
Relative humidity (RH) represents the density of water vapor in an area that is relative to the temperature of that same area. The relative humidity in your Anoka, MN home should always remain between 30% and 50%. This level of humidity will help you maintain optimal indoor comfort while keeping the quality of your indoor air safe. Controlling humidity can also improve the energy efficiency of your home. There are several ways you can control the relative humidity in your residence, such as with the use of a whole-home humidity control system.
What Is Whole-Home Humidity Control?
Your home may already have a small, portable dehumidifier or humidifier that you use to alter the amount of moisture that’s in your indoor air. While those units can be somewhat helpful, they don’t cover all the square footage in your residence. Having whole-house equipment installed onto your HVAC system is more effective.
If you’re trying to bring your indoor humidity down, you’ll want to use a whole-home dehumidifier. As warm air is drawn through the dehumidifier, cooling coils will condense the moisture. That moisture will be collected and moved through a drainage system. Very humid air can feel uncomfortable. It can also promote the growth of mold, which is dangerous to your health and well-being.
To add moisture to dry air, a whole-home humidifier will incorporate water into your indoor air as it passes through your HVAC system and into your living spaces. You’ll experience less irritation of your sinuses, a reduction in allergy symptoms, and more.
Improving Energy Efficiency
Boosting the energy efficiency of your home can be accomplished in several ways, including controlling humidity.
Preventing Equipment Strain
When the air inside your home is too high, this can cause your heating and cooling equipment to work harder to condition your air. This can lead to premature wear and tear on the components of your system. You may notice more repairs are needed. The overall life expectancy of your equipment can be shortened because of strain. Maintaining relative humidity within an acceptable range will allow your equipment to work as intended.
Decreasing Runtime
If you’re frequently running your HVAC system to help maintain the quality of your indoor air, this can increase your monthly utility bills. By simply adjusting the amount of moisture in your air, you should be able to run your heating and cooling equipment less.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
The less you run your HVAC system, the smaller your carbon footprint is. Whole-home dehumidification and humidification devices work when your HVAC system runs. You won’t have to run them independently to control humidity.
Protecting the Integrity of Your Home
If you have high levels of moisture in your indoor air, this can damage things like flooring, furniture, and furnishings, leading to replacement needs. Wood can easily absorb moisture, causing it to swell. If the air becomes dry, the wood will be constricted. It’s not ideal to have your relative humidity levels dramatically shift up and down, as this can cause damage as well.
Other Ways to Address Indoor Humidity
In addition to whole-home dehumidifiers and humidifiers, there are other important tools that you can use to control your indoor humidity.
Smart Thermostats With Hygrometers
We mentioned having a smart thermostat installed so you can monitor humidity from wherever you are. This thermostat will also allow you to remotely adjust your humidity-controlling equipment.
Ventilation Needs
Consider upgrading the ventilation in your home. Most homes are equipped with exhaust fans that ventilate air to the outside. Make sure you use these fans when you’re cooking, cleaning, or bathing. Excess moisture will get removed without having to run your HVAC system. You can have additional ventilation equipment installed in your attic, basement, etc.
Routine Maintenance
You should schedule routine maintenance for your HVAC system once per year. This maintenance can help ensure your heating and cooling equipment is working properly. Make sure that you’re keeping up with changing your filter regularly to promote proper airflow through your system. You can have our team inspect your whole-home humidity control equipment during this appointment as well.
Adding Insulation to Your Home
Insulation will help to keep your indoor air from escaping into the outdoor environment, which boosts equipment efficiency. Also, this can prevent moisture from coming into your home, raising your overall relative humidity level. There are different types of insulation available, including fiberglass batting, spray foam, and loose fill. The product you choose will be based on your budget, the area you need to insulate, how accessible that space is, and more.
Inspect for Leaks
If your plumbing system has any leaks, this is a way to quickly increase the humidity level of your indoor air. A routine plumbing inspection performed once per year can check for leaks. You can inspect your system in between appointments by looking for pooling water, condensation on pipes, damaged faucets, and rising water bills. You can make sure that all the water in your home is turned off. Monitor your water meter to see if it is moving despite not having a fixture turned on. If it’s moving, that water is coming from somewhere.
Foundation Issues
If you live in an area where the ground is very damp, this can raise the overall level of humidity in your residence. Make sure that your property is pitched correctly so that water flows away from your foundation, not towards it. Inspect your foundation for any signs of cracks or gaps that may allow moisture to enter. These areas should get sealed up immediately.
Is Whole-Home Humidity Control Necessary?
While there are some techniques you can use to maintain a healthy level of relative humidity in your home, whole-home dehumidifiers and humidifiers may be necessary. They provide you with a simple and efficient method of controlling humidity without having to decrease the efficiency of your home. You don’t have to open windows, run exhaust fans, or utilize ventilation equipment in many cases.
Doesn’t Whole-Home Humidity Control Equipment Affect Energy Consumption?
While you must power your humidity control equipment for it to run, this is more affordable than overworking your heating and cooling equipment. It’s not efficient to run your air conditioning unit unnecessarily to control humidity levels when the temperature of your indoor air is already very comfortable. Not to mention, you’ll protect the longevity of your HVAC equipment.
For assistance with humidity control in your home, Liberty Comfort Systems can help. We can assist you in monitoring the relative humidity of your indoor air with the use of a smart thermostat with a hygrometer. We can also install a whole-house dehumidifier or humidifier. Our services also include installing new heating and cooling equipment, drain cleaning, water heater repair, boiler repair, pipe repair, generator installation, and more.
Contact Liberty Comfort Systems to schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable team to find out more about whole-home humidity control and indoor air quality solutions. Get started today in controlling the humidity level in your home and improving your energy efficiency.
