Owner
Being a life long Florida resident and having spent the last 10 years in both the indoor and outdoor cooling business, I've become quite knowledgeable about humidity and the effects it can have on your indoor environment. Most people don't realize that controlling humidity is key to controlling temperature because higher humidity will make the same temperature feel warmer than lower humidity.
When it comes to managing our indoor comfort most people only think of temperature as a key driver, but humidity has a profound impact on how comfortable we feel and the overall health of our indoor environment. High humidity not only makes a room feel warmer but can lead to other problems like over cooling and promoting mold and allergen growth. A well planned strategy can lead to lower energy bills, a more comfortable home and a healthier living environment.
The biggest myth regarding humidity control is that you air conditioning system is a dehumidifier and controls the humidity level in the home. Although dehumidification is a by-product of the conditioning process it is not a managed function of most systems. Most system controls have a temperature setting and only manage to temperature, not humidity. The result is your system will have to work harder to get down to the desired temperature in more humid environments.
There are several options to assist in dehumidification:
1. Purchase a thermostat with humidity control. This options allows you to set your humidity to a specific level and will run your A/C as a dehumidifier when necessary. You have to be sure to set your thermostat a few degrees higher since the dehumidified air will feel cooler. The downside of this option is you'll be running your air conditioning and full speed for dehumidifation so you'll be cooling at the same time thus incurring the same costs as when you run your system for temperature control.
2. Purchase a variable speed system with humidity control. Same principal as above however, the system will run at lower speeds when only doing humidity control and will not us as much energy. It will also be a bit quieter in humidity control mode. This is very effective option but still runs your system to control humidity.
3. Install a whole house dehumidification system. This is the most expensive option upfront but offers the most flexibility and long term benefit. In this model a separate unit is installed and is controlled by an integrated temperature/humidity control or a stand alone humidity control. The air conditioning system is kicked on to maintain temperature and the dehumidification system is run to control humidity.
The dehumidification system can control humidity down to 50% which will greatly reduce the amount of cooling necessary to be comfortable thus reducing the amount of time your A/C will need to run. A home running at 50% relative humidity can run the thermostat up to 4 degrees higher and still feel the same as a comparable home with humidity levels at 65%+.
As with any solution the real benefits are based on your desires and needs. Lower humidity will make your summer more enjoyable and can lead to lower energy bills and longer system life span. It can also result cleaner air and less allergens.
