If you're like most homeowners, you think of using an air humidifier in the winter, when the cold outdoor air holds less moisture and running the furnace dries out your indoor air. Your indoor humidity level can drop too low in the summer as well, when it's hot outside and you operate the A/C daily.
The Correlation Between Air Conditioning and Low Indoor Humidity
Home cooling systems extract heat from the air to cool a living space, but in the process, they also draw moisture out, which is why air conditioners and heat pumps need a condensate drain. If the equipment removes too much moisture, though, the humidity level in your home can drop too low. When you have a whole-home humidifier integrated into your HVAC system, you can precisely control the amount of moisture in your air supply via your thermostat, so you can easily keep it at an optimal level.
Using a whole-home humidifier to maintain an ideal moisture level in your air during the summer months can also make it easier to:
- Stay healthy and comfortable. Dry air in your home can cause numerous comfort and health issues. With adequate humidity, you can avoid itchy skin, brittle hair, headaches, nosebleeds, sore throats and sinus problems. It can also help keep illnesses like colds, the flu and upper respiratory infections at bay since many bacteria and viruses causing them thrive in dry conditions.
- Prevent damage to your home, furniture and belongings. A lack of adequate humidity can result in cracking of wallpaper, drywall, paint, wood flooring and trim. A dry environment can also wick moisture from wood furniture, books, artwork and musical instruments.
- Keep harmful static electricity in check. One symptom of low humidity – static electricity – not only causes unexpected and painful shocks, it can also cause costly, irreparable damage to the semiconductors inside sensitive electronics including computers, televisions, mobile phones and game consoles.
If you'd like to learn more about the benefits of using an air humidifier in your Fort Wayne home during the summer cooling season, contact us at Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about humidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 260-376-2961.
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