ideal level.
You may have to deal with the downsides of summer when you go outside, but your home should be a sanctuary where you can enjoy all that’s great about summer. To get started reducing humidity in your home, call Pinellas Comfort Systems at (727) 315-0791.
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