Here in Dallas, GA, the summers are long, hot, and humid. For that reason, most homeowners lean heavily upon their HVAC to stay cool. However, your HVAC is also an effective tool for reducing the humidity in your home. That’s important because excess moisture is uncomfortable and can damage your home and belongings. Experts recommend keeping your home’s humidity between 40% and 60% whenever possible. Your HVAC may be capable of doing so on its own. You can even do some things to make it more effective at dehumidifying your home. Here are some tips on lowering your indoor humidity using your HVAC.
Keep Your HVAC Fan on Auto
Whenever your HVAC runs, it extracts moisture from the air. That moisture condenses on the surface of the system’s evaporator coil. From there, it drips into a collection pan and leaves your home via a condensate drain line. What you may not know is that there’s something that can interfere with that process.
Leaving your HVAC fan setting in the on position will increase the humidity in your home’s air. When your HVAC fan continues running with the AC off, it will push warm air through the evaporator coil. As that happens, the air will re-absorb the moisture collected on the coil. In effect, you’re undoing the dehumidification accomplished by the previous AC cycle. You should always keep your HVAC fan set to auto to avoid that. That will turn the fan on only when the AC runs.
Install ceiling fans to keep air circulating in your home when the AC turns off. They won’t affect indoor humidity and may even reduce cooling costs. On average, running ceiling fans will allow you to turn up your thermostat by four degrees without sacrificing comfort.
Remember To Replace Your HVAC Air Filter
For maximum dehumidification while your HVAC runs, you want as much air passing through the system as possible. One of the ways you can make sure that happens is to replace your HVAC air filter regularly. A dirty air filter will restrict airflow through your HVAC. Most HVAC air filters require replacement approximately every three months. If you keep any pets in your home, yours may require replacement more often. You can check your HVAC’s owner’s manual for the appropriate replacement interval for your system. Or, you can visually inspect your filter periodically to check for dirt. If the filter appears dirty, change it. Just make sure to use a filter that matches the size, thickness, and MERV rating of the one you’re replacing.
Schedule Regular HVAC Maintenance
Even if you change your HVAC air filter regularly, some dust and dirt will still evade the filter. When it does, it will build up on the surface of your HVAC evaporator coil. A dirty evaporator coil won’t be as efficient at cooling your home. It will also extract less moisture from your home’s air. Dirt and dust are surprisingly good insulators. You should schedule regular cooling maintenance appointments to keep your evaporator coil clean. If you only have a central AC, an annual appointment before the cooling season should suffice. You’ll need bi-annual appointments if you also have a furnace that shares your AC air handler.
During each maintenance visit, our HVAC technician will clean your HVAC evaporator coil and blower fan to prevent the coil from getting dirty again immediately. Additionally, they’ll perform another critical task to ensure proper cooling and dehumidification: checking your HVAC’s refrigerant levels.
Maintaining proper refrigerant levels helps keep your evaporator coil at the appropriate temperature while your AC runs. Not only does that ensure your comfort, but it’s also necessary for your system to extract moisture from the air. Over time, your AC’s refrigerant system could develop small leaks that lead to low refrigerant levels. Regular maintenance provides opportunities to spot such leaks. Then, you can take corrective action so that your HVAC will keep humidity in your home in check.
Install a Whole-House Dehumidifier
If your HVAC isn’t keeping humidity levels down, you could install a whole-house dehumidifier to help. They attach to your home’s ductwork and work with your HVAC to extract moisture from the air. Most models use a refrigerant system like your AC already does. However, they don’t cool the air passing through them. Instead, they’re tuned to measure humidity and extract enough moisture to maintain a preset relative humidity. This can help you to prevent issues like mold, which cannot survive in a relative humidity of less than 60%.
One of the benefits of whole-house dehumidifiers is that they often reduce overall AC use. It happens because excessive humidity will make you feel warmer than the air temperature suggests. So, if your home’s air has more humidity than your HVAC can handle, you’ll likely lower the thermostat to compensate. With a whole-house dehumidifier, you won’t need to run your HVAC as often.
Upgrade to a Multi-Stage or Variable-Speed HVAC
Finally, you can upgrade your home’s HVAC to a multi-stage or variable-speed model to better control indoor humidity. A multi-stage HVAC has a blower fan that operates at two or more preset speeds. When your thermostat calls for air conditioning, it typically activates at its highest speed. That way, your home cools down as fast as possible. However, once your home reaches your set temperature, it will switch to a lower speed to maintain it. Not only will that cut your AC-related energy bills, but it will remove more humidity from your home’s air. Running for extended periods at a lower speed gives your HVAC more time to extract moisture.
A variable-speed HVAC is an even better option for maximum dehumidification. It includes electrically commutated blower motors. These feature sophisticated controllers that adjust fan speeds to fit your home’s cooling needs on the fly. On hot and humid days, they often run near-continually at speeds as low as 25% of full capacity. That provides maximum dehumidification to keep your home as comfortable as possible. It may also dramatically cut your home’s energy usage.
Your Trusted HVAC Experts
For almost 40 years, Precision Heating & Air has been the go-to comfort specialist in Dallas. We’re especially adept at helping homeowners eliminate excess humidity in their homes. We sell and install various HVAC systems that can help with it. We also sell and install whole-home dehumidifiers if your home already has an HVAC you’re happy with. Our team of NATE-certified HVAC technicians are among the best in the industry. You’re always in good hands with them, no matter what kind of HVAC service you require.
We work with all the industry’s leading manufacturers, including Trane, Carrier, Lennox, York, and more. We can also help you to navigate the myriad rebates and savings programs your HVAC product may qualify for. And if you need additional flexibility to pay for an HVAC solution, we offer financing options on approved credit. So, if you need help taming your Dallas home’s indoor humidity, contact Precision Heating & Air today!
