Indoor Humidity Begone with a Home Dehumidifier
Moist indoor air in the home environment is not particularly comfortable for anyone in the house. As well as being unbearable at times, high humidity levels can establish conditions where various types of mold and mildew can flourish which in turn can be detrimental to both health and home. Additionally, humidness also creates a thriving atmosphere for dust mites. Whole house dehumidifiers are a simple and effective method of combating the problem of household humidity.
Humidity is a measurement of the amount of moisture that air will hold and means much the same as the term relative humidity. The last mentioned is the quantity of moisture in the air expressed as a percentage of how much moisture the air can retain at a specific temperature. For example, if the relative humidity is said to be eighty percent, the air is eighty percent saturated. The ideal level of relative humidity for an indoor environment is between thirty and fifty percent in warmer weather and thirty to forty percent during the cold winter months. A home dehumidifier is capable of maintaining the optimal relative humidity indoors, which helps to minimize musty odors as well as protecting furnishings from damage by excessive dampness.
Fans are used in a dehumidifier to draw in air from the room into the unit. Once the air is in the device, the fans drive it through a series of refrigeration components that comprise of warming and cooling coils. This process causes condensation. The condensed moisture that is removed from the air forms droplets which are allowed to dribble into a collection bucket or pan.
Once the dampness has been removed by this condensation action, the remaining air, that is now less humid, is blown back into the room. A home dehumidifier will elevate the temperature of the surrounding air slightly, as opposed to window or portable air conditioners, that cool the air and also dehumidify it at the same time. Many of the more recent house dehumidifier models are designed to ventilate this warm air either through the rear of the unit, or through ductwork. This is done so that this warmed up air is not moved into a living area where it is undesirable, especially during warm weather.
A home dehumidifier operates best at inside temperatures that are above 65° F. At temperatures below this level, it can cause these air control machines to function less effectively with some models actually icing up. When these appliances are not functioning efficiently you do not experience the benefit of dehumidified air and the unit will end up costing more money to run as well. If you need to dehumidify a room or house at those lower temperatures on a regular basis, you should seek a model that is specifically certified by Energy Star to work at temperatures as low as 42° F and are equipped with an auto defrost feature to prevent ice from forming.
You should choose a dehumidifier for the home according to the total area of air that needs dehumidifying together with the overall conditions in the room along with the usual humidity levels in the space. There are a variety of models, yet the most common will have a holding capability of between thirty and fifty pints. It is a good idea to do some research by studying reviews of several models and also comparing the energy rating of each unit you are thinking about before coming to a decision.
Tags: air dehumidifier, home dehumidifier, house dehumidifier, room dehumidifier, whole house dehumidifier