The summer months bring with it high temperatures, which cause the need for an air conditioning unit in your home. It can also bring with it high humidity, which can cause issues for your air conditioning unit. The purpose of an air conditioner is to remove moisture and heat from the air. Humidity adds moisture and may make the temperature in your home feel warmer than it actually is. If there are problems with your air conditioning during the summer, it’s important to understand what may be the cause of these problems. Here are some ways that high humidity may impact your air conditioning.
Energy Efficient
When your area experiences high humidity levels, it causes your air conditioner to work harder in order to keep your home cool. The need for your system to draw additional energy to cool your home will result in higher energy bills and may increase wear on your system. This will result in the system costing you more money on your energy bills each month, may require the need for maintenance or a repair during the summer and could force you to purchase a new air conditioner soon than you would prefer.
Leak Problems
High humidity levels have the potential to cause an additional amount of water for your air conditioning system to deal with. Your drainage system is designed to handle a certain amount of water, and high humidity could add to that. This additional water could cause a leak within your system, which will need to be repaired. In addition to needing a costly repair, there may be some downtime during the season during which you can least afford it, and the damage could lessen the lifespan of your system.
Moisture Damage
While high humidity can cause additional moisture outside of the system, it can also create extra moisture inside. The water particles that accumulate inside the system will attract dirt and dust. With more buildup of these particles than expected, it can overload your air filter and cause damage to your system. This will cause the system to work harder to remove these particles resulting in the use of more energy, which could cost you more money on energy bills.
Extra Strain on Unit
Possibly the biggest impact that high humidity can have on your air conditioning system is that it makes it work harder. Humidity retains heat, which means that your air conditioning system will need to work harder to cool your home. Even if your system is effective in cooling your home, the amount of strain it suffers will cause additional wear, which will lessen its lifespan. This will eventually result in the need for a new system earlier than you might have expected.
Humidity can add moisture and heat to your home, causing problems for your air conditioner, but you can solve this problem by installing a dehumidifier on the air conditioning unit. This will absorb any excess moisture before it impacts the air in your home. Having regular service, especially during the summer, will also allow you to reduce the impact of high humidity on your air conditioning unit. Contact Triad Mechanical if you need air conditioning repair in Alpharetta.