How to Control Humidity in Springfield, MO for Comfort and Health

Summer can be the most uncomfortable season of the year because of humidity, especially in the Midwest. High levels of moisture make you feel sticky and sweaty, and can even trigger health problems like allergies and respiratory issues. Thank goodness for air conditioning! There’s nothing quite like that feeling of walking into the AC to alleviate the unpleasantness of a hot and humid day. But will air conditioning lower the humidity in your house? Let us show you how air conditioning systems can affect humidity levels, and what you can do to optimize its benefits.

Air conditioning and humidity control

Air conditioners work by pulling indoor air through a filter and cooling it down. As the warm air passes through the unit’s evaporator coil, moisture in the air condenses and collects on the coil. This moisture is drained to the outside of the unit via a condensate drain. So, humidity removal is a natural byproduct of air conditioning. As a result, the air that gets blown back into the room is drier and cooler. While air conditioning’s primary function is temperature control to cool a room, it also does some dehumidifying because of this moisture removal during the air-cooling process.

How air conditioning affects humidity levels

The humidity levels in your home will depend on several factors, such as the size of your space, the temperature outside, and the number of people and sources of moisture inside. Generally, in air conditioning season, the target humidity for comfort and keeping mold from growing is somewhere in the 50s. With a multistage or variable speed air conditioner, you may be able to get into the low 50s or even high 40s. However, if your air conditioner is too large for your space, it’s running inefficiently, your home is gaining more moisture than average, or it doesn’t have sufficient air exchange and it may not be able to remove enough moisture from the air to keep the humidity in the target range due to short cycling runtime. The inverse is also true if your air conditioner is too small for your space or it’s running inefficiently too, as it may not be able to remove enough moisture from the air. Similarly, air conditioning cannot remove moisture from sources such as a damp basement or a shower. The only surefire way to keep the humidity levels perfect is to have a humidifier and dehumidifier installed.

If you want to maximize the humidity-removing ability of your air conditioner, here are some tips that will help. But, remember your a/c system’s primary function is temperature control. If you want complete control of humidity, give us a call for a whole home dehumidifier/humidifier to be installed:

- Regularly clean and replace your air filters. Dirty filters can restrict airflow and cause the evaporator coil to freeze, which can impair the dehumidifying process.

- Set your thermostat to a temperature that’s comfortable for you, but not too cold.

- Keep your windows and doors closed when running your air conditioner. Open windows can let in warm and humid air, which will make it harder for your air conditioner to do its job.

- Use fans to circulate the air in your space. This will help disperse cool and dry air more effectively throughout the room.

- Don’t turn off your air conditioner at night. Essentially, you’re restarting the cooling process every day allowing humidity to rebuild and it’s just hard on your system.

Air conditioning does help in reducing humidity in your home, especially when used properly. By understanding how air conditioning works and following some simple tips, you can make the most of its dehumidifying ability. However, if you need extra help combating humidity, a separate dehumidifier is the correct way to do it. Keep in mind that proper maintenance and sizing of your air conditioner and dehumidifier are crucial for optimal performance. You can always count on our expert Technicians and Installers at SS&B Heating & Cooling to keep your air, and your humidity level, comfortable year-round!