September is here, but that doesn’t mean the heat is going anywhere. We’ve all heard the phrase, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”, but what does that exactly mean for our home? Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air and can make hot temperatures even more unbearable than they already are. Therefore, unchecked levels of moisture in your home can take its toll.
High humidity can make your home damp and that will cause problems. Here are a few things that can happen.
Mold
Think of it like the bathroom. When you are showering with hot water, moisture forms from the air as droplets in the cooler (outside of the shower) area. When it’s humid outside, this same scenario can happen in your home. The most common places are the windows and walls and if not wiped up immediately, unchecked moisture can lead to mold.
Rot
How much of your home is made of wood? If you have hardwood floors this is something to be very cautious about. If wood becomes damp from the moisture forming in your home, then it’s likely it could eventually cup and rot.
Pests
Pests, or the most common type, dust mites, thrive and even multiply in warm, humid places. Dust mites and other bugs such as booklice will linger for as long as the humidity is just right for them. Preventing the humidity from rising can ultimately prevent these bugs as well.
The best way to lower humidity is very simple; just use air conditioning! But, you also need to make sure your air conditioning is working correctly and removing the humidity while doing so. Annual maintenance and keeping your filters clean go a long way in helping insure your system will operate problem-free and maximize cooling and dehumidification.
There are also several new products and systems on the market that help control humidity levels within your home. Variable speed technology in furnaces and air conditioning can increase dehumidification dramatically in your home or business. Some thermostats even come with a “dehumidify” mode of operation, so that you can dehumidify even in mild weather, in cooler rainy weather. Whole-house dehumidifiers are also available to provide dehumidification without running your air conditioning.
Contact Automatic Air Corporation for any air conditioning questions or to schedule maintenance or for a free estimate.
