If you live in Portland, OR, you know that rain and high humidity levels are a way of life around here. It gets particularly bad in the summertime, when relative humidity combines with high heat to make things unbearable. Your air conditioner can provide some relief, but cool air can only deal with humidity levels so much. If you really want to address the problem, you should talk to a service professional and have him or her install a dehumidifier to maximize home comfort.
How They Work
Dehumidifiers work in a manner not dissimilar to your air conditioner. When the temperature of the air falls, the moisture in it coalesces into droplets of water, which is why you see dew in the early morning, when temperatures are coolest. Air conditioners do this too, but they’re not specifically set up for it and high humidity levels can increase the strain on their systems. A dehumidifier is built specifically to do that, with a larger reservoir for condensation than an air conditioner and a reheater to ensure that the air that comes out of it is the same temperature as the air that went in.
The Benefits of a Dehumidifier
First and foremost, a dehumidifier makes your home more comfortable by reducing the clamminess in the air. That, in turn, helps the air conditioner do its job more readily, decreasing the strain on your system and reducing the chances of a breakdown or other serious repair job. Perhaps most importantly, however, a dehumidifier makes it harder for germs and bacteria to breed in your home: cutting down on mold and lowering the chances of household members getting sick. This is especially beneficial if you’ve recently brought a new baby home, if you have an elderly member of the household, or if someone in your family suffers from asthma.
The pros at Clean Air Act have years of experience installing dehumidifiers in the Portland, OR area. Give us a call today and let us show you what we can do!