Heat isn’t the only concern when it comes to home comfort in the summertime. To have the most comfortable home possible, you should also take steps to control your indoor humidity levels. Today we’re going to take a look at the various benefits of reducing your home’s humidity levels during summer and go over the options you have for dehumidifying your home!
Benefits of reducing indoor humidity during summer
- Feel more comfortable at home. How many times have you heard the phrase, “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity?” High humidity levels can make your home feel stuffy and even hotter than it is. By controlling your humidity, you’ll feel much more comfortable in your home.
- Lower energy bills. Lower humidity levels make our homes feel cooler even when the temperature hasn’t changed. As a result, lowering your humidity levels can allow you to raise your thermostat a few degrees without a noticeable difference in comfort, which will reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption.
- Cleaner air. Certain airborne contaminants like dust mites thrive in areas with high humidity, particularly when humidity levels exceed 55 percent. By keeping your home’s humidity below those levels, you can reduce the number of contaminants in your air and allow for a healthier indoor environment.
- Avoid damage to your home. High humidity can warp and stain your furniture, walls, and floors. You can avoid this potential damage by dehumidifying your home.
How to control indoor humidity during summer
OK, so we know there are many benefits to reducing humidity in our homes during summer, but how do we do it? The first option is to simply run your air conditioner. Dehumidification is a by-product of the cooling process, so your air conditioner will help reduce humidity every time it’s on. But your air conditioner isn’t always running, and humidity levels in the St. Louis area can get too high for us to rely on our air conditioners alone for dehumidification.
For the best control of indoor humidity levels this summer, you can install a whole-house dehumidifier. These devices are connected to your duct system and work non-stop to dehumidify your home’s air. That means you can keep your humidity levels at a comfortable level day and night, even when your air conditioner isn’t running.
If you have any questions about humidity in the summer, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning, Electrical and Plumbing, your St. Louis area air conditioning company. We service the St. Louis area, including towns like Ballwin, Chesterfield, and Clarkson Valley.