Why You Need a Dehumidifier in Your Home During Summer

When the summer weather in Charlotte, NC, really starts to heat up, your family will likely spend more time indoors. Unfortunately, when you turn down the temperature on your thermostat, your energy bills will go up. If you’ve been looking to reduce your energy bills this summer and increase comfort, you may have come across the idea of using a dehumidifier in your home.

What Is a Dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier is a device used to remove excess moisture from the air. Dehumidifiers are sold in standalone models for individual rooms and whole-home models that dehumidify the entire home. When you opt for a whole-home dehumidifier, it will be installed in your existing ductwork. It works in unison with your existing HVAC system to make your home more comfortable for your family.

Understanding Summer Humidity

When we refer to humidity, we’re talking about water vapor being held in the air. During the colder months of the year, you’re going to experience lower humidity levels because cold air holds less moisture. However, in the summer, humidity levels are going to be much higher because hot air can hold more water vapor.

Humidity and Your Body

We’re sure you’re familiar with the hot, stuffy feeling that comes along with high humidity. When there is a high amount of moisture in the air in your home, it’s much harder for the sweat on your body to evaporate. When this natural cooling process in your body is interrupted, it will overheat. You’ll notice that you feel more dehydrated and can experience symptoms like fatigue and even muscle cramps. In severe cases, you may even suffer from heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

When excess humidity gets trapped inside your home, it can have you turning down the temperature on your thermostat to compensate for the rise of your body heat. This action can lead to a vicious cycle of high energy bills and an uncomfortable living environment for your whole family.

Humidity and Your Home

High humidity levels inside your home can affect more than just your body. When humidity levels remain high for an extended period, it can create the perfect environment for mold growth. Mold can be dangerous not only to your health but also to the various items throughout your home. Furthermore, high humidity can increase the number of dust mites in your home and cause unwanted warping of your wood items. It can even lead to peeling and flaking paint.

How Humidity Gets Trapped Inside Your Home

Probably the most obvious way humidity gets inside your home is that you leave your doors or windows open when it’s humid outside. This becomes common when people try to save money on energy bills by turning off their air conditioning system and opening their windows at night.

While it might feel cool during the darker hours, the humidity will start to seep in very early in the morning. It can end up getting trapped inside your home when you shut your windows and doors for the day. Additionally, any air gaps that develop around your doors and windows can allow humid air to continually penetrate your home throughout the day.

Humidity can also get trapped inside your home due to the various tasks that you do daily. For example, taking a hot shower or cooking on the stove without running an exhaust fan can allow steam to easily enter your indoor air. Even hanging clothes inside your home can allow moisture to get trapped indoors.

How Can a Whole-Home Dehumidifier Help?

If you live in a region of the country that regularly experiences high humidity levels in the summer, a whole-home dehumidifier can be a great option. This dehumidifier will work based on your thermostat setting for the desired relative humidity level.

The term relative humidity level is utilized to describe humidity indoors. Technically, it’s a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air compared to the total amount of vapor that could exist in the air at whatever the current temperature is.

Many HVAC experts recommend setting your relative humidity between 35% and 50%. This setting helps to avoid the effects of high humidity, such as mold growth. It also works to prevent the unwanted effects of low humidity, such as dry skin and static electricity.

It’s important to note that a whole-home dehumidifier doesn’t always run when your HVAC system is on. Your home’s air conditioning system will naturally remove some moisture from the air. Your whole-home dehumidifier will only kick on whenever the relative humidity level inside your home gets above your desired setting. This operation helps to ensure that your system isn’t removing too much humidity from your indoor air.

Signs You Need a Dehumidifier

There can be many key indications that you should invest in a whole-home dehumidifier to better enhance your family’s comfort while at home. The first and most obvious is that you live in a humid climate. All homes in the Charlotte area will experience high levels of humidity indoors throughout the summer and could greatly benefit from a dehumidifier.

Another sign that you may benefit from a dehumidifier is that the inside of your home feels stuffy and sticky. If you already have a smart thermostat, it may have a built-in relative humidity gauge. If you notice that the relative humidity level is over 60%, then you need to invest in a whole-home dehumidifier to lower it.

One of the more prominent signs that you’re in need of home dehumidification is that there’s a musty odor lingering in your home. This odor is typically created because of bacteria, mildew, and mold growth. You may even notice this growth in the high-moisture rooms of your home, like your bathroom or laundry room. It’s important to remember that these odors are not only offensive, but they also indicate that mold spores may be being released into your indoor air.

Another key indicator that your home could benefit from a whole-home dehumidifier is that you or a family member are suffering from increased allergy symptoms, respiratory illness, or asthma. High moisture content in the air has been known to trigger asthma symptoms. Furthermore, when mold and mildew spores can replicate, they can trigger your allergy symptoms when you breathe them in. Long-term exposure to mold can cause fatigue, headaches, nausea, GI issues, and much more.

When excess moisture gets trapped inside your home, it can show up as condensation. You’ll find this moisture on your windows, doors, and even on your walls and ceilings. This moisture can lead to unwanted staining on the surfaces throughout your home.

Expert Whole-Home Dehumidifier Service

Integrity Heating & Cooling provides expert whole-home dehumidifier services for the entire Charlotte region. We can also help with all your heating, cooling, indoor air quality, ductwork, duct sealing, ductless mini-split, and smart thermostat needs. Routine maintenance is also available, helping protect the efficiency and quality of your heating and cooling equipment. Call us today to schedule an appointment with one of our highly experienced HVAC technicians.