Humidity is the bane of comfort during the summer. Homeowners will complain until the sun goes down about scorching hot temperatures, but very few people know the uncomfortable effects of humidity and how it can contribute to the breakdown of your air conditioner. Let us explain.
Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor in the air. During the summer, when temperatures are high, humidity levels also rise which leads to some adverse effects that can make the climate feel even more uncomfortable. Air conditioners then have more trouble cooling your home and they can begin to fail if you’re not careful. Luckily, there are HVAC options in Cherry Hill, like dehumidifiers, that can address the water vapor issue and lead your home to be more comfortable.
Keep reading if you want to know the effects of humidity, the science behind it, and what you can do to address it.
How Does Humidity Work?
Humidity makes us feel uncomfortable, but why does it do this? After all, when you jump in a pool during the summer, you feel completely refreshed and cooled off, so why does water in the air make us feel sticky and uncomfortable?
Well, when you take a deeper look at what humidity does in relation to our bodies, it starts to make sense. When the human body is too hot, we let out toxins and water through our pores known as sweating. As the sweat on our skin evaporates, our body temperature lowers and we begin to cool down and feel better. When humidity levels are high, the sweat on our skin has trouble evaporating and we begin to feel sticky and uncomfortable. Not only that, but humidity can make the air feel hotter than it actually is! So, it’s in your best interest to deal with it.
What Can You Do?
When humidity levels aren’t at their breaking point, air conditioners can do the job. Your air conditioner, as long as it’s well maintained, can deal with moderate levels of humidity naturally. By cooling the air and moving heat, water vapor levels will automatically drop in your home causing it to feel cooler. However, your air conditioner will begin to struggle when dealing with higher levels of humidity, and it will start consuming more energy to do a less effective job.
That’s when you need a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers are specifically designed to absorb the water in the air and dry your home. Not only will this make your house feel cooler but it will also lessen the burden on your air conditioner, allowing it to last longer into old age, as well as lower your energy bill. A dehumidifier and an air conditioner in good shape are a perfect team for fighting against hot and humid temperatures of the summer. With only one of these systems, you risk a faster system breakdown and much more energy being consumed for a half as effective job.
The team at Ambient Comfort knows how to deal with humidity in the summer. Sign up with us for a dehumidifier that can help.