If your home seems to constantly smell musty and feel damp, it might be time to invest in a whole-house dehumidifier. The humidity level of the air in your home is important for comfort, health and the performance of your HVAC system. A humid environment encourages mold, mildew, dust mites and bacteria growth.

How Dehumidifiers Work

When you buy a whole-house dehumidifier, it can be installed onto your existing forced-air HVAC system. This is different from portable or room dehumidifiers that are self-contained and can be moved from area to area. When air passes through your ducts, the whole-home dehumidifier will remove excess moisture from the air before distributing it to rooms in your home. Most of these central systems have the ability to draw air into the ducts by themselves, which allows them to operate independently of your air conditioner if need be. The optimal setting for indoor humidity in the summer is somewhere between 30 and 50 percent, which will vary based on personal preference and local climate.

Benefits of a Whole-House Dehumidifier

Here are some of the most prominent benefits of one of these systems:

• Lower cooling bills. Humid air makes it feel warmer than it actually is. This is a problem in summer when it causes you to run your A/C constantly to feel comfortable. Removing humidity from your air will instantly let you turn up your thermostat a few degrees and still be comfortable.
• Better air quality. Getting rid of humidity also gets rid of the conditions for mold, mildew and other contaminants that harm your air quality. Many contaminants can trigger allergy or adverse respiratory symptoms, which makes a dehumidifier even more important.
• More comfortable. Even if you run your A/C more to compensate for a humid home, it still won’t be as comfortable as a home with the sort of balanced humidity a whole-house dehumidifier can provide.

If you have any questions about installing a whole-house dehumidifier in your Kansas City area home, please contact us at Overland Park Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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