As most of the country continues to suffer under a heat wave, its understandable that the most common reaction is to simply crank down the thermostat. This usually results in a cooler house, but there is more to being comfortable in the summer heat than just temperature.
You have probably heard the old saying, “It’s not just the heat, it’s the humidity”. You may have also heard residents of the southwestern states admit that “Yes its hot, but it’s a dry heat”. Both of these time honored saying are based on the fact that moist heat is more uncomfortable than dry heat.
The same principle applies to cooling your home. A lower relative humidity can make your home more comfortable at a given temperature. An air conditioner dehumidifies the air in your home as a secondary function to its primary job of cooling the air. In many cases, your air conditioner is unable to reduce the humidity to a comfortable level, especially in the lower areas of the home or the basement.
In these circumstances, a freestanding dehumidifier or a whole house dehumidifier can help lower the humidity level in your home and actually allow your air conditioner to run less, yet keep you comfortable.
One problem with a freestanding dehumidifier is that creates a moderate amount of heat as it dehumidifies. Some of the advantageous effects of lowering the humidity is offset by the increased temperature.
A residential HVAC contractor can help you select the proper dehumidifier system for your home.
