With that characteristic humidity settling in here in South Jersey, you might find yourself wondering just how it gets so dry inside your home. Could the culprit be your air conditioning system? And if so why does it sap all of the moisture from your home air? Follow along with McAllister…The Service Company and we’ll give you the rundown.
Looking for ways to optimize humidity levels in your home air? Contact our air quality specialists today to learn more or to set a date for your consultation!
Do Air Conditioners Dehumidify Home Air?
They most certainly do. Though it isn’t their primary function at all and is more of a side effect. As your air conditioner works, it draws the air from your home in, cycles it, and then pushes it back out good bit cooler (and a good bit drier) than it was before.
The dehumidification happens when the air is pushed over the evaporator coils, which are what basically cool off the air that you feel coming in from your vents. As warmer air goes over the coils, the moisture present in the air chills rapidly, and the moisture contained within the air condenses and drips down into the condensate drain system. The result is much cooler, but also much drier air.
Is the Dehumidification a Good or Bad Thing?
The answer somewhat depends on just how dry your air is by the end. Air that is too humid can make your home feel muggy and hot, and can even complicate allergies. In this way the fact that your AC dehumidifies can be good. But similarly, if air is too dry it can be troublesome, too. If your home air is dry you can have:
- More allergy troubles
- Dry, unhealthy skin
- Nosebleeds
- Frequent headaches
Dry air can even harm furniture and paint! And so it falls to having the correct humidity balance. Ideally you want the relative humidity in your home to fall between 30 and 50 percent for the most comfortable results. This can, however, be challenging to many homes. Air conditioning systems can easily make your home too dry, or if they aren’t strong enough, can leave your home feeling too humid and thick.
How to Strike the Right Balance in Humidity
Luckily keeping that ideal range isn’t quite as challenging as it initially seems. There are plenty of good steps to take in order to optimize and engender healthy humidity ranges, including:
- AC system assessment. Having the right cooling system in place is your first and most cost-effective solution. A system sized and installed to your exact needs will tend to keep humidity levels lower overall, and comfort higher.
- Humidifiers. In the South Jersey area we do tend to get our fair share of humidity outside, but in our homes it can very often be far too dry. A whole-home humidifier is perfect for fixing the issue.
- Dehumidifiers. Though a less common issue, dehumidifiers can be excellent for homes that aren’t quite as well sealed, or homes that have older AC systems. If you find yourself battling mugginess or sticky air in your home, dehumidifiers will do you wonders.
Call McAllister for South Jersey Air Conditioner Services
Keep your family comfortable all summer long with air conditioning services from McAllister. We’ve been providing top notch AC installation, maintenance, and repair to homeowners throughout South Jersey since 1876. You can trust our team to get your system up and running efficiently so it’s ready to maintain your home’s comfort levels all summer long. For dependable air conditioning services in South Jersey, choose McAllister.
When the summer weather arrives, you need to be prepared to keep your home comfortable. Whether you need a new system installed in South Jersey, or an old system maintained or repaired, choose McAllister. Contact us online or call us at 800-757-4122 to schedule service.
