When it comes to this kind of question, it’s important that we’re 100% honest with you. Untrustworthy HVAC amateurs aren’t helpful when they tell you that an air conditioner removes all the problematic moisture from your home. Likewise, if they lie and say that air conditioners don’t dehumidify, then they’re not doing a very good job either. The answer, like most answers in life, is somewhere in the middle.
Air conditioners do naturally dehumidify your home, but they don’t do it as well as you might think. That’s exactly why anyone reliable who provides HVAC in Shreveport, LA also services dehumidifiers. Sometimes your air conditioner can work together with a dehumidification system that will ultimately keep your home a lot dryer and more energy-efficient than just one system working alone.
Don’t believe us? Keep reading as we get into why.
Your AC and Humidity
When your air conditioner works, it draws in heat through evaporation. Refrigerant is compressed and evaporated in the evaporator coil, which draws in heat and moisture from your indoor environment. That moisture is expelled outdoors through a condensate drain after it condenses along the coils. Basically, your air conditioner gets rid of heat and moisture hand in hand when it runs. That means it naturally dehumidifies your air, right?
Well, kind of. It does provide basic dehumidification of your air, but if you think it’s going to get humidity levels to where they ought to be, you’re poorly mistaken. Think of dehumidification like a byproduct of the air conditioning process. Your AC doesn’t set out to dehumidify the air, it only does it accidentally. Therefore, when things get too humid, your air conditioner is poorly equipped to deal with it.
Investing in a Dehumidifier
There’s a strange phenomenon affecting homeowners. They seem to think that you need to choose between a dehumidifier and an air conditioner on a hot day, like running both of them is too energy-intensive for a normal home. While we understand the sentiment, the science just doesn’t work out.
An air conditioner that tries to dehumidify your home to reasonable comfort levels can end up consuming more energy than both a dehumidifier and an air conditioner running together. That’s because each machine is perfectly well-equipped to do its specific job. When a dehumidifier removes the moisture from the air efficiently, it makes it easier for your air conditioner to focus on cooling the air. Also, when you run an air conditioner that cools things down, it makes it easier for the dehumidifier to remove moisture. They work hand in hand!
Two Systems Are Better Than One
To avoid things like mold growth and water damage to your home, you’ll want things to remain dry. Expecting this to be done with just an air conditioner is just not feasible. When you invest in running both an air conditioner and a dehumidifier, you get the best of both worlds and the energy-efficiency to boot! Don’t try and make your air conditioner do what it’s not meant to—call us today for dehumidifier installation.
Hall’s Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration has your back. Call the doctor of home comfort today.
