With the hot, humid weather here in Maryland, you may be looking for a cost-effective way to make your home more comfortable. Installing central air conditioning is a must, but what about a whole-house dehumidifier? Does this equipment work, and are the benefits worth the investment?

Explore what makes a whole-house dehumidifier work. Then, contact GAC Services to schedule an installation.

Why Air Conditioning Isn’t Always Enough

Running errands when the temperature is 90 degrees and the humidity level is 75 percent or higher can be pure misery. Your body sweats in response to the heat, but because the air is already so saturated, it doesn’t make much of a difference.

When you return home, you welcome the rush of cool air that envelopes you. You start to feel better after a few minutes, and you have your air conditioner to thank. After all, this equipment cools your home and dehumidifies the air at the same time.

Why, then, do you need a whole-house dehumidifier in addition to AC?

It’s true that in some climates, the dehumidifying action of an air conditioner is sufficient. However, Maryland is known for having muggy afternoons and damp evenings. On days with especially high humidity levels, the AC may reach the target temperature before removing an adequate amount of moisture from the air. This leaves you feeling cool but clammy, a sensation that prompts you to turn the temperature down another degree or two.

By the time the indoor humidity finally reaches a suitable level, your home is too cold for comfort. You return the thermostat to the usual setting, but then moisture builds back up. You can avoid juggling the temperature and humidity level by installing a whole-house dehumidifier.

Do You Need a Dehumidifier?

Not every home requires extra dehumidification on top of what the AC can do. However, if you answer “yes” to either of these questions, the upgrade could be worthwhile:

• Is the humidity level too high? Excess humidity can be harmful to your health, attract pests, and even threaten your home’s structural integrity. Purchase an inexpensive hygrometer and measure the indoor relative humidity. If it’s higher than 50 percent, you could benefit from a dehumidifier.
• Is your home uncomfortable? If your skin is clammy and your house feels stuffy and smells musty, these are signs that the humidity level is too high. It’s frustrating to constantly adjust the thermostat, hoping to balance the temperature and humidity with only marginal success.

Benefits of Whole-House Dehumidifiers

Here’s what to expect if you decide to install a dehumidifier:

• Energy savings: A whole-house unit hooks up to your air conditioner, allowing the two machines work in tandem. The dehumidifier can also run independently on cooler days, keeping your home comfortable at a much lower cost than running the AC.
• Reduced strain on the AC: The less you run your air conditioner, the longer it lasts. You can expect to save on maintenance, repairs, and replacement costs when a whole-house dehumidifier takes some of the load off the AC.
• Superior comfort: A whole-house dehumidifier eliminates the sensation of having cool but clammy skin by removing excess moisture that the AC leaves behind.
• Convenient operation: You might assume you can get all these benefits of a whole-house dehumidifier from a small portable unit. However, this requires you to move the machine from room to room and manually empty the condensate pan. A whole-house unit is linked to the ductwork to dehumidify your entire home. It’s also connected to a floor drain or pump, so you can simply set the humidistat and forget about it.

Install a Whole-House Dehumidifier in Maryland

Don’t suffer from excess indoor humidity this summer—contact GAC Services and schedule whole-house dehumidifier installation in Montgomery or Frederick County!