Keeping Your HVAC In Check: A How-To Guide On Lowering Humidity

a hygrometer

If you’ve lived in the South, anywhere from Florida to Texas, you know how muggy and steamy the Summer weather can get. With Summer only a few short months away, keeping your home low humidity is important to keep comfortable. This is why it’s important to keep humidity levels in your home between 30-50% in the Summer. Wanna make sure you’re getting the most out of your HVAC system and A/C unit? Check out these steps to make sure your HVAC system is ready to combat the Summer heat.

Check For Leaks

One way to lower humidity in your home is to check for and seal any leaks in outside walls and surfaces. Inspect your windowsills and doorframes by holding your hand near the edges to feel for any airflow coming through. Be sure to replace worn weather-stripping and cracked caulk or to trap in the dehumidified air. One humidity source, many homeowners don’t know about is the well-sealed your clothes dryer’s exhaust pipe and vent. If the dryer vent isn’t sealed properly, it will leak inside the house. This adds unnecessary heat and humidity into your home atmosphere, so be sure to seal the vent if you notice any leaking.

Keep The Airflow Going

Are only certain rooms feeling swampy and stuffy? Try an oscillating fan to create more air circulation and decrease humidity levels in those areas. Fans cool by removing moisture from the skin, so they don’t actually lower the temperature in a room. Be careful though, don’t leave your fans on in empty rooms, as you’ll be paying more for energy costs. Another tip that most homeowners might not know, is that in summer your ceiling fans should be rotated to spin counter-clockwise. The counter-clockwise spin draws cooler air up from the floor distributing it evenly and more efficiently across a room.

Have Your HVAC Inspected And Maintained Regularly

Although this one seems like a no-brainer, we like to remind everyone that regular check ups are important to keep your HVAC running as long and as smoothly as possible. Your air conditioner not only keeps your home cool, but it also removes moisture from the air. Cracks and leaks in your HVAC system or your A/C unit will increase the overall humidity in your home significantly, and will eventually be very expensive to keep up cooling costs. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a trusted company like AirOne Heating and Air Conditioning inspect your HVAC system semi-annually.

If you are concerned that your home may have more serious humidity issues, give AirOne Heating and Air Conditioning a call today at (512) 392-0022, or get in touch with us through our website. We’re the premier HVAC company in Central, TX who’d be happy to assist you with all your HVAC needs.