Does My Home Need a Dehumidifier?
Summers in Charleston, SC, are notorious for their humid weather, making any trip outside the home incredibly uncomfortable, especially when the temperatures start pushing triple digits. But summer isn’t the only time you should worry about the humidity in Charleston, and the outdoors aren’t the only place that it can be a problem, either.
Indoor humidity can harm your house’s structure and the people living inside it. The best way to combat these issues is a dehumidifier. That’s right, dehumidification. Oil diffusers and humidification machines when you’re sick can only make matters worse when you’re in a climate with existing humidification conditions. But what exactly does a dehumidification system in your home do, and how do you know when you need one? Read on to learn the answers to those questions and more!
How Does a Dehumidifier Work?
Dehumidifiers are relatively simple. They take in the warm and humid air from your home with a fan system and feed it through refrigerated coils, causing condensation to occur. The water leftover from the condensation process collects inside the dehumidifier and drips into a storage tank, and the cooler, drier air is then released back into your home.
8 Signs You May Need a Dehumidifier in Your Home
Several different clues indicate that your home has a humidity issue and may require a dehumidification system. Oftentimes, the dampest room in a home is its basement, but that doesn’t mean humidity can’t affect other rooms and floors. If you’re experiencing any of the following issues, you should consider reaching out to an IAQ professional:
- Frequent condensation on windows
- Uncomfortably stuffy rooms
- Presence of mold and mildew
- Persistent allergy flare-ups
- Musty smells in the home and on clean clothes
- Leakage or flooding
- Persistent respiratory issues
- Increase in pests in the home
Consistently experiencing one or more of these issues is a strong indication that your home and its air quality are suffering the effects of excessive humidity. Speaking with an IAQ professional can help you determine the source of the issue, and equipping your home with a dehumidifier can help reduce or eliminate many of these symptoms.
The Benefits of a Dehumidifier in Your Home
There are many different reasons why getting a dehumidification system for your home can be highly beneficial to you and your family. Some of those reasons may actually be surprising to you, too.
Increased Comfort
Various health benefits aside, one of the biggest reasons why you might want a dehumidifier in your home is because it simply makes it a more pleasant place to be. Nobody wants to live or sleep in a sticky, muggy house. Dehumidifiers remove the excess moisture from the air, which can increase your level of comfort exponentially.
Improved Indoor Air Quality
Believe it or not, one of the most important elements of indoor air quality is the level of humidity. Yes, there can be all kinds of toxins in the air, regardless of how wet or dry it is.
A dehumidifier will create a less hospitable environment for the harmful substances (mold, mildew, and dust mites) you and your family breathe in, improving your indoor air quality, reducing your exposure, and benefiting your seasonal and overall health.
Mold Growth Prevention
Mold can be a nightmare for your home and health, and using a dehumidifier is the best way to keep it out of your space. This device will work to eliminate moisture, a breeding ground for fungus.
Mold left unchecked can degrade your home. It can also cause respiratory and skin issues for you and any family members or other residents living there.
If you notice mold growth anywhere in your home, smell a musty odor when the weather is warm, or experience unexplained respiratory (or other health) issues, you may have a mold problem. Speak with an IAQ professional to assess the issue and determine a solution.
Reduced Allergy Symptoms
If you or a family member suffers from seasonal allergies, and you find that allergy season seems to be getting longer and longer as the years go by, it may be due to the humidity in your home.
Specific allergens, such as mold and dust mites, thrive in a moist environment, as do immunity-compromising bacteria. Removing the moisture from your home can clear out allergens, which will reduce your allergy symptoms.
Better Home Safety
High levels of moisture in your home can wear away at the structure itself. Whether it’s warping or even splitting support beams, rusting metal materials, or causing mold growth that can destroy walls, that damp air in your house can be highly destructive. Your best bet to defend your home against it is through dehumidification.
Dust Mite Extermination
Google images of the dust mite, and ask yourself whether you want one or hundreds lurking in your home. They’re not only creepy-looking, but this type of acariform mite also causes allergy symptoms and asthma flare-ups.
It’s almost impossible to get rid of them entirely. However, you can discourage and drive away these tiny creatures with a moisture-removing dehumidifier.
Money Savings
Reducing humidity can help you save money on energy bills. When you use a dehumidifier in your home, you give your HVAC system a break. Dehumidification also prevents mold issues and structural damage to your home, saving you money in service fees, mold remediation, and home repairs.
These devices are relatively inexpensive and can bring big savings in the long run.
Space Contagious
Another great benefit of a whole-house dehumidifier is that they don’t take up any extra space. Portable dehumidifiers are often lightweight and can travel well, but they take up space and can be a tripping hazard, mainly because they have power cords. When your AC service technicians install your whole house dehumidifier, you’ll never know they were there, and never see the components.
Dehumidifiers have a few other benefits, including reducing the strain on your central air unit, improving the comfort and air in your home, and reducing your risk of having a mold outbreak.
If you are ready to discuss installing a whole-house dehumidifier, call Max’s Fix-it 24/7 in Charleston, South Carolina for expert service served with a smile!
Selecting a Dehumidifier for Your Home
Are you looking for the perfect dehumidifier for your home? The best thing for you to do is speak with an indoor air quality pro specializing in dehumidification.
An expert will measure the size of the room you’re looking to dehumidify and calculate its level of moisture. The bigger the room, and the more moisture it contains, the higher capacity of storage you’re going to want your dehumidifier to have.
Dehumidification in Charleston, SC?
If you’re looking to dehumidify your Charleston, SC, home, call Max’s Fix-it 24/7 Heating & Air today. We’re a full-service heating and air company with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Our clients get the best customer service and a satisfaction guarantee after every installation!
