May 13, 2021

Does Humidity Affect My Air Conditioner?

If you have ever run your air conditioner on a humid day, you may have noticed it did not seem to do much. This is because of how air conditioners work. Why Air Conditioners Struggle in High Humidity AC units work by condensing water vapor. They work as dehumidifiers as well as cooling systems. This is because high humidity will make your home feel warmer than it is. While air conditioners are very effective at dehumidifying, on humid days, they can be overwhelmed. Once the humidity rises, the cooling effect is lowered. You will notice signs of high humidity like feeling clammy, seemingly moist air, condensation on windows, and a damp or musty smell. Once the humidity rises, your system will struggle. It will run harder and longer. This will make the unit wear out faster and will raise your energy bills. Why It Happens The outdoor humidity can be the root cause of high humidity in your house. If your system is too large for your space, it might cause humidity problems. This is because it cools too quickly before it can dehumidify the space. A system with only one speed may also struggle to control humidity. Since it...

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June 11, 2018

Can Rainy, Humid Weather Damage My AC Unit?

Updated: June 12th, 2024 Most A/C units are built to withstand typical changes in the weather, but severe conditions are capable of causing damage. Continuous rain and prolonged levels of high humidity can affect your air conditioner in many ways. Humidity and Your Air Conditioner To understand why humidity can affect your air conditioner’s ability to cool your home and cause costly repairs, you first need to have a fundamental grasp of how your A/C works. An air conditioner cools the air inside your home by converting hot air into a liquid and then back again using several processes. One of these processes uses an evaporator coil which draws heat from the air. When the humidity level is high, the evaporator coil needs to work extra hard to remove all of the heat. This additional strain can cause your A/C unit to overheat and stop working. But besides the potential to cause damage to the operation of your air conditioner, there are other hazards A high level of humidity means more water will run off into the water collection area. This excessive amount of water can encourage mildew, mold, and algae to grow. This results in a situation which is...

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