Florida is hot and humid for much of the year. That combination can make it difficult to breathe and just downright uncomfortable in general. There may be no escape from it in your home either. It’s why many HVAC professionals recommend upgrading your home with a whole-house dehumidification system. Let’s explore that many benefits you would experience if you opted for that upgrade.
1. Improved Home Comfort
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns against a relative humidity (RH) above 60%. It recommends an RH between 40% and 50% as an ideal for summer. The average RH in Florida is about 75%. It’s difficult to get down to 60% let alone 50% through air conditioning alone.
RH is the measure of airborne water vapor within the context of temperature. When RH is higher, you need a lower temperature in order to be comfortable. When RH is lower, you’re comfortable at a higher temperature. Having a dehumidifier makes it much easier to reach and maintain your sweet spot.
2. More Restful Sleep and Less Snoring
Neither high nor low RH is beneficial for sleep, but high humidity is particularly problematic. In fact, many sleep specialists recommend having a room dehumidifier in the bedroom at the very least. Higher humidity makes it more difficult to transition to sleep. It also causes labored breathing and physical discomfort. This can manifest in several ways. People are more prone to snoring. They’ll toss and turn and wake up throughout the night. That inhibits deeper sleep and leads to lethargy.
3. Protect Your Health
Bacteria and viruses are more abundant when the humidity is higher. Those pathogens thrive in those conditions, which puts you at a greater risk of sickness. The other issue is that high RH irritates your eyes, nose, mouth, throat and other aspects of your respiratory system. That inflammation makes you more susceptible to sickness as well. An optimal RH will also make you less prone to:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Light-headedness
- Muscle aches and cramps
4. Better Energy Efficiency
The average household that adds a home-wide dehumidifier can drop their comfortable indoor summer temperature by several degrees. That translates into about 3% less electricity consumption. Your household carbon footprint will be lower, which is better for the environment. Your daily electricity costs for cooling your home will be lower too, which is better for your wallet. An oft-overlooked benefit is that it will also lower wear and tear on your air conditioner or heat pump. That will cause longer equipment lifespan and lower total equipment costs.
5. Enhanced Indoor Air Quality
There’s a relationship between RH and indoor air quality. As mentioned, high RH can make it more difficult to breathe and cause inflammation in your respiratory system. This can have negative health effects for everyone but particularly those with respiratory conditions, such as asthma and bad allergies. The other issue is that indoors, there’s often a correlation between RH and indoor air pollution. More water vapor in the air means that the air can hold more pollutants and contaminants.
6. Less Prone to Mold and Dust Mites
The warmer months in Florida set the stage for rampant mold growth. This can range from musty smells when your AC kicks on to full-blown infestations in bathrooms and crawl spaces. The reason the EPA warns against higher than 60% RH is because this is when mold thrives. At that level, you’re all but guaranteed to have mold spores in the air. At 50% RH or below, mold can’t thrive. Dust mites don’t do well at that RH either. Low RH will also make your home unattractive to many other pests, including cockroaches and silverfish.
7. Upgraded Home Maintenance
High humidity is bad for the upkeep of your home. Wood in the home absorbs some of that excess moisture and swells and eventually contracts. That process shortens the lifespan of hardwood floors. It’s terrible for your wood furniture. It also increases the maintenance you’ll need to perform on your home’s doors, windows, railings and so forth.
Install a Whole-House Dehumidifier in Sebastian
Family Heating and Air, Inc has been installing and maintaining whole-home dehumidifiers for Sebastian homeowners since 2016. Our HVAC technicians also install, repair and perform maintenance on air conditioners, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits and furnaces. We even offer a maintenance plan that will save you money while including two seasonal tune-ups a year. If you’d like to schedule a service appointment or consultation or have questions, call today, or contact us online.
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