According to Heatlh Partners, “The humidity levels inside your home should stay between 30% and 50%. Too much indoor humidity can affect your health in all the ways listed above and damage your possessions. It can even encourage the growth of mold and fungus. Too little humidity in your home and you could be dealing with dry skin and hair, frequent colds and coughs, and a breeding ground for viruses and germs.”
There are (4) main ways a heat pump installed in your home can help cut down on humidity levels.
1. Heat Pumps Divert Condensation
When warm, muggy air hits the cool evaporator coils of the heat pump, the air temperature falls below its dew point. Consequently, moisture in the air condenses into water drops on the coils. These drops are collected and drained away from the indoor space, effectively reducing the humidity level.
2. Many Heat Pumps Offer “Dry Mode”
When Dry mode is selected, the heat pump runs primarily to remove moisture from the air. The heat pump operates at a slower fan speed to allow more air to come in contact with the coils. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the resulting condensation is pulled away from the air, resulting in lower humidity.
3. “Set it and Forget it”
“Set it and forget it” refers to the best practice of setting your heat pump system to a comfortable mode/temperature, and then refraining from adjusting it further. This operating practice improves the system’s efficiency and helps to minimize humidity.
Heat pumps can run continuously or for longer periods compared to windows and traditional air conditioning systems. The expanded operating cycles allow more time for lowering humidification as the system continuously removes moisture from the air.
4. Don’t Forget to Defrost
In colder weather, frost can build upon the outdoor unit’s coils, reducing the heat pump’s efficiency. Using the defrost cycle, the heat pump switches to heating mode temporarily and melts the frost.
This defrosting process helps maintain the heat pump’s efficiency by decreasing humidification.
By maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature and humidity level overall, heat pumps contribute to a healthier and more pleasant indoor environment.
With that said, it should be noted, the extent to which a heat pump dehumidifies depends on the specific model and its features. Supplementary dehumidifiers may be required in some cases, especially in areas with high humidity levels or during particularly humid seasons.
Speak with your Jay Moody HVAC Sales Engineer to develop a plan for lowering humidity in your home.
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