How Water Affects Heating and Air

Believe it or not, water is essential to heating and air conditioning. Despite this, many homeowners do not know the right humidity level for their homes. Instead, to avoid the trouble, they settle for dry air, microbiological growth, and even poor health. This is why we’re sharing how water affects heating and air.

Heating and air contractors go through a number of tests to determine the right humidity level for your home. This ensures that any air is comfortable with the correct moisture content to keep the home clean and healthy.

Understanding Relative Humidity with Heating and Air

Your HVAC contractor may talk to you about relative humidity, also referred to as RH. Though it sounds complicated, it is quite simple.

Relative humidity is a ratio that measures both moisture content and temperature. If the RH is 50 percent, that means that the atmosphere in your home contains 50 percent water relative to the air if it were totally saturated.

The easiest way to think about relative humidity is on a sliding scale. During the warmer months, the amount of water vapor needed to reach 50 percent humidity is different than in colder months. The heating and air system also plays a role in manipulating RH.

Relative humidity is expressed in a percentage. The higher the percentage, the more water there is in the air, resulting in higher humidity.

As a rule of thumb, for optimal comfort the majority of homes should have an RH less than 50 percent. Keeping humidity level below 50 percent prevents a number of problems with heating and air while maintaining home comfort.

High Humidity Can Also Destroy Home Comfort, Heating, and Air

When it comes to heating and air, the real problems come when humidity levels are too high. While it is uncommon in California, it does happen, primarily in high efficiency homes built to minimize heat loss. This is because these homes trap in atmosphere, which includes moisture.

High humidity levels invite all sorts of tiny critters and creatures into the home. High moisture levels also encourage microbiological growth. Homeowners then deal with water stains, condensation, mold growth, rotting wood, insect infestations, and other issues.

During the wintertime, it is best for home humidity to hover between 30 and 40 percent.

Your heating and air may be compromised with high moisture content if:

• You smell a musty odor in the home
• You have allergic responses to dust mites or falling indoor air quality
• You find mold and/or microbiological growth
• You see wood furnishings warping out of shape
• You feel sticky and muggy in the home
• You see the windows condensate

If you experience any of these issues, contact your heating and air specialist to make the necessary corrections.

Restore Heating and Air with Service Champions Experts

Service Champions Heating & Air Conditioning is the Diamond Certified HVAC provider for Orange and Los Angeles Counties. We lead in heating and air care. From heating and air repairs to maintenance, homeowners trust us for our expert technical care and genuine customer service.

Enjoy your home this winter and select Service Champions for your heating and air. Complete the form linked here. You can also speak to our helpful call center representatives.