The first goal of any air conditioning system is to cool the home, but that's not the only thing. Effective residential cooling also requires the ability to reduce humidity. If your home is cool but still damp and clammy, your A/C isn't doing its job. The good news is that every homeowner has available strategies to dehumidify the home.
Dehumidification Steps for Your Home
The following are a few ways to dehumidify your home:
Effective ventilation: This is especially important in rooms or areas where activities add moisture to the air, such as bathrooms and the kitchen. Make sure these areas have exhaust fans that are vented to the outside. The last thing you want is for moist air to be redirected back into the house.
Attic ventilation: A hot, muggy attic can have a negative effect throughout the house. Make sure the attic has the right amount and type of vents, and consider an attic fan. The attic floor should be properly sealed and insulated to separate attic heat and air from the downstairs living spaces.
Shorter, cooler showers: Those 15-minute, steamy showers may feel good, but they add a lot of moisture to the air that can remain in the bathroom and general area for hours afterward. Along with using the bathroom exhaust fan, take shorter showers that aren't so hot. Install low-flow shower heads to reduce humidity and save water.
Use the A/C: Most of the time, you can better dehumidify household air with the air conditioner running than by opening windows. A well-maintained, properly sized cooling system is designed to remove moisture from indoor air.
Get a dehumidifier: For persistent whole-house humidity, you'll need an effective whole-house solution such as a dehumidifier that connects directly to the home's HVAC system.
For more advice on how to remove humidity from your greater Tulsa area home, please contact us at Air Assurance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “PJStock/Shutterstock”