It’s difficult to maintain proper moisture levels in an Atlanta home throughout the year. Between winter storms and summer heat waves, HVAC equipment may be overmatched if it doesn’t have the tools to combat rising humidity. In addition, air leaks have a tendency to bring in moisture, which contributes to the growth of mold and other bacteria inside your home. Dehumidifiers in your basement and other areas of the house can help you confront issues with dampness. Here are the pros and cons of choosing single-room or whole-home dehumidification systems.
Diagnosing High Humidity Levels
When humidity levels rise in your home, there are some signs you can see. Condensation on the windows occurs when excess moisture is in the air. Over time, high humidity will cause wooden window sills and frames to rot and crumble. In the crawlspace or basement of your home, high moisture levels may invite mold and mildew to grow. On top of the poor air quality that will affect your family’s breathing, these outbreaks of dampness compromise the structural integrity of a home.
When high levels of moisture are ignored, you will find everything from window and door frames to a home’s foundation affected. If you notice rising humidity levels in a basement, you may consider adding a vapor barrier to the crawlspace and sealing it with concrete. Opting to use a dehumidifier in one or several rooms is another way to take action.
Dehumidifiers in Your Basement: Pros and Cons
Moisture levels that have risen in specific rooms may be addressed with stand-alone dehumidifiers that are a low-cost, pinpoint solution. It doesn’t take any considerable investment or expertise to take moisture out of a small room with one of these machines. A dehumidifier within ductwork stays out of sight while it does its job.
However, individual dehumidifiers often require maintenance. Once water tanks inside a dehumidifier fill up, some systems shut down automatically. Other concerns are aesthetic. Dehumidifiers without duct kits must sit in the main room in plain sight to perform their function properly. Among operational concerns, you may find that a dehumidifier without a defrost setting will freeze up and stall in the hottest months, when A/C equipment is always running.
Whole-Home and Integrated Dehumifidiers
You may opt for whole-home dehumidification if you notice moisture levels and conditions deteriorating in your Dunwoody home. Whole-house dehumidifiers utilize special sensors to track and respond to rising moisture levels. The Aprilaire 1750A has been a recommended solution for controlling an entire home’s worth of humidity issues. As the homeowner, you decide whether you’d like it integrated within your HVAC system or installed as a stand-alone item with its own ductwork.
Other ways to control humidity at home seek to address the root of the problem. Adding storm windows, upgrading insulation, sealing air leaks and cleaning duct vents may solve moisture-related problems in your home. The best way to diagnose and address problems with dampness is to have a Reliable Heating & Air technician come to your home to assess your HVAC system and building envelope.
Reliable’s expert team can help you improve indoor air quality so your family can breathe easy, and so your home’s structural integrity remains intact. Whether dehumidifiers in your basement or a whole-home solutions works best, Reliable will present real solutions you can implement today.
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