The Negative Impacts of Humidity
Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air relative to the maximum amount of moisture that it can contain at a particular temperature. Humidity has a negative impact on the home because it can lead to mold, mildew, dust mites, and family health problems. In a home, humidity can also play a significant factor in the internal temperature of the home. When there is less humidity, the home is heated and cooled more easily and more efficiently than if there is a high amount of humidity.
Vaporization is a process that occurs when a moisture in the air is turned into a vapor due to changes in temperature. As water evaporates into a vapor, it absorbs heat from the outside environment. When humidity is high, there is more water vapor in the air. During this, more energy is required to get through the vapor to change the temperature. Energy from an HVAC system is also being used to change the state of the water vapor. Due to the absence of heat in the air along with the HVAC system working to convert the vapor, the unit must work extremely hard. The system uses a lot of energy. This can cause you to lose a lot of money and increase the amount of greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere.
On the other hand, when the humidity of the air is rather low, there is a small amount of vapor in the air allowing less energy to be used. In fact, less humidity can decrease your energy use by half and allow your home to be more energy efficient. When it comes to heating and cooling your home, it is important to consider the humidity outside and also the humidity in your home. Maintaining lower humidity in the home can also be beneficial in other ways. It can reduce the risk of mold and improve the air quality in the home.
Basements and crawlspaces are usually areas of the home where humidity levels are high. These areas can cause numerous amount of problems for the homeowner. One way to proactively reduce moisture in the home is by encapsulation a crawlspace or reducing the moisture in the basement. You can also use a Sedona to work alongside the HVAC system to decrease the moisture and overall it will decrease your energy expenditure.
