High relative humidity levels in your home can have a detrimental effect both on the home itself and your family's general health. If your home has
carpet or wallpaper, moisture gathers behind and under these materials and allows mold to spawn.
Mold and mildew growth does more than just discolor and stain your furnishings. The spores released by the mature mold can irritate those who
have asthma and cause others to have allergic reactions. Carpet that gathers moisture may also rot the floor and walls of your home. When mold
starts growing inside your walls, it become much harder to remove.
Controlling humidity levels inside the home properly from the beginning is easier than fighting a war against condensation and mold. Many
homeowners are interested in heat pumps for their efficiency and dual heating and cooling features but worry they can't handle humidity. Find out
the facts about how heat pumps deal with high indoor humidity levels.
SimilarOperation
Heat pumps operate much like a refrigerator or an air conditioner thanks to the use of a condensing coil. Air from your home is forced past the
coil, which contains refrigerant gasses under pressure. Moisture that's in the air collects on the coils as it's cooled by the refrigerant. When enough
water is collected, gravity pulls the moisture down into a drain.
This process is the same whether you have a heat pump running in cooling mode or an air conditioner. As long as a heat pump is properly sized, it
can provide the same exact amount of dehumidification power as a similar air conditioner while also offering efficient heating in the winter from the
same equipment.
Dry Mode
Many new heat pumps are made with a specific drying mode for days with high ambient humidity or those times when you plan to add a lot of
moisture through showering and cooking. In this mode, the heat pump switches between cooling like normal and heating fora brief period. The
small flashes of heat increase the pump's ability to dry out the air without leaving you feeling any warmer.
The heat pump running in dry mode manages to lower the humidity so the home's air will feel cooler to you at the same temperature. Dry air
naturally feels cooler, so managing humidity allows you to set your thermostat a few degrees higher to save money without getting hot under the
collar.
Recycled Air
Heat pumps are designed to recycle indoor air only. Conditioning only indoor air prevents new moisture from being brought in by out door air. A
heat pump can maintain a constant indoor humidity level that prevents condensation. This function is especially helpful in the winter time when
warm and humid indoor air comes in contact with a cold surface like a window.
The temperature difference causes moisture to gather on the glass. The water can get trapped in the frame or pool on the windows ill to damage
it. Keeping outdoor humidity outside where it belongs can prevent this condensation cycle from starting
Proper Sizing
Purchasing the wrong size heat pump for your home prevents the equipment from doing its job in managing humidity, in addition to reducing the
efficiency of both heating and cooling. People think that bigger is better, but that is not true with heat pumps and other forms of heating and
cooling equipment.
Undersized heat pumps also struggle with humidity, but over sized heat pumps in particular cause high humidity levels inside the home. Let an
experienced professional calculate the total air volume of your home and size a heat pump properly so you get optimal performance.
Here at A-1 Finchum Heating & Cooling, we can help you keep your heat pump running smoothly during both the summer and the winter. Talk to
one of our service technicians if you're noticing any indoor condensation or other signs of excessive humidity inside the home.
