Staying Super Comfy: How to Get and Maintain an Ideal Indoor Humidity
Air conditioners use 12% of a home’s electricity and cost billions of dollars each year. But when the air gets humid during summer months, how do you stay comfortable in your home?
Maintaining ideal indoor humidity levels in your home is the perfect answer to staying cool and comfy when temperatures rise. We’re here with a guide to help you find and keep the perfect humidity in your home.
Relative Humidity in Your Home
What is relative humidity? How does it affect your home?
Relative humidity is how much water vapor is in the air. The air in warmer months will hold more water vapor than air in the colder months. This is why you may often feel like you’re “swimming” when you step out into the heat of July.
To stay comfortable during summer, keep your home’s relative humidity levels between the 30-50% mark. ASHRAE recommends that you set indoor humidity levels no higher than 60% and no lower than 30%.
This humidity range is important because going too low can cause static electricity and health problems. Going too high, however, can encourage mold to grow in your home and result in serious damage.
Find and Keep Your Ideal Indoor Humidity
For Norman, OK homeowners, maintaining a comfortable humidity level can be challenging during Oklahoma’s hot summer months. It can be tempting to run the AC high, but your energy bills will go through the roof.
The US Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees when you’re at home during the summer. This will lower the amount of energy your AC unit uses while also regulating indoor humidity levels.
Wondering how to maintain those perfect indoor humidity levels? There are easy steps you can take to keep the air regulated.
Install Humidity and Temperature Sensors
Humidity and temperature sensors can help you keep track of the humidity levels inside your home. When it goes too high or too low, you’ll be able to make necessary adjustments right away.
Use a Dehumidifier
When the summertime air gets hot and humid, switch out your humidifier for a dehumidifier. This is a handy tool for lowering the humidity levels inside your home without relying on your AC.
Boost Ventilation
Another cost-effective way to lower the humidity in your home is to use exhaust fans to lower temperatures and increase airflow. Fans use less energy than an HVAC unit, so take advantage of the cool morning and evening temperatures to regulate your home.
Opt for an Energy-Efficient AC Unit
An energy-efficient AC unit will produce the results you want without working overtime. They’re designed to work efficiently so that you spend less on monthly bills but can still enjoy comfortable temperatures and humidity levels. If you live in the Norman, OK area, you can give us a call to come and inspect your current AC unit to check its energy-efficiency.
Stay Cool and Comfy
Finding and maintaining the ideal indoor humidity level can make the hot summer months much more comfortable. Follow this simple guide to keep your home feeling cool and refreshing without paying too much on energy bills.
Need help keeping your AC unit in tip-top shape? Read our guide on cleaning your AC unit.