It's Not The Heat, It's The Humidity

You've heard it a million times, "It's not the heat, it's the humidity." Excess humidity can have a big impact on your comfort, both outdoors and indoors.

While some homeowners believe air-conditioning units can effectively dehumidify a home, experts say these units cannot get the job done effectively or efficiently.

Today, homes are being built to be so energy efficient that a typical air-conditioning unit will cycle on and off too quickly to eliminate excess moisture in the air.

As a result, homeowners resort to overcooling their living space in order to remove moisture, which leads to uncomfortable air temperatures, high energy bills and excess wear on the cooling system. These homes are unable to reach the recommended indoor humidity level of around 40 percent to 50 percent.

"Oftentimes when we are uncomfortable in our homes, it is due to high humidity levels," said Robin Pharo, product manager for Aprilaire. "A common reaction to this problem is to turn down the air conditioner, thinking it is the temperature contributing to the discomfort, not understanding it is actually the high moisture level."

By removing moisture from the air you will feel cooler at a higher temperature, allowing for the thermostat to be raised to a higher setting.

Portable dehumidifiers only address a small area of the home and lack the ability to control the amount of humidity being removed from the air. These products can be high-maintenance and intrusive on the living space.

"An installed dehumidifier is the only reliable way to control humidity in a home," Pharo said. Now, you can get rid of that cold, clammy feeling and achieve comfort throughout your home. New whole-home dehumidification technology from Aprilaire can remove the proper amount of moisture for comfort and health. And it works throughout your entire home, not just in one room like energy-intensive portable dehumidifiers.

The 90-pint-a-day Model 1700 whole-home dehumidifier monitors the air in every room of your home. It also has a ventilation option so you can get the right quantity and quality of fresh air in your home.