ALSO, FOR INDOOR POOL DEHUMIDIFICATION: CLICK ABOVE!

Customers depend on the expertise of contractors in selecting an air conditioner. Yet contractors generally size air conditioners at least 20% and sometimes as much as 40%. Even the most conscientious contractor is driven to avoid call-backs (or even lawsuits). If the air conditioning system isn't working properly (poorly sized duct delivery system, duct leaks, improper flow across the coils, improper charge) then the oversized air conditioner can mask the problem. Unfortunately, many customers think that "bigger is better," so in a competitive situation, the contractor proposing the proper size unit may lose the bid. Contractors are hesitant to adopt an unfamiliar method of sizing when the methods they have developed over the years have served them well: "I've done it this way for 30 years and I've never had a complaint." It is no surprise then that air conditioners are oversized; however, the advantages of a properly sized air conditioner are so large that these barriers need to be overcome. Customers pay a price for oversized air conditioners in dollars and in comfort.

A properly sized air conditioner costs the customer less in equipment and in energy usage. The contractor should take the opportunity to discuss the value of the air conditioner based on the delivered efficiency and at a lower cost but these opportunities in most cases missed. Unfortunately we have a nation of oversized AC units causing massive amounts of wasted energy, reducing living comfort levels and creating horrific moisture, mildew and mold problems.

Humidity Problems

In our climate, humidity is a major problem and if you turn your thermostat below 74 degrees because you feel to warm, you definitely have a humidity problem. Many of the new highbred ultra efficient air conditioning systems are partly to blame. The government has mandated that the manufacturers make their equipment more energy efficient and the only comparison that most homeowners know how to make when it comes to their cooling equipment is the SEER rating where manufactures use tricky hardware to get their SEER numbers higher.  The results are air conditioning systems that have lower moisture removing capabilities.

Although it is against most codes, some contractors even install electric reheat coils connected to a humidistat to control humidity which it will but it will also increase the electric bill 3 fold.  Conventional air conditioning systems cannot control humidity in your home 365 days a year.  If it is cool outside and raining and the furnace nor the air conditioner is operating, what is going to control the moisture in your home?  The answer is the veri-dry  add converter for your existing air conditioner that will control the humidity levels the most cost effective way year round. We’ve found most customers with a veri-dry raise the temperature 6 to 8 degrees warmer and feel much more comfortable and the energy savings of turning the thermostat up in most cases more than pays for the system a just a few years.

What is humidity?

Humidity is simply vaporized water in the air. Your breath contains hundreds of droplets of invisible water vapor. You can see them when you breathe on a pair of cold glasses. The term most often used to define the amount of water vapor in the air is "relative humidity." Relative humidity is the percentage of water vapor in the air at a specific temperature, compared to the amount of water vapor the air is capable of holding at that temperature. Warm air holds more water vapor than cold air. When air at a certain temperature contains all the water vapor it can hold at that temperature, its relative humidity is 100 percent. If it contains only half the water vapor it is capable of holding at that temperature, the relative humidity is 50 percent.

If the outside air temperature in winter is 0°F and the relative humidity is 75 percent, that same air inside your 70°F home will have a four percent relative humidity. That’s dry! The Sahara Desert has an average relative humidity of 25 percent.

When air is saturated with water vapor, it has reached the dew point; at this point, water vapor condenses and produces visible water or "condensation." In winter it usually occurs first on windows. When warm, moist air comes in contact with a cold window, air temperature drops and it can no longer hold the water vapor; condensation results.

What is the desired humidity setting?

The human body is comfortable when relative humidity ranges between 40 and 60 percent. In your home, an average relative humidity of 45 to 55 percent is appropriate when the outside temperature is 20°F or above. However, during cold weather, higher humidity ranges may cause structural damage because of condensation on windows and on the inside of exterior walls. As outdoor temperatures fall, condensation problems inside may develop.

The construction of a home also influences how much humidity is desirable. Tightly constructed buildings with properly installed vapor barriers and tight fitting doors and windows retain more heat and moisture. This is where mechanical ventilation becomes important. If a home does not have the proper mechanical ventilation, excess water vapor can move through walls and ceilings, causing wet insulation, peeling paint, and mold on walls and woodwork.

Phone 800-514-7052 | Fax: 248-778-1701 | email: bob@veri-dry.com