While the winter months call for humidification to alleviate dry skin and nasal passages, the summer brings high humidity that can create sweltering conditions, particularly indoors. Many homes feature central air conditioning, and while this does help draw out moisture, you can lower your electricity bill and cleanse your indoor air with an Aprilaire dehumidifier.
Correct Indoor Humidity is Important Year-Round
Maintaining proper humidity indoors improves indoor air quality and alleviates the harmful effects of pollutants that can cause illness. Indoor humidity, as outlined in the chart below, should be maintained between 30 to 60 percent.
Several different problems, ranging from Ozone to respiratory concerns, have specific relative humidity levels. Determine your specific needs, and use those guidelines to select the correct dehumidifier for your home.
Dehumidify in Summer for Better Indoor Air Quality
Adding a dehumidifier to your indoor space during the summer can greatly improve the quality of the air you breathe. Mold spores, mildew, and dust, not to mention pollen, can really trigger uncomfortable allergic reactions. If your home has an increasing musty odor, or you can see mold or mildew on the walls, your home or apartment can benefit from a dehumidifier. By reducing indoor humidity to 45% to 50% RH, mold and mildew growth are checked. To get rid of mold and mildew, use a disinfectant cleaner like Milgo Plus from Legend Brands.
Aprilaire dehumidifiers also have MERV-11 filters that capture particulates, including allergens, which can help to mitigate household odors. In addition, these dehumidifiers are unobtrusive, operating quietly without overshadowing everyday conversations. Lowering your indoor humidity level also makes the air feel cooler, so you can raise your thermostat to save on your energy consumption and ease your budget.
When to Consider a Whole-Home Dehumidifier
While room dehumidifiers are good options for individual spaces like a random basement room, or one located over a garage or other unfinished space, for homes with pervasive high humidity, a whole-home unit is preferable. Homes with the following conditions or environments are good candidates for a ducted whole-house or crawl space dehumidifier.
- Tightly Closed Apartments or Homes: Homes that are tightly constructed tend to retain moisture that accumulates from the activities of daily living.
- Drafty Homes: Older apartments and homes can experience bouts of high humidity, especially during the summer. Placing a dehumidifier in the basement or crawlspace can help protect the structure and reduce indoor humidity levels that build up from moist air seepage.
- Loosely Sealed Homes: When allergies and dust become a problem, particularly in loosely sealed homes, eliminating the moisture helps keep mold, dust mites, bacteria, and viruses from accumulating and thriving.
If your space only has slight moisture issues, a heavy-duty ventilation fan may be able to help move moisture and heat out of your space. For consistent moisture issues, these options won't suffice.
Dehumidifier Features to Look For
- Water Removal Per Kilowatt-Hour: This indicates the efficiency of the unit; the lower the number, the higher the efficiency. For example, the Aprilaire E130-Pint Whole House Dehumidifier removes 2.35 liters per kilowatt-hour (L/kWh).
- Suggested Rooms and Size: Look for the manufacturer’s suggested square footage to determine if the dehumidifier you’re selecting is right for your home. Aprilaire has a range of dehumidifier capacities for homes from 2,000 up to 4,000 sq. ft.
- Air Filtration: Allergy sufferers should look for air filtration that helps to pull and eliminate significant dust and particulates from the air. For example, many dehumidifiers, like the Aprilaire dehumidifiers, use MERV-8 air filters that are efficient at removing allergens and are washable. These are upgradable to a MERV-11 rating or higher.
Questions?
If you still have questions about humidity or dehumidification, give us a call at 1-800-934-9194, as our helpful sales team can assist you with finding the right products for maintaining proper indoor air quality throughout the year. You can also reach out to us at the Sylvane Facebook and Twitter page.
