Here in the Northwest Florida and Southeast Alabama we tend to think
of controlling high humidity during the summer as a concern for keeping our homes
comfortable. That is a true concern and worthy of consideration when selecting home comfort
systems. During the summer the humidity is primarily controlled by the air conditioning
system in our home. With a properly designed and sized system we can accomplish 50%
humidity. In some instances, special humidity removing equipment is needed. This equipment
could be as easy as installing a humidity controlling thermostat, like the Lennox ComfortSense 7000 Thermostat, that works in
conjunction with the air conditioner to keep the level of humidity low. Then there is the
auxiliary humidity removal equipment like the Aprilaire Model 1700 Whole-Home
Dehumidifier. Removal of humidity on those steamy July days helps keep everyone
cool and comfortable.
One area of humidity that is
easily neglected in the South is low humidity. How can low humidity affect your home
comfort? Well low humidity contributes to several things that can cause discomfort. These
include but aren't limited too, dry cracking skin, cracking caulk joints on crown molding
and base board molding, as well as static electricity. During the cold fronts that come
through this area, the humidity levels in our homes can drop well into the 30% range or
lower. Considering this, you might think of adding a humidifier to your home comfort
system to keep the humidity constant year-round. These function well with heat pumps and
gas furnaces. There are basically two types of humidifiers, power and bypass humidifiers.
