When it comes to cutting energy costs during the summer months, most homeowners are looking for some of the easiest strategies they can implement. While using ceiling fans and routinely keeping up with air filter changes are great methods to use, a whole-home dehumidification system can be exceedingly helpful. Here, we’ll go over what this system is and how it can benefit your household during the summer season.
How Humidity Affects Your Comfort and Home
Throughout the summer months, humidity levels outside are high. When you combine heat and humidity, it can spell disaster for your body and your home. The human body will naturally sweat to cool itself down. Part of the cooling process is having sweat evaporate from the surface of the skin. Unfortunately, when humidity levels are high, it’s much harder for that sweat to evaporate into the air. This can leave your body feeling uncomfortable and overheated.
When humidity levels are high and the weather is hot, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria like mold and mildew to grow. This cannot only be damaging to any surfaces in your home that endure microbial growth during the summer, but it can also be toxic to your health. Mold can aggravate your allergy or asthma symptoms.
Excess indoor humidity can cause wood furnishings in your home to swell. This includes doors, trim, furniture, flooring, and more. There’s no doubt that high indoor humidity can spell disaster for your home and family.
What Is a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
A whole-home dehumidification system works to remove excess moisture from the air in your home. This system seamlessly integrates with your existing ducted HVAC setup for ease of use. Your new whole-home dehumidifier gets installed directly inside your return ducting so that it can treat all the air that travels through your home.
When you purchase this device, you’ll need a thermostat that has a relative indoor humidity sensor. This allows you to program whatever indoor humidity level you want. Most experts recommend setting your indoor humidity between 30% and 50%. This is low enough to avoid mold growth and other common problems associated with high indoor humidity.
Whenever sensors determine that the relative indoor humidity is higher than what you have set, your whole-home dehumidification system will turn on. This equipment will naturally run alongside your air conditioning system (or furnace) to remove some of that excess moisture from the air. Whenever the indoor humidity level reaches your thermostat’s setting, your whole-home dehumidification system will turn off.
Portable vs. Whole-Home Units
Most people are familiar with portable dehumidifiers that plug into a regular wall outlet and can be moved from one location in your home to another. While portable units can be helpful when it comes to treating a specific area of your home, such as your basement, they can’t address relative humidity throughout your entire home at once. Rather, you would have to purchase many different portable dehumidifiers to effectively remove excess humidity from all the rooms in your home. That simply isn’t a cost-effective approach.
Furthermore, portable dehumidifiers require you to regularly empty their collection tank, where moisture is held as it gets pulled out of the air. This requires constant upkeep every couple of days to keep your dehumidifiers running. When you opt for a whole-home dehumidification unit, you can enjoy automatic water removal because the appliance has a drain line that moves water through your home’s drainage system.
The Many Benefits of Getting a Whole-Home Dehumidifier
Before you invest in any new appliance for your household, it’s important to understand the benefits it can provide you with.
Boost Indoor Comfort
One of the biggest benefits of a whole-home dehumidifier is that it can boost your indoor comfort. When humidity levels are in check, your body can naturally sweat and cool itself down. You can enjoy being more comfortable while relaxing during the hot summer season and never have to feel hot and uncomfortable in your home again.
Reduce Energy Bills
When humidity levels are high and your body can’t naturally cool itself down, it’s highly likely that you’ll compensate by turning the temperature down on your thermostat. This will lead to excessive running of your home air conditioning system, which will drive up your energy bills. However, when you feel comfortable inside due to a whole-home dehumidifier, you’re likely to leave your thermostat at a higher temperature setting. This leads to your air conditioning system running less often, which means lower utility bills for you.
Protect Your Home
There’s no doubt that mold and mildew growth can be highly damaging to your home. From structural damage to permanently damaging your personal belongings, keeping your indoor humidity level in check is a must to protect the integrity of your entire home.
Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
Another big pro of getting a whole-home dehumidification system is that you can enjoy better indoor air quality. When mold grows in humid climates, it creates toxic mold spores that can be damaging to your respiratory health. Furthermore, dust mites are more active in humid conditions. This can increase allergy symptoms and leave you with issues like sinus irritation, itchy eyes, and more.
Top Signs You Need a Whole-Home Dehumidifier
There are many key signs that you could benefit from installing a whole-home dehumidifier. If you notice a constant musty odor, condensation forming on your windows, or mold spots on your walls throughout the summer, it’s a key sign that your indoor humidity level is too high. Other notable indicators from your home include peeling wallpaper, bubbling paint, rusting of metal fixtures, and warping of your floors.
If you suffer from allergies, asthma, or a similar respiratory condition, you’ll notice your symptoms are worse when you’re indoors. You’ll likely experience poor sleep. Another big indicator is that you feel uncomfortable even when your air conditioning system is running. If you think your indoor humidity level is too high, one of our helpful HVAC technicians can do a thorough assessment to see if you could benefit from a whole-home dehumidification system.
Maintenance Requirements
While whole-home dehumidifiers are a low-maintenance appliance, they do require some key steps to stay in good working condition. One of the most important is routine filter changes. Whole-home dehumidifiers have their own dedicated air filter that’s separate from your HVAC air filter. Check this filter often to see if it needs to be cleaned. Additionally, your unit should be serviced annually by one of our certified HVAC technicians.
Longevity
The general estimated lifespan for a whole-home dehumidification system is between 10 and 15 years. With proper care and upkeep, your dehumidification system can last on the longer end of the spectrum. However, other factors, like your local climate, can play a big role in its overall lifespan.
Expert Whole-Home Dehumidifier Service
Woodward Heating Air Plumbing offers expert whole-home dehumidifier services for the Salem, OR community. We can also assist with all your indoor air quality, thermostat, and air conditioning needs. Call us today to schedule your next service consultation with one of our helpful HVAC technicians at Woodward Heating Air Plumbing in Salem today.
