Do Ductless Mini Splits Also Dehumidify My Havertown, PA Home?

Ductless mini splits are a significant investment for your Havertown, PA home. That’s especially so if you’re relying on them for heating and cooling. But, when you’re adding up the benefits, don’t leave this one out: They can also dehumidify your home.

Now, if you want to get technical, all air conditioners do this. However, most can’t handle this feature exclusively.

Most of the time, you also need to run the cooling part of the process — and, sometimes, that’s not what you need.

So, in this article, we’re looking at why you need to treat the house like this in the first place. Then, we’ll compare the features you’ll find on a Mitsubishi ductless system versus traditional forced-air central system, portable units, and old window AC’s.

Dehumidification and Air Conditioning

When people think of air conditioning, they usually only think of the part where your system cools the air in your house. But, an important step in creating that comfort is also removing moisture from the air.

Physically, warm air holds more moisture than cold air. It’s why people get nosebleeds or dry, cracking skin in the winter: There’s not enough water vapor around them to keep them moisturized.

In the summer, however, the problem goes in the opposite direction: way too much water vapor in the air.

As a result, you can’t cool off. All that moisture around you traps the heat escaping from your body.

So, as your cooling system removes heat from the room, it also gets rid of excess water vapor. And, the ductless system has extra features to help you customize your comfort.

Of course, traditional air conditioners also remove water vapor. But, they’re not nearly as efficient. That’s why people with central air may also invest in a dehumidifier.

But, a ductless system is more efficient than central air or particularly portable or window units. So, they can handle the job without using much electricity at all.

By comparison, forced-air heating and cooling setups turn on and off several times each hour. The way they work is that, when the temperature changes, the thermostat turns the system back on to correct it.

This means your home is rarely at the temperature you want it. Rather, it’s always going up and down a few degrees.

In the summer, that means you’re not getting constant dehumidification from your AC. And, if it’s short-cycling — turning on and off very quickly — then that moisture becomes a problem.

Instead, the ductless systems run almost all the time, meaning they’re removing that excess water vapor constantly.

And, since it’s a low-power mode, you’re still using less electricity than with traditional setups.

Zoned HVAC and Mini Split Dehumidification

Mini splits create zoned HVAC. Here, each part of your home is treated separately from the others. It’s the opposite of having one thermostat regulating the entire house.

Instead, every air handler works individually. The built-in thermostat in each one measures the temperature in only the zone that unit treats.

And, when it comes to moisture, you can pinpoint the problem areas without overdoing it elsewhere.

This, essentially, is another advantage to add to the long list of benefits that ductless heating and cooling offers.

It offers whole-home dehumidification without investing in a separate expensive, whole-home dehumidifier.

Of course, there’s a lot to consider with a system that offers so many options. After all, you can choose to treat just one section of your home. Or go ductless for the whole house.

But, with those options come added benefits like the ones we’ve outlined here. So, if you’re trying to make sense of it all, give us a call or email here at John Cipollone.

Starting with a free consultation, we’ll design a system that’s perfect for your individual needs.