Oh! The humidity.
How often do we hear this in South Florida? High humidity is part of our lives, like our glorious blue skies and always sunny days. The humidity is why we have our AC units. Who among us doesn’t love walking into the crisp, fresh air of home after a day at work?
Humidity isn’t just a pain when we’re outside on a hot day; it also wreaks havoc on the AC. At Engineered Air we see the results of high humidity. Many are preventable, but we need to be aware of them, so that we can take action against humidity damage.
We asked our technicians for their opinion on humidity and the havoc it can cause. Their answers make interesting reading and can help protect our AC units from further damage.
5 ways humidity wreaks havoc on AC units are:
- Mold loves to grow in the right conditions
- High humidity puts pressure on the AC unit
- Dust mites love to live in the AC filters
- The AC runs but doesn’t cool the air
- A bigger AC unit may not make a difference
Let’s take a closer look at each point to find out more about humidity and AC units.
Mold loves to grow in the right conditions
Humidity means the air is full of moisture, saturated with it as it approaches 100% and more. Excess moisture can pool around the trays and other areas of an AC unit.
Mold loves growing in these damp spaces, spreading very quickly and doing a lot of damage.
The mold will grow into the unit and corrode electrical fittings and other parts of the AC. It will also get into the AC ducts and spread around your home. The side effects of mold in the air are dangerous, especially for those with allergies.
We get plenty of high humidity days here in South Florida. One of the pleasures of running the AC is the clean, crisp air it spreads throughout the home.
Ask one of our technicians for advice on how to run the AC, when they come on a service call.
High humidity puts pressure on the AC unit
The more moisture in the air, the more your AC unit will need to run to remove it. The AC doesn’t so much as cool the air, but dials down the humidity levels.
Our South Florida climate leads to high humidity levels. The AC will need to run more to take the excess moisture out of the air, putting pressure on the working parts of the unit. This can lead to breakdowns, burning out of crucial components and those unwanted higher utility bills.
Don’t just run the AC more often when the humidity goes up.
Schedule an Engineered Air technician for a service call. Setup a plan to get the most from your AC, and keep those bills under control.
Dust mites love to live in the AC filters
Dust mites love a bit of humidity. They thrive when the air is full of moisture and will quickly find a home in your AC filters. Not only will they then spread throughout the house but they will also clog the filter.
A clogged filter puts a lot of pressure on the AC unit. It will need to work harder and run a lot more often, to give you the cold air you love. The AC will work well below as it should do, which is not what you want when the humidity is high. The AC will also push up your utility bills and may break down a lot.
Schedule a technician to change the filters monthly and keep on top of dust mite friendly conditions.
The AC runs but doesn’t cool the air
This is a problem we get a lot in South Florida. At Engineered Air we get calls from our clients who are running the AC more than usual, but still getting warm, muggy air in the home, especially at night.
High humidity, or at least the spikes we get in South Florida, cause all sorts of problems for the AC unit. You may try to run it more often or at high settings but with little success, outside of a higher utility bill.
An Engineered Air technician will know the correct settings at which to run your AC unit. After doing a service of the unit ask them about adjusting the settings for periods of high humidity.
A bigger unit may not make a difference
Buying a bigger AC unit is not always the correct answer.
Yes, you may have the wrong one for the size of your home, but the largest option may not be the solution. If the capacity of the machine exceeds what is appropriate for your size of home, then it will not remove enough moisture from the air. This can lead to excess humidity, and you running the AC at higher levels, and a lot more often, with little success.
Before investing in a new AC unit schedule an Engineered Air technician to call. They will know which AC unit is suitable for the size of your home, and how to run it properly.
Call us
At Engineered Air we have the experience to match your AC needs.
In South Florida, we run the AC a lot, and high humidity is always a problem.
We can advise on what is best for your home.
Call us today and let Engineered Air help solve your AC problems.
