If you live in East Texas, or if you’ve even visited, you understand how humid it can be. The heat and humidity in an East Texas summer are very different from the dry heat you experience in other parts of Texas. Most people would agree, humid heat feels hotter than dry heat. Humid heat feels stickier. Clammier. More uncomfortable. It feels harder for your body to cool itself.
During an East Texas summer, the humidity hangs in the air itself and causes your AC to work overtime.
Read more about how humidity effects your HVAC system.
How Humidity Affects Your Home
Humidity has a profound impact on the comfortability of your home’s atmosphere. If you’ve ever experienced a home on a summer day when the AC isn’t working, you understand how important it is to basic daily living. Not to mention how important your air conditioner is during peak hot months for infants, the elderly, and those with health conditions, where a working AC can literally mean the difference between life and death on the hottest days.
Humidity in your home also impacts factors such as the growth of harmful mold and mildew. While it might seem that a little mold/mildew aren’t a big deal in a place so prone to it, a small amount can very quickly spread and cause major issues to both the structure of your home and the health of your home’s occupants. A functional HVAC system is necessary to combat both humidity and the mold/mildew that can grow because of it.
Your AC unit performs multiple useful tasks at once: It removes moisture from the air and removes hot air while expelling cool air.
However, excessively humid climates such as East Texas can cause AC units to work harder, inevitably leading to the necessity of a new air conditioner sooner than in a place with less humidity.
Why Humidity Makes Your AC Work Harder
Exactly how East Texas humidity destroys air conditioners faster has to do with several factors.
The amount of moisture in the air impacts how hard your air conditioner will have to work to cool the room’s temperature. An increased moisture load in the air means the unit is spending more energy condensing water in an attempt to bring the room’s temperature down.
This in turn causes your AC unit to cycle longer. Longer cycles mean more strain on the HVAC system, which can cause it to wear out more quickly. In addition, the increase in the time your AC spends running, you’ll see a rise in energy costs for your home or business.
A higher electric bill can actually be a good way to diagnose something wrong with your HVAC unit. If you see a steady increase in your utility costs but aren’t sure why, having an AC company in East Texas such as East Texas Refrigeration (ETR) perform an inspection with professional diagnostic equipment can help determine if it’s your AC causing the issue.
Other Ways Humidity Can Damage Your Air Conditioner
Other ways that humidity damages your air conditioning and causes you to need AC repair or a new air conditioner:
- Humidity causes moisture droplets to form. These moisture droplets often don’t go away, but gather on the components of your AC unit. This moisture causes rust on the metal parts it sits on. When not cleaned properly it can also even cause cosmetic and structural damage to your home.
- Mold and mildew don’t just grow in your home. They can also grow within your AC unit if it’s not regularly cleaned, the air conditioner filter changed, the ducts cleaned and checked, and other general maintenance performed by a local AC and heating company. If allowed to grow, every time the unit turns on it blasts mold and mildew spores throughout your home. This not only spreads the mold and mildew but can also be dangerous to people’s health, especially if they have allergies or asthma.
- If moisture continues to build up on your AC unit it can cause electrical issues. This can become a big safety problem. If you notice water dripping or building up anywhere on your air conditioner it’s important to do an AC system check from a professional HVAC company in East Texas.
Humidity and Your AC’s Energy Use
When it comes to your AC’s energy expenditure, much of that comes from working to dehumidify the space, whether that’s a large commercial space or a single family home.
When the space’s humidity level is higher, your AC unit has to work harder to lower the humidity, meaning you might not reach your room’s desired temperature as soon as you would like because your AC is still trying to catch up.
What can you do?
It’s obvious that you can’t escape the East Texas humidity if you live there. So what steps can you take to help keep your HVAC system working in the best condition you can?
Ask your HVAC professional whether a whole-home dehumidifier could benefit your home. In a humid climate like East Texas, a whole-home dehumidifier can help manage excess moisture in the air, taking some of the strain off your AC system while helping your home feel more comfortable.
Have your HVAC unit regularly inspected by a local AC repair company. Check to see if they offer a professional HVAC maintenance program that helps take the headache out of making sure your unit is regularly inspected and up to date on filter changes, cleanings, and minor repairs.
Don’t put off those repairs. Even if it seems like you’re saving money in the short term by putting off a repair, chances are it will cost you more in the long term. If you notice an issue, get it fixed by a professional as soon as possible.
