How Does Humidity Affect My HVAC

Humidity can work against you during the sweltering summer months. It has a significant impact on the efficiency of your air conditioning and heating system. Balanced humidity levels can keep your home comfortable. It’s the main reason why modern HVAC systems are equipped with humidifiers and dehumidifiers.

High moisture levels can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and viruses, which in turn can impact your indoor air quality negatively. Similarly, low humidity levels in the winter can lead to dry skin, itching and chapping skin, and scratchy throats.

While the primary function of an AC is to cool the internal temperature of a room, it is also designed to remove excess moisture via condensation. Hot and moist air is directed towards evaporator coils, condensing into water. The whole process dehumidifies your home.

If your home doesn’t feel comfortable, you may have a humidity issue, no matter how much you adjust the thermostat. Your air conditioning unit works by cooling and removing moisture from indoor air. If those levels rise, your unit’s performance will take a dive, and your home will feel warmer and damp. Reducing the thermostat to lower temperatures to compensate will only increase your energy bills.

Before you call in the professionals to take a look at your system, check out the following:

●Is there mold or mildew around the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry area?
●Are the walls and ceiling wet with condensation?
●Does the indoor air smell musty?
●Do the windows and mirrors in your home have condensation on them?

If you answered yes to any of the questions mentioned above, you have a humidity issue in your hands. Any of these scenarios can manifest if your air conditioner cannot extract moisture from the air. When this happens, it cannot cool down your home efficiently. However, the good news is that your AC may not need repairs even in this case.

During the winter, humidity issues can also affect your heating system negatively. Low levels can make indoor air quite dry. When this happens, your HVAC system will not be able to heat your home sufficiently. Here are some of the signs that point to low humidity levels:

●You wake up with a dry and scratchy nose and throat.
●Your lips and skin are dry and chapped.
●Static electricity has increased in your home.

You will face the same issues but worse in winter when humidity levels are already relatively low. In either case, your HVAC system will have to work overtime and at a pace that will increase your utility bills. Nip the issue in the bud by investing in a hygrometer or humidity monitor.

These will let you know the exact humidity levels in your space. If levels are too high or too low, call in the professionals. They can inspect your HVAC system and pinpoint the exact cause of the issue before correcting it.

If you have a large home, you naturally want a large AC HVAC unit that can heat and cool it at appropriate levels. However, even a high-performing unit can increase or decrease humidity levels if it is too large or small for your property. Large ACs have large compressors that turn on and off frequently. In this case, your unit will not remain functional long enough to do anything about the humidity level.

This is what happens. Suppose humidity levels are high outside, and you are doing something that is increasing indoor moisture levels (like using a nebulizer to relieve congested sinuses). In that case, the humidity levels will rise even if the temperature remains constant.

You may need to downsize or upsize your HVAC system, depending on what experienced professionals tell you. In either case, your living space will become a lot more comfortable, and your HVAC system’s efficiency will also increase. This, in turn, will reduce your electricity bills since your system won’t have to work overtime to maintain a comfortable temperature.

An AC with only one speed (on and off) can harm humidity control. Since there are no variable speed options, your AC runs on full blast when you turn it on to reach the desired temperature. Once it does that, it turns off, and the cycle repeats.

Your HVAC system doesn’t have enough time to dehumidify when this happens. This can become a problem if you live in an area with high moisture levels. In contrast, a modulating AC unit that offers variable speed control will have sufficient time to regulate humidity and keep it at comfortable levels.

Your HVAC system is essential for your and your family’s comfort during the winter and summer. We have certified technicians on board who have years of combined experience under their belts. Trust them with all of your HVAC maintenance and repair work, and your system will work like clockwork year-round.

Our services are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day. We will not even charge you if you call us during the holidays or weekends. We will be there to take care of any emergency repair work you need us for.

We have experience working on a wide range of heating and cooling systems, so no job is too big or small for us. Our technicians will get yours working again and recommend/install a new one when you are ready for it. Before providing recommendations and repair solutions, they will evaluate your HVAC system inside and out to pinpoint the source of the issue. Get in touch with us for a consultation today! Besides these services, we also offer air duct cleaning, refrigeration, and air filter cleaning services year-round to keep your system running at optimal levels.