How to Control Moisture in Your Southwest Florida Home
Excess moisture in your home can lead to increased humidity, which makes a hot day even more uncomfortable and has negative health effects. By taking steps to control moisture in your Southwest Florida home, you can keep your cooling costs to a minimum while also protecting the health of your family.
Maintain Your Air Conditioning System
One of the major jobs of an air conditioning system is dehumidification. As it cools the air, it also removes moisture from it. And if your system isn’t running properly, it will not dehumidify effectively. Have your air conditioning system inspected by a professional at least once a year to make sure it’s running properly and efficiently. Between visits, make sure that you change the air filter every few months to keep it operating well.
Size Your System Properly
If your air conditioning system is oversized for your home, it will cycle on and off frequently, not giving it enough time to properly dehumidify. An undersized system may not be able to process the volume of air necessary to remove moisture properly. When installing an air conditioning system, make sure that it is sized properly for your home, using the proper Manual J procedures instead of general square-foot estimates.
Increase Ventilation
When you are cooking, bathing, washing dishes, washing clothes or doing other activities that add humidity to the air, use exhaust fans to draw out any excess moisture. If moisture is still a problem, consider installing a separate dehumidification system.
Keep Appliances Maintained
Natural gas or propane appliances can add moisture to the air, especially if they aren’t operating properly. Have appliances like stoves, furnaces and hot water heaters professionally maintained annually, and make sure their flue systems are properly sealed to prevent condensation.
For more tips to control moisture in your Southwest Florida home, talk to our heating and cooling experts at Conditioned Air. We have been serving the Southwest Florida area since 1962.