Do you need a dehumidifier? We live in a mixed humid climate in Virginia and so often, you hear from the heating and cooling contractors in the area that there is a need to add humidification. If the house is tight – energy efficient, healthy, and durable, you should not have dry air and certainly should not need more humidity. In fact, living in the home produces humidity and an energy-efficient home traps that humidity inside the home. If there is a problem, it will be high humidity. In fact, if you have dry air, your home is not energy-efficient.
A dehumidifier is a piece of equipment that reduces the level of humidity in the air. Humid air can contribute to mold and mildew issues in your home. It can also lead to condensation on pipes. As a rule of thumb, relative humidity in homes is preferably 30 to 50 percent and can be measured using a humidistat. Installing a dehumidifier as part of your heating and cooling system can improve durability of your home and indoor air quality.
So there is a strong chance that you will need a dehumidifier in your home rather than adding humidity.
The heating and cooling system can be installed independent of a dehumidifier system, but works best when they are combined.
