Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Is Best?
Are you becoming increasingly concerned about high levels of humidity in your home? Do the health risks and damages that come with this humidity concern you? If so, then it’s time to think about possible solutions. This way, you can mitigate some of the damages that can result from high humidity in your home.
One of the first things you’ll want to consider is a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier removes moisture from your home effectively. There are two popular forms of dehumidifiers: a portable dehumidifier vs air conditioner. The cooling process that an air conditioner performs works to remove humidity in a home. However, for your particular situation, which is best? You will need to determine the effectiveness of a portable dehumidifier vs. air conditioner. An understanding of the benefits and effectiveness that each has to offer is an important part of determining the right solution for your home. After all, it’s crucial to find a solution, but it’s also necessary to find a solution that will address humidity problems, including indoor air quality and general comfort throughout your entire home.
Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Option Should You Choose?
Contents
In this article, we summarize the differences between a portable dehumidifier and an air conditioner. This way, you can choose which device is best to dehumidify your home.
What Is Indoor Air Quality?
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), one of the biggest contributors to poor indoor air quality is humidity. High humidity is the perfect breeding ground for mold, mildew, viruses, and bacteria. Additionally, high humidity in a house can cause health problems such as respiratory infections and breathing problems. People with asthma and other respiratory diseases will generally breathe easier in less humid conditions.
Common Symptoms Of High Humidity
Some common symptoms of high humidity in a home include visible mold, rotting wood, and foggy windows. You will also notice the musty smell of mildew and air that feels clammy or moist. Other symptoms that might go unnoticed include exacerbation of allergies or increased asthma or respiratory problems.
High Humidity & Comfort
It’s important to understand that high humidity affects indoor air quality, not only when it comes to the health of your family, but also as it impacts your home. While it can certainly contribute to a variety of health conditions, it can also make you feel uncomfortable because your home will feel hotter than it actually is. Additionally, high humidity in a home can cause floors to warp and paint to peel as well as bad odors and stains on walls and ceilings. This type of damage can quickly lead to expensive repair bills.
What Is A Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier is a type of appliance that is designed to remove excess humidity from the air in your home. Typically, the unit will draw the humid air in, forcing it over cool coils which will condense the moisture out of the air, then pass this drier air over warm coils before it is released back into your home. The excess moisture that is removed is collected in a drain pan that will need to be emptied from time-to-time. If you’re using a whole-house dehumidifier as part of your home’s HVAC system or if you are using your air conditioner alone, then the moisture automatically drains outdoors.
It is important to understand that the cooling process that the air conditioner performs removes humidity from your air even if you don’t have a whole-house dehumidifier. The air in the summer tends to be damp and humid. This type of air tends to hold more heat than dry air. During the cooling process, the hot air from inside of your home blows over the air conditioner’s evaporator coils. As this occurs, it removes the moisture from the air as it condenses.
Portable & Whole-House Dehumidifiers
There are two types of dehumidifiers, portable and whole-house units. While both types are designed to remove high humidity in a house, there are some key differences. A portable dehumidifier is just as its name implies — portable. You can move it from one room to another, but it works only in one area of your home at a time. On the other hand, a whole-house dehumidifier works with your home’s HVAC system and will remove excess humidity throughout your home, keeping everyone in the home comfortable.
As you contemplate the advantages of each system, keep in mind that your air conditioner will be able to cool dry air much easier than humid or moist air. This means that too much humidity in a house can lead to higher cooling costs as well as more frequent breakdowns of your air conditioner. Consequently, it has to work harder to keep your home comfortable. A whole-house dehumidifier works in tandem with your air conditioner to keep humidity down throughout your home. This way, you can protect your home as well as your HVAC system.
Portable Dehumidifier Vs. Air Conditioner: Which Works Best?
There are pros and cons for using a portable dehumidifier vs. an air conditioner for removing excess moisture in your home. It really comes down to what is most important in your decision-making process. When you purchase a portable dehumidifier it will certainly be less expensive than installing a whole-house dehumidifier. Maybe this is a better option for those who just need to remove humidity from one room. For example, maybe you have a bathroom that doesn’t have a window or exhaust fan so a portable unit will be your best option.
However, when it comes to the effectiveness of removing humidity from your entire home, a whole-house dehumidifier that works with your HVAC system is almost always the best option. There are limitations that a portable unit will be able to do if you are trying to control the humidity throughout your entire house. A whole-house dehumidifier can help increase air quality and minimize damage.
Removing excess humidity from one area at a time is definitely not going to provide the benefits that a whole house system can offer. The cost of increased cooling and AC stress, as well as potential damage to your home or health, must also be taken into consideration.
When you’re ready to improve the overall air quality in your home while protecting your family from the dangers of mold and mildew, a whole-house dehumidifier can definitely help. This solution will also require less maintenance than a typical portable dehumidifier requires, and you’ll eliminate the need to monitor the portable unit’s drip pan on a daily basis. A whole-house dehumidifier is a good choice for anyone who wants to minimize problems with humidity while also being able to use a dehumidifier with your air conditioner.
Call Point Bay Fuel To Learn More Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Point Bay Fuel offers superior heating and cooling services in Ocean and Monmouth counties, New Jersey. We hire the best NATE certified technicians who can provide you with excellent HVAC tune-ups, repairs, installations, and replacements. Each of our techs has the knowledge and experience to service your HVAC system correctly.
Point Bay Fuel guarantees the most competitive heating and cooling service costs in the area. Our maintenance services can improve your comfort and energy efficiency while reducing your home cooling costs. If you are interested in improving your indoor air quality, then look no further. Our experts know the most advanced solutions to achieve all of your home comfort needs. All of our services are affordable and we back all of our work with a guarantee to ensure your satisfaction. To schedule an appointment, give Point Bay Fuel a call today. We offer free, in-home estimates.
Contact us now by calling (732) 349-5059 to speak to one of our home comfort specialists!