Believe it or not, high temperatures aren’t the only thing that your air conditioner must fight. High humidity plays a big part making our homes uncomfortable too, and unless your air conditioner can combat it, it’s not going to do its job. Air conditioning repair in Gainesville must often deal with overworked A/C units, whose components have worn down under the strain and need to be replaced before the unit will function again. Our stifling Florida mugginess often plays a large role in that, and understanding the reasons why can help you get a jump on correcting the problem.
How Humidity Damages Air Conditioning
We stay cool by sweating, which sends moisture to the surface of our skin and cools us off when it evaporates into the air. As long as relative humidity levels stay below about 55 percent or so, that biological process isn’t unduly affected and your body can sweat normally. When humidity levels increase beyond that, however, there’s too much moisture in the air to absorb the sweat off of your skin, and your body won’t cool down the way it should. Needless to say, our relative humidity levels are often higher than 55 percent here in Florida, especially during the hot summer months.
Ostensibly, your air conditioner can pull humidity from the air in your home and help keep it comfortable. That process, however, often forces your air conditioner to work harder in order to lower that humidity level. As a result, the various components undergo greater strain, which increases the likelihood of a breakdown somewhere along the line.
In some cases, your AC unit may be powerful enough to handle the additional workload that our muggy atmosphere provides. In other cases, however, you might want to consider upgrading your air conditioner, which can help prevent high humidity from damaging it.
Touchstone Heating and Air Inc. handles air conditioning repair in Gainesville, and can fix the issue of high humidity in your home with ease. Pick up the phone and give us a call today.
