Humidity dramatically affects how you perceive the temperature around you and how comfortable you feel.
Sometimes the heat is unbearable because excess moisture in the air does not allow your sweat to evaporate. Fortunately, your air conditioning unit can be set to act as a dehumidifier, making the indoor air bearable.
We will learn how to set the AC unit to dehumidify the air and the more complex options if your indoor air is constantly close to saturation.
Choose the Right Sized Unit for Your Space
First of all, it is essential to choose the right-sized air conditioning unit for your space. A unit that is too small will not be able to process the indoor air quickly enough to get rid of the excess moisture. The cooling capacity is measured in British Thermal Units (BTU) and should be chosen based on the size of the closed space where the air conditioning will be used.
By taking the volume of the room into account, you can calculate the minimum BTU capacity of your AC unit (around 25 BTU per square foot.) If your unit is too small for your space, it will run continuously without being able to cool the air efficiently. If you go with a bigger unit, you can also make a mistake, as a big unit will cool the air too quickly, not having enough time to remove moisture from the air.
Choosing the Right Settings for Your Unit to Dehumidify the Air
Your air conditioning unit generally does not have a built-in dehumidifier because it already can have that function. Cooling the air can collect moisture from it through condensation, then get rid of it by running the fan. Your AC unit might already have a dehumidifying mode (usually, it is marked with a water drop symbol.)
If your unit does not have the preset mode for collecting excess moisture, you can just run the fan on the automatic position and cool the air as much as possible (set the temperature on the lowest setting.)
Use a Third– Party Dehumidifier
You can use a third-party appliance if your air conditioning unit is not powerful enough to dehumidify the air comfortably. You can opt for a whole-house dehumidifier that will connect to your HVAC unit or use portable dehumidifiers according to your needs.
Replace Air Filters on Your Unit Regularly
If you use the dehumidifying function often, make sure you replace the air filters regularly so that the air flows undisturbed and also prevent bacteria or mold growth.
Contact an HVAC expert who can recommend the best solution for a better evaluation of your space. Give Thomas Hoffmann Air Conditioning and Heating a call today at (314) 471-7625!
24/7 Service Call Now
30+ Years Experience – HVAC Engineer