Here in Northern California, we’re fortunate to have a mild climate compared to other parts of the state and country. However, one thing we do experience is periods of high humidity. High humidity changes the way we perceive heat. It can also have some adverse effects on your home. To control indoor humidity, you may need a whole-home dehumidifier. Here’s everything you need to know about indoor humidity and how to tell if you need a dehumidifier.
What Is the Proper Indoor Humidity Level?
In this part of California, few homes experience problems with low indoor humidity. That’s because the average outdoor humidity levels here hover between 53% and 83% annually. So, as long as your home isn’t completely airtight, the relatively high outdoor humidity will keep the interior from getting too dry. Unfortunately, high outdoor humidity can also easily make the inside of your home far too moist. When that happens, it can have some seriously unpleasant side effects.
Proper indoor humidity levels are partially a matter of preference. As a result, you’ll find different recommendations for proper indoor humidity depending on where you look. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends levels between 30% and 50%. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers calls for levels between 40% and 60%. You can experiment with levels from 30% to 60% to see what’s ideal for your home.
The Effects of High Indoor Humidity
Multiple things happen when there’s too much moisture in your home’s air. One is that your air conditioner will lose efficiency. It takes more energy to cool moisture-laden air. Plus, your AC can only dehumidify the air so much while it runs. That alone will lead to longer runtimes and higher cooling costs.
Additionally, high humidity will make everyone in your home feel warmer than the air temperature suggests. That’s because humidity interferes with the natural evaporative cooling process our bodies depend on. When that happens, you may need to turn your thermostat down further to compensate.
High indoor humidity doesn’t just affect your comfort and AC operation. It can also make your home hospitable to dust mites and mold. Dust mites are a common allergen and thrive when humidity levels reach 70% or higher. Mold, on the other hand, loves dark, damp places. It can begin growing with persistent humidity levels of 60% and higher.
How to Tell You Need a Whole-Home Dehumidifier
The simplest way to know that you need a whole-home dehumidifier is to measure the indoor humidity. You can purchase a simple hygrometer to take readings in different parts of your home. Or you can install a smart thermostat with a built-in hygrometer.
Some other telltale signs can indicate the need for a whole-home dehumidifier. They include the following.
Sticky Feeling Air With the AC Running
Whenever your AC runs, it will extract some of the moisture in the air and drain it away. So, if the air in your home feels sticky and uncomfortable even with the AC on, you likely have a humidity problem. If you experience that feeling, you should look at the open end of your AC’s condensate drain line. If it gets blocked, it may make your AC struggle to remove humidity. However, if you spot a constant trickle of water coming from it, your AC is likely working fine. In that case, a whole-home dehumidifier is among the HVAC products you can consider to augment your AC’s dehumidification.
Musty Odors or Visible Mold and Mildew
Another sign that you might need a whole-home dehumidifier is a musty smell in your home. That can indicate the presence of mold and mildew growth in places you can’t see. High humidity can also accelerate the growth of mold and mildew in already-damp places like bathrooms and kitchens.
Sometimes, even your HVAC and its ductwork can end up with mold and mildew inside them. If that happens, it can lead to health problems for everyone in your home. Also, remedying the issue will require a thorough ductwork and HVAC cleaning at a minimum.
Pest Infestations
If you’re noticing a sudden increase in bugs and other pests inside your home, high humidity could be the cause. Most insects love damp environments because they, like us, need water to live. Besides being unpleasant, some pests that moisture attracts can damage your home. Particularly problematic pests include termites and carpenter ants.
Persistent Respiratory Issues
You may not know it, but high humidity makes breathing more difficult. It happens because your airways constrict when in contact with humid air. That reduces how much oxygen you absorb with each breath, making breathing feel laborious. If anyone in your home has asthma, excess humidity can trigger attacks.
Peeling Paint and Wallpaper
High humidity can also damage the paint and wallpaper on your home’s walls. Excess moisture can cause paint to blister or peel. It happens because the moisture causes the paint to lose adhesion to the wall’s surface. A similar thing can happen with wallpaper, which can begin peeling away from walls. In that case, the moisture weakens the adhesive holding the wallpaper in place.
Condensation on Windows
You likely know that high outdoor humidity can cause condensation on the outside of your windows. You may not realize that it can have the same effect indoors. It happens because the glass in your windows is frequently colder than the surfaces of your insulated walls. When there’s excess humidity in your home’s air, it can condense on contact with the glass. On cold winter nights, you may notice this phenomenon in your Northern California home. All it may take is a subfreezing night and indoor humidity above 40%.
How Whole-Home Dehumidifiers Work
If you believe your home suffers from high indoor humidity, a whole-house dehumidifier can solve the problem. It installs in line with your HVAC ductwork and works alongside your HVAC to keep humidity in check. Most models use a refrigeration cycle like that of an air conditioner. The big difference is that a whole-home dehumidifier doesn’t expel the heat it gathers outside. Instead, it uses that heat to bring dehumidified air back to room temperature. That way, you can rely on your dehumidifier year-round without worrying about it affecting temperatures in your home. For the ultimate in indoor environmental control, you can install a thermostat that controls your HVAC system and dehumidifier.
Northern California Dehumidification Experts
Since 2010, Environmental Heating & Air Solutions has been a local indoor comfort and air quality leader in Roseville, CA. We can help if your home suffers from persistently high indoor humidity. We sell and install quality whole-home dehumidifiers from trusted manufacturers like Lennox. Plus, we carry an array of indoor air quality solutions like air filtration systems. And you can count on our HVAC experts to diagnose your air quality needs and recommend the right solutions.
If you need a whole-home dehumidifier for your Roseville home, contact Environmental Heating & Air Solutions today!
