March is here, meaning early spring will be coming around the corner soon. The month of March can get a little crazy with everything that goes on around this time of year. For this reason, we believe thinking ahead now would be prudent to consider the pros of utilizing a whole-home dehumidifier. Increased levels of humidity within a home mean that the IAQ (indoor air quality) in your home may be off balance. For this reason, high humidity levels can be very uncomfortable; which will negatively affect your health and your comfort. So, come along with Five Star Heating & Cooling Cincinnati as we discuss everything you should know about whole-home dehumidifiers.
HOW CAN YOU KNOW IF YOUR HOME WILL BENEFIT FROM USING A DEHUMIDIFIER?
If you’re not sure if your home could benefit from utilizing a dehumidifier, try watching out for these things:
- Musty and foul odors are a good sign that your home’s humidity levels may be excessive.
- Anywhere that mold or mildew is growing is a strong indicator that your air’s moisture levels are too high. So, because moisture forms the perfect environment for these bacteria to grow, mold and mildew end up growing as a result.
- If you’ve noticed that water or vapor stains keep reappearing on surfaces within your house (i.e., walls and ceilings), take this as a sign that something further is going on.
- When you have furniture, walls, ceilings, and other household belongings that are starting to show signs of warping, this is yet another thing you should watch for.
- If you are experiencing continuous condensation on things like your windows and doors, these are a dead giveaway that there is an excess of moisture in your air.
- Do you happen to have a basement in your house? If you do, and if you’ve noticed that it always has felt damp, then the humidity levels are likely too high.
HOW DOES A DEHUMIDIFIER FUNCTION?
A dehumidifier’s function is to reduce excess moisture from the air within your home and balance your home’s IAQ (indoor air quality). If too much water is detected in the air, the dehumidifier will pull in the damp air by way of a fan. Once the damp air enters the dehumidifier, it comes into contact with its internal coils; then, the air then goes through a filtration and cooling process. It’s this process that leads to the result of moisture being separated from the air and retained in the dehumidifier’s water reservoir. After this is accomplished, the now more balanced air is released back into your home, where can once again be circulated throughout your home.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A DEHUMIDIFIER?
- HEALTH BENEFITS: We are all familiar with the knowledge that mold and mildew growth can negatively affect one’s health. But since high humidity levels create the perfect breeding ground for them to grow, keep in mind that maintaining high IAQ within your home is absolutely one of the best ways you can optimize your health. Therefore, airborne contaminants should be halted in their tracks at all costs. Furthermore, airborne pathogens are risky to those who suffer from respiratory-related issues, such as asthma and allergies. So, if you or a household member struggle with extra moisture in your home, a whole-home dehumidifier may be the ideal solution!
- HOME BENEFITS: It’s not just your health that will benefit from regulated indoor humidity, but your home and belongings will benefit as well. Over time, excessive moisture and condensation can cause damage to items and can lead to water or vapor stains and damaged surfaces to things such as ceilings, walls, wood trim, and furniture. Additionally, if you’re a collector of any type of art, antiques, or any type of collectible, humidity can also pose a threat to these items.
Properly regulating your home’s indoor humidity does not have to be overly complicated. With your Five Star Heating & Cooling Cincinnati professionals, it can be one and done. Our highly trained technicians will assess which whole-home dehumidifier is the best fit for your home, discuss costs, and answer any further questions you may have pecking at your brain. If you need further motivation, know that whole-home dehumidifier maintenance is a breeze! All you have to do is continue scheduling your annual HVAC checks as you have in the past, and our technicians can inspect it at the same time. We will check and confirm everything is up to speed with your entire system! Sounds like an easy yes to us!
Call Five Star Heating & Cooling Cincinnati today at (513) 216-5011, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
