Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Is Best?
If you are becoming increasingly concerned with high levels of humidity in your home and are worried about the health risks and damages that come with it, then it’s time to think about possible solutions. With some quick fixes, you can alleviate the damages that come from high humidity in your home.
The first thing you’ll probably consider is a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers effectively remove moisture from your home. Portable dehumidifiers and air conditioners are the two most popular forms of dehumidifiers. An air conditioner’s cooling system works to remove humidity in a home. To determine which is right for your situation, you’ll need to find out the effectiveness of a portable dehumidifier vs. air conditioner. Understanding the benefits and effectiveness of each is an important part of determining the best solution for your home. It’s critical to find a solution that will address humidity problems, such as indoor air quality and general comfort.
Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Option Should You Choose?
Contents
This article summarizes the major differences between a portable dehumidifier and an air conditioner. With this information, you will be able to choose which device is the best for your home when it pertains to the removal of humidity.
What Is Indoor Air Quality?
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), humidity is one of the largest contributors to poor indoor air quality. High humidity has the perfect conditions for mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria. It can also cause health problems like respiratory infections and breathing problems. If you have asthma or other respiratory diseases, you will generally have a harder time breathing in humid conditions.
Common Symptoms Of High Humidity
Visible mold, rotting wood, and foggy windows are all common symptoms of high humidity. You may also notice clammy or moist air and the musty smell of mildew. Unnoticeable symptoms include exacerbation of allergies, increased asthma, or respiratory problems.
High Humidity & Comfort
High humidity affects indoor air quality, it impacts the health of your family and the comfort of your home. Surely it can contribute to a plethora of health conditions, but it can also make your home feel uncomfortable and hotter than it really is. In addition, high humidity in a home can cause floors to warp, paint to peel, bad odors, and stains on walls and ceilings. Repairing this type of damage can be expensive.
What Is A Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier is meant to remove excess humidity from the air in your home. Usually, the unit will draw in humid air, then force it over cool coils which will condense the moisture out of the air. After that, it will over warm coils before it is released into your home. Excess moisture that is removed is collected in a drain pan which will need to be emptied periodically. The moisture will automatically drain outdoors if you are using a whole-house dehumidifier as part of your home’s HVAC system or if you are just using your air conditioner.
Your air conditioner removes humidity from your air even if you don’t have a whole-house dehumidifier. The air in the summer tends to be damp and humid, and tends to hold more heat than dry air. In the cooling process, hot air from inside your home blows over the evaporator coils in the air conditioner. While this happens, the moisture from the air is removed as it condenses.
Portable & Whole-House Dehumidifiers
Portable and whole-house units are the two types of dehumidifiers. Even though both types are designed to remove high humidity in a house, there are some important differences. Portable dehumidifiers are portable, just as the name implies. It is easy to move from one room to the next, but it will only work in one area at a time. Conversely, a whole-house dehumidifier will remove excess humidity throughout your whole home as it works with your home’s HVAC system.
While contemplating the advantages of both systems, it’s important to remember that your air conditioner is able to cool dry air a lot easier than humid or moist air. Too much humidity in a house can mean higher cooling costs and more frequent breakdowns of your air conditioner. It also has to work harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. However, a whole-house dehumidifier works together with your air conditioner to reduce humidity throughout your home. With this system, you can enhance your comfort while protecting your home and your HVAC system.
Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Works Best?
Both portable dehumidifiers and air conditioners come with pros and cons when it comes to removing excess moisture in your home. A portable dehumidifier will definitely cost less than installing a whole-house dehumidifier. If you only need to remove humidity from one room, this might be a good option. For example, a bathroom without a window or exhaust fan is a perfect candidate for a portable unit. A whole-house dehumidifier that works with your HVAC system is almost always the best option when it comes to removing humidity from your entire home. Portable units have limitations if you are trying to control the humidity throughout your entire house. To help increase air quality and minimize damage a whole-house dehumidifier is best.
Removing excess humidity from just one area will not provide the benefits that a whole house system can offer. The cost of increased cooling and AC stress, as well as potential damage to your home or health, must also be thought about.
A whole-house dehumidifier can help when you are ready to improve your air quality and protect your home and family from the dangers of mold and mildew. Whole-house dehumidifiers also require less maintenance than a portable one, and you also won’t need to monitor the portable unit’s drip pan daily. A whole-house dehumidifier is a great choice for homeowners who want to minimize problems with humidity while also using a dehumidifier with your air conditioner.
Call Wilcox Energy To Learn More Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Wilcox Energy provides superior heating and cooling services in the southern Connecticut shoreline. We hire technicians who are NATE certified and can provide you with excellent HVAC installations, tune-ups, repairs, and replacements. All of our techs have the knowledge and experience to service your HVAC system properly.
Wilcox Energy guarantees competitive heating and cooling service prices in the area. Our HVAC services can improve your comfort, energy efficiency, and reduce your home cooling costs. Look no further if you want to improve your indoor air quality. Our experts know the best solutions to make all of your home comfort needs a reality. Our services are low-cost and all of our work is backed with a guarantee to ensure your satisfaction. Schedule an appointment by giving Wilcox Energy a call today. We also offer free, in-home estimates.
For more information about our HVAC services, be sure to contact Wilcox Energy. You can click here to contact us, or you can call us at (860) 399-6218 to find out more. We offer a full line of heating and cooling repairs, maintenance services, and installations.