Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and felt hot? Usually, this means that your thermostat is satisfied with the current temperature in your home and your AC system is off. Well, it is not your central AC system's fault. The systems today are designed primarily to only remove sensible heat. There are two basic kinds of heat removal. One is sensible heat. This is heat we can feel. Then, there is latent heat. This is heat that involves a change of state. We cannot feel this kind of heat. For instance, water at 212ºF can be water or steam. There is a change of state every 970 BTUs. A British Thermal Unit, or BTU, is the amount of heat it takes to raise a pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. The EPA is pushing a high SEER rating, which usually will lower your utility bill. Does it remove humidity the way the older systems did? The answer is absolutely not. The problem is as previously mentioned. The thermostat feels sensible heat, not latent heat. So, what do you do? You lower your thermostat. Problem solved, right? Not by any means. The humidity level is probably a little lower, but it is still out of control. Do you know what causes mold spores to grow? You got it. It's high HUMIDITY. When the humidity is above 55%, mold spores will grow. So, how do we satisfy our thermostat at 75 degrees and have 40% to 45% relative humidity? There are three ways that are available now that I know of.
One way is to downsize a coil. For instance, put a 5-ton condenser with a 3-ton coil. This way you will get a larger temperature dip through the coil. The new systems are designed with an 18-20 degree temperature drop. Problem: Manufacturer warranties become void because of a mismatched system.
The second way is with a variable speed furnace or air handler, which ramps up the blower from 0 to 50% of speed the first seven minutes, 70% for the next 10 minutes, and then 100% only as needed. This is a fantastic system equipped with a properly designed duct system, which is really important. The air is mixed much more thoroughly, which will eliminate hot and cold spots in your home. It's the same as if you were to take a jar of vinegar and oil and shake it once or twice. Is this mixed? Absolutely not, but if you shake the vinegar and oil for about 5 minutes, it will be mixed more thoroughly, just like the air in your home. This is why some people keep the fan on continuously to circulate the air better, but how much does it cost to run the motor at 4-7 amps all day and night?
The third way is to install a dehumidifier in the ductwork. This is also very costly. Typically, a 3-5 ton dehumidifier or variable speed air handler will cost around $3,000.00 or more from most contractors. Then, there is the A-1 Tops customized humidity central system, which will control humidity for less than $1,000.00, given that your current system is working properly. I don't know about you, but if I could control my humidity and save MONEY, I know what choice I would make. We do not guarantee this will work as well as a variable speed air handler or dehumidifier, but it is the next best choice. One more thing, if you own a stucco home that has blue Styrofoam, then it is important that you control your humidity. Why? Because mold will grow in the vapor barrier and you will have problems. There may also be water that has accumulated in any porous material.
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