Importance of Humidity Control
Poor humidity control in your Olathe, KS, home can have many negative impacts on your comfort, health, and well-being. Ideally, indoor humidity should be in the 30% to 50% range. If your house is too dry or too humid, these issues can be fixed with the advice from our technicians at Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling. In Olathe, high humidity is more of a problem than low humidity. We offer reliable indoor air quality solutions and modern air conditioning systems for optimal indoor humidity control.
Health Effects of Poor Humidity Control
When your home’s air is too humid, mold thrives. For many people, mold triggers allergies and asthma symptoms. Mold may also cause headaches, breathing problems, sore throat, itchy eyes, and fatigue. High humidity in your residence may encourage skin problems, including athlete’s foot. Low indoor humidity is also a problem, usually during the winter months of the year. If your home is too dry, you may experience dry, cracked, or itchy skin, nasal irritation, bloody noses, and a dry scalp.
Impact of Poor Humidity Control on Your Comfort
Humid indoor air makes you feel clammy and uncomfortable, even if it’s not that hot in your house. When your home’s indoor air has more than 70% humidity, an older air conditioning system might have trouble keeping up with the workload. Low indoor humidity also affects your comfort, as it causes issues like static electricity.
How AC Units Cool and Dehumidify Your Home’s Air
Air conditioning systems use a chemical refrigerant. It circulates through the evaporator coil in the indoor unit and absorbs heat from your residence’s air. As the air cools, moisture condenses out of it. The moisture becomes water, which collects in the air conditioner’s drain pan and is removed with the condensate pump and drains. With each cooling cycle, some of the humidity is removed from your house’s air. Your air conditioning system also has an air filter. The filter captures mold spores. By running your air conditioner, you can maintain better indoor humidity control in the summertime and decrease the amount of mold in your home.
Air Conditioning Systems to Install
When you’re replacing an old air conditioning system, look for a new one that offers helpful humidity control features. A variable-speed motor provides longer cooling cycles, which removes more of the humidity from the air. Some of the top air conditioning systems to consider for your household include Lennox XC25, XC21, and XC20 units. These products feature ENERGY STAR certification, SEER ratings of at least 18, and variable-speed compressor motors.
Consider a Whole-House Dehumidifier
A whole-house dehumidifier is a smart choice for indoor humidity control. It works with your air handler, even when your air conditioner isn’t running. This means your house can have ideal indoor humidity levels in the spring and autumn months of the year when air conditioning isn’t needed. Whole-house dehumidifiers work with both existing and new heating and air conditioning systems. A whole-house dehumidifier also has a filter for removing some of the particles, including mold spores, from your house’s air.
Add a Portable Dehumidifier for Problem Areas
You may also want to consider a portable dehumidifier for areas in your property that have chronic humidity problems. For example, a bathroom without an exhaust fan may have ongoing humidity issues. You could use the portable dehumidifier in there while showering or bathing. Basements also have poor humidity control. If your basement isn’t serviced by your home’s heating and cooling system, then a portable dehumidifier will help to lower its humidity level.
Quality Dehumidifiers to Consider
Although it’s easier to install a whole-home dehumidifier when replacing your air conditioning system, our technicians at Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling recommend installing one if high humidity is a chronic issue in your Olathe house. Some of the best whole-home dehumidifiers include the Lennox Healthy Climate system. These dehumidifiers feature virus and bacteria removal, air purification, particle removal, neutralization of odors, and elimination of chemical vapors. They also have superior-rated filters for trapping particles. The Lennox Healthy Climate systems can add humidity to your house during the winter months of the year, making them an excellent choice for year-round humidity control in Olathe.
At Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling, we’re here to help you with whole-house dehumidifiers and air conditioning installations. You can also count on us for emergency AC repairs. In addition, our NATE-certified technicians offer geothermal services and heating maintenance, repair, and installation. Contact us at Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling today for additional information or to make an appointment.
