Your Air Conditioner And Moisutre: What You Need To Know

With the weather warming up and the humidity increasing in many parts of the country, it is not uncommon to have additional moisture in your home. Although your house can seem comfortable when running your air conditioner, that humid air is being circulated through the HVAC and is distributing it back to your house. This can result in several problems. The following are some things that can happen when moist air gets inside and what you can do to prevent them:

Growth of Bacteria

Where there is moisture, so is the potential for bacteria growth. These bacteria from moisture is what causes mold and mildew to grow, which is terrible both for your home and your health. It is particularly dangerous if anyone in your home has asthma or other respiratory problems. The spores that come from bacteria can get into the lungs and make it even more difficult to breathe.

Sweaty Pipes

Excess moisture can also cause sweaty pipes or pipes that get moist from excess water in the air. You may notice that your pipes appear to have condensation on them during the warmer months. This isn't due to the temperature in the house but is a result of water circulating inside. This extra water will damage walls, ceilings, floors, or anywhere else pipes are present.

Warped Wooden Flooring

The moisture has to land on something, and many times that is on the flooring. If you have wooden floors, the risk of damage is great, as water will cause wood to warp. Over time, the wooden planks will crack and eventually need to be replaced.

Even if your floors are not wooden, there is still a risk of some sort of flooring damage. For instance, if your floors are tiled, they will become very slick. This can cause a person to fall and get injured if you do not have any floor mats or other forms of protection on the floor.

To fix an excessive moisture problem, you can consider having a whole home dehumidifier installed. You can get a dehumidifier in many different sizes based on the size of your house. Your HVAC professional can help you choose the correct size dehumidifier for your home.

If you do not want to go to the expense of installing a whole home dehumidifier, you can also opt to have several stand dehumidifiers throughout the most affected rooms of your home to help prevent the moisture. You can also purchase disposable humidity catchers to keep under your sinks to help keep the pipes from causing moisture buildup. To learn more,  contact a company like Dale & Lee's Service Inc.