5 Tips for Tackling Humidity in Your Home

In the Houston area, humidity is a problem year round and can make indoor temperatures uncomfortable. In the temperate spring and fall seasons, your air conditioning system may not be flipping on as often, and over time, humidity can build up in your home. And while 77 degrees may have been a comfortable temperature, it may feel too warm, muggy and just uncomfortable.  If this is happening to you, high relative humidity in your home might be to blame.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to keep the relative humidity down in your home. Dryer air also is good for indoor air quality because it is less hospitable to mold and mildew.  Try these five tips to gain control over the humidity in your home.

Turn on the Ceiling Fan

If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on. Fans are an inexpensive way to increase air movement in your home. They also evaporate excess moisture, another reason that turning one on can make you feel cooler instantly.

Use Exhaust Fans

Check to see that your clothes dryer exhaust vent isn’t leaking because it can be a major source of added humidity. And, remember to use the exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms to help move that moisture out of the home. Cooking, showers, and mopping the floor can be big sources of humidity – not to mention coming in and out of the home.

Flip on the A/C

Your air conditioning unit or heat pump does a stellar job of removing humidity and offering cooling at the same time. A high efficiency unit, such as the 5-speed Carrier Infinity series, is perfect for just these sorts of situations because you can use just as much or as little air conditioning as you need. This can be a money and energy saver. In this case, you might only need to use speeds 1 and 2 to remove the humidity to be comfortable again.  An older unit might not have variable speeds, but it will still take the moisture out of the air.

Try a Dehumidifying Thermostat

If you have a newer thermostat, like the Carrier Cor or Infinity thermostat, you can program them to run your air conditioning or heat pump a degree or two cooler to remove the humidity. These thermostats can help you monitor the humidity in your home and run your air conditioner for its dehumidification properties. It gives you information and control, too.

Get a Home Dehumidifier

If those tips don’t tip the scale, getting a home humidifier can be another solution. In our area, your air conditioner may not be running enough in the spring or fall to remove enough humidity from the air. A smaller appliance, a whole-home dehumidifier, can in some cases help dry the air for less cost than running your air conditioning system.

Need Expert Advice?

If your home is feeling too warm and uncomfortable because humidity is out of control, turn to the experts at Terry’s A/C and Heating to help you determine the best solution for your unique situation. We excel at helping our customers maintain and repair their HVAC systems. And if you’re in the market for a high efficiency A/C system that pays for itself, we can help you crunch the numbers and take advantage of specials to save some money. If you’re in the Richmond, Rosenberg, Katy, Fulshear and surrounding areas, contact us today for advice you can count on.