If your house feels sticky at 72 degrees, the problem is probably humidity, not temperature. Hampton Roads summers are long and humid, and many homes struggle to stay dry.
What humidity should you aim for?
EPA guidance is to keep indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. Above that, mold, mildew and dust mites have an easier time, and the house feels warmer than the thermostat says.
Why the air conditioner does not always keep up
An air conditioner removes moisture only while it runs. A system that is oversized cools the house quickly and shuts off before it has dried the air. On mild, muggy days the thermostat barely calls for cooling at all, so moisture builds. Efficient, tight homes can have the same issue because they need less cooling overall.
Fix the source first
Before adding equipment we look for moisture sources and airflow problems: crawlspace moisture, duct leaks pulling in humid attic air, bath and kitchen exhaust that does not work, or a system set to run the fan continuously. Sometimes the fix is there.
Dehumidifier options
A whole-home dehumidifier is ducted into your system and controls humidity independently of cooling. A ventilating dehumidifier also brings in measured fresh air, which suits tight homes. Crawlspaces, encapsulated spaces and bonus rooms often need a unit sized just for that space. Each application gets sized to the space and set up with drainage and controls.
Measure, then decide
We measure humidity in the rooms and spaces that matter and show you the numbers. If a dehumidifier will not solve your problem, we will tell you that too.
Call K&A Mechanical at (757) 630-2069.
