As a homeowner you likely value keeping your home at the ideal temperature for your own comfort level. Polluted or otherwise contaminated air can lead to illness, while excessive humidity will promote the growth of bacteria, mold, mildew and other spores that can cause respiratory infections, illness and skin conditions. Thus, air exchangers and dehumidifiers are used depending on your issue.
Air-to-Air Exchangers:
Air exchangers will maintain good indoor air quality and moisture control inside your home by continuously introducing tempered fresh air from the outside while exhausting stale, moist air to the outside. In other words, air-to-air exchangers exhaust stale indoor air through their vents, moving it outside while sucking in fresh outdoor air to replace it. Note that some heat and moisture may be preserved to preheat and moisturize incoming air, especially during the winter (the opposite is done during the summer). Essentially, where your home lacks ventilation and there is more constant heat production (i.e., kitchen, bathroom, heating appliances), your home is likely to become more humid. Utilizing an air exchanger, however, you’ll be scattering the humid air and introducing fresher, drier air into your home.
Dehumidifier:
To be clear, an air-to-air exchanger is not a dehumidifier. Though similar in some ways, a dehumidifier pulls hot and humid air over a cold coil that condenses the moisture into liquid. The water is removed by a drainpipe, and the dry air is then returned into the room. Through the removal of unwanted moisture from the air, a dehumidifier can help prevent the build-up of mold, mildew, and dust mites in your home. Dehumidifiers reduce these allergens improving your family’s health and indoor air quality.
Signs of Excessive Indoor Humidity:
If you are noticing any of these signs, you should speak with a professional, as your indoor humidity is likely too high:
- Excess window condensation
- Mold spots on ceiling or corners of walls
- Musty smells
When choosing a dehumidifier for your home, there are different factors to consider such as the size of the room and the humidity levels. There are stand-alone units for small and large rooms and whole-home units – but – these will require a lot of upkeep and you may need to put several throughout your home. At Schneider Heating & Cooling, we offer whole-home dehumidifiers. Whole-home dehumidifiers are installed as part of your home’s heating and cooling system and will automatically control and adjust the humidity level in your home based on outdoor and indoor temperatures. Whole-home dehumidifiers can be costly upfront, but are less expensive over time, extending the life of your HVAC unit by sharing some of its burden.
Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning is the leader in heating, cooling, ventilation, and air quality products and services in the La Crosse area. We have been serving the Coulee Region for more than 80 years. Our technicians are highly and continually trained utilizing the most sophisticated HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) technologies and equipment. All of our service technicians are NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified—the largest non-profit certification organization that is governed, owned, operated, developed, and supported by the HVAC industry. At Schneider Heating & Air Conditioning, we pride ourselves on amazing customer service. Contact us today.