How A Dehumidifier Helps Your AC In The Summer

When the summer heat and humidity arrive in the Philadelphia area, your air conditioner has to work constantly to keep your home cool and comfortable. Many homeowners think their AC system is only responsible for cooling the air, but it also plays a major role in removing humidity from your home as well. During the summer, the humidity in your home can be worse than the heat, and become more of a problem.

What happens is, if humidity levels get too high, your air conditioner may struggle to keep up, leading to higher energy bills, uneven comfort, and extra stress on your AC system.

At John Cipollone Inc., we’ve been helping homeowners improve comfort and efficiency since 1953. One of the best ways to support your air conditioning system during the summer is by installing a whole-home dehumidifier. In this article, we’ll explain how proper humidity control helps your AC system perform better, lowers your cooling costs, and improves comfort throughout your home.

If you are interested in improving indoor comfort and air quality this summer, call John Cipollone Inc. at (610) 446-7877 or contact us online.

Why Humidity Matters In The Summer

To first understand humidity, you should know exactly what it is. Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. It’s important to have SOME humidity in the air, but not too much or too little. Ideally, you want your home to be sitting between 30%-50% relative humidity. 

During the summer in our area of Pennsylvania, humidity levels can rise quickly, especially during long stretches of hot weather. Even if your home reaches the temperature set on your thermostat, high humidity can still make it feel uncomfortable. You can probably feel the humidity when you walk upstairs during hot weather. The air feels thicker, stickier, and “muggy”. 

That’s because humidity affects how your body cools itself. When there is too much moisture in the air, sweat evaporates more slowly, making you feel warmer than the actual temperature in the room. 

This usually means homeowners will blast the AC, and try to compensate for the high humidity. The AC will lower the humidity eventually, but not after working very hard, and running up your energy bills as well. This is where a dehumidifier comes in. 

Using A Dehumidifier To Improve Home Comfort

One of the greatest benefits of a whole-home dehumidifier is improved comfort in your home. When indoor humidity levels are properly controlled, your home simply feels cooler and more comfortable. The AC also doesn’t have to work as hard to keep the space cool. 

Many homeowners are surprised to learn that they can often raise the thermostat a few degrees and still feel just as comfortable once humidity levels are reduced. Instead of your home feeling muggy or sticky, the air feels cool and crisp, leaving your home feeling refreshed. 

This can make a big difference in areas of the home such as:

• Bedrooms
• Finished basements
• Bonus rooms
• Kitchens 

Dehumidifiers are also great for older homes with poor airflow and homes with large families or pets. If you have an older home with poor airflow, it’s hard for the air conditioner to work properly and treat every space in the home. This may also mean you’re a good candidate for ductless mini splits. 

Lower Energy Bills

High humidity levels mean your AC system has to work harder and run longer to maintain comfort. In some cases it may never get the home cool enough to feel comfortable! A dehumidifier removes excess moisture from the air, which will take some stress off of the AC, allowing it to run more efficiently. 

Since the air feels cooler at a higher temperature, you may not need to set your thermostat as low. This reduced workload on your AC system will help lower the amount of energy you use, and lower your energy bills as a result. 

Reduces The Workload On Your AC System

Air conditioners are designed to cool your home, but they are not always the best solution for managing excessive humidity on their own. More modern AC systems account for humidity, but still, a dehumidifier kicks your comfort into the next gear. If the humidity in your home is too high, it’s going to make your AC run harder, and put unnecessary stress on the system.

This extra workload can lead to:

• Longer cooling cycles
• Increased wear and tear
• Reduced efficiency leading to higher energy bills
• More frequent breakdowns and repairs
• Shorter system lifespan

A whole-home dehumidifier works alongside your HVAC system to remove moisture before the humidity levels get too high. This allows your AC system to focus more on cooling your home efficiently instead of struggling to control humidity.

Helps Improve Indoor Air Quality

If your home has high humidity, it can impact your indoor air quality, as well as your comfort.  Excess moisture inside your home can create an environment where mold, mildew, and allergens thrive. Removing this moisture from your home is essential to making the space healthier, and better preserved.

Proper humidity control can help reduce:

• Musty odors
• Mold and mildew growth
• Dust mites
• Damp feeling air
• Condensation on windows
• Allergy triggers

For homeowners concerned about allergies or respiratory irritation, maintaining healthy humidity levels can make a noticeable difference in indoor comfort, and improve breathing. 

Protects Your Home And Belongings

Too much humidity can also impact your home itself. Over time, excess moisture may damage wood flooring, furniture, electronics, and other household materials.

High humidity can sometimes cause:

• Warped wood floors
• Peeling paint
• Condensation issues
• Mold growth around windows or vents
• Damage to furniture or stored items (Instruments are a big one)

When you install a dehumidifier into your home, it takes care of these problems and prevents your home from being damaged by too much moisture in the air. We highly recommend a dehumidifier if you have a lot of wood furnishings, instruments, or older delicate items stored in your home. 

Whole-Home Dehumidifiers vs. Portable Units

While portable dehumidifiers can help in small areas, they often require constant emptying and only treat one room at a time. You would need to purchase multiple units and spread them throughout your home if you really wanted to make a big difference. A portable one may be nice for the bedroom or living room where you spend most of your time. 

We prefer a whole-home dehumidifier that integrates directly with your HVAC system and helps control humidity throughout the entire house automatically. These systems plug right into your ductwork, and make sure that the whole home is taken care of, not just a single room. 

Is A Whole-Home Dehumidifier Right For Your Home?

For most homes, the answer is yes, a whole home dehumidifier is a good fit. If you live in an area of the country where humidity isn’t an issue, you probably don’t need one. But, in our area of Pennsylvania, humidity is a seasonal issue, and a dehumidifier would almost certainly benefit your home. 

Some signs that a dehumidifier is a good for your home:

• Your home feels sticky or muggy in the summer
• You notice musty odors
• Your AC seems to run constantly
• You experience uneven comfort
• You have allergy concerns
• You see condensation on windows
• Your basement feels damp

At John Cipollone Inc., we can evaluate your home’s humidity levels and recommend the right indoor air quality solutions for your comfort needs.

Improve Summer Comfort With John Cipollone Inc.

If your home feels humid even while the AC is running, a whole-home dehumidifier may be the solution. Proper humidity control can improve comfort, lower energy bills, reduce stress on your cooling system, while improving the indoor air quality throughout your home.

John Cipollone Inc. has been serving homeowners in Havertown, Ardmore, Villanova, Haverford, Media, and the surrounding Philadelphia suburbs since 1953. Whether you need indoor air quality solutions, AC service, or cooling system upgrades, our team is here to help.

Call John Cipollone Inc. today at (610) 446-7877 to learn more about whole-home dehumidifiers or schedule an estimate.