Here in Wichita, summer is hot and steamy, increasing the workload of your A/C unit significantly over climate conditions with lower humidity. Since your A/C unit is designed to both cool the air and remove excess moisture, humid conditions can set the stage for an A/C unit that is functioning normally yet is unable to keep up with the cooling demands of the home. When your A/C can’t handle humidity and keep you cool at the same time, a few simple tricks can help improve the comfort within your home.

Since an air conditioner can only do a certain amount of work at any one time, less energy will be available for actual air cooling when your A/C unit is busy removing significant amounts of moisture from the air. By taking alternate measures to reduce excess moisture, you will be able to improve the comfort of your home during times when your A/C can’t handle humidity reduction and sufficient cooling at the same time.

All of the following measures will help reduce the overall humidity level in your home, leaving more power from your A/C unit available to lower the temperature of your indoor air to a comfortable level:

  • Minimize hot showers, which can add a great deal of humidity to your home. Installing and using a bathroom ventilation fan which takes the humid bathroom air directly outdoors is also very helpful.
  • Install and use a kitchen ventilation fan whenever you are cooking anything that produces steam.
  • Make sure your clothes dryer is vented directly to the outdoors.
  • Use a plastic vapor barrier on any bare earth within crawl spaces, as bare ground provides a continuous source of moisture.
  • Consider running and/or installing a whole house or portable dehumidifier for days you need it most.

If you live in the Wichita area and would like to learn more tips about what to do when your A/C can’t handle humidity, the friendly staff at Comfort Systems is ready to help you. We’ve been serving homeowners in the area since 1996!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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