The Unpleasant Effects of Humidity For anyone who has experienced the oppressive air of a humid day, the discomfort is palpable. The stickiness, stifling heat, and difficulty breathing are all exacerbated by high humidity. When you’re outside in such conditions, you may even begin to feel faint or exhausted. Humidity not only influences human comfort but also markedly affects the efficiency of mechanical devices.

Take, for instance, your air conditioning unit.

The heat index, which melds temperature and humidity to convey the perceived warmth, acts as an unseen burden on you, compelling your body to work harder to keep a stable internal temperature. The extra moisture in the air makes it difficult for sweat to evaporate, reducing your body’s ability to cool itself and thus increasing the risk of dehydration. Your body has to work twice as hard, and every drop of sweat that rolls off you needs to be replaced with hydration to maintain balance.

How Humidity Takes a Toll on Your AC Unit

Much like your body struggles in high humidity, your air conditioning unit does. Air conditioners absorb the indoor heat and moisture and then release them outside, keeping the indoor environment cool and relatively dry. However, when the humidity levels are high, the air conditioner has to work much harder to remove the excess moisture from the air. This leads to a cycle where you might continually lower the AC unit’s temperature, expecting more efficient cooling that never fully materializes.

Even top-of-the-line air conditioning units have their limitations against the relentless force of humid weather. You may start noticing that your AC unit used to be more effective than before. Signs could be as subtle as a slightly uncomfortable feeling of lingering moisture in the air to more blatant indicators such as foggy windows or a musty, dank smell permeating your home.

The Crucial Role of Unit Size Size matters when it comes to air conditioning units, especially on humid days when the moisture-laden air can make the environment feel hotter than the temperature indicated on the thermostat. If your air conditioner is too small or too large for the space intended to cool, it won’t be able to remove humidity efficiently.

Contrary to the common belief that “bigger is better,” an oversized AC unit can cool the room so quickly that it doesn’t have adequate time to remove the moisture, leaving the room cool but clammy. On the flip side, a too-small unit will struggle to cool the room, let alone handle the additional task of dehumidifying. That’s why it’s crucial to consult with HVAC professionals who can evaluate your home’s size, layout, and specific cooling needs to recommend the most appropriate unit.

The Age and Maintenance of Your AC Unit

Its size doesn’t solely determine an air conditioning unit’s efficiency; its age and how well it has been maintained also play crucial roles. Older, outdated units may find it increasingly hard to cool spaces efficiently, particularly in challenging, humid conditions. Like any machine, an AC unit’s performance can decline if not correctly maintained.

Dust accumulation and neglected maintenance can further undermine your AC unit’s efficiency. Basic tasks like cleaning or replacing filters, checking coolant levels, and scheduling regular professional check-ups can go a long way in ensuring your AC unit runs optimally, even under the strenuous conditions posed by high humidity.

Humidity can be a formidable adversary to humans and the mechanical systems designed to make our lives more comfortable. Yet, the challenges posed by high humidity can be mitigated. You can significantly enhance your AC unit’s performance by choosing the suitable size air conditioning unit for your space, based on professional advice, and by adhering to a regular maintenance schedule.

Understanding how humidity affects your air conditioner can also help you employ additional methods for moisture control, like using dehumidifiers or optimizing natural ventilation. So, while humidity can make you and your AC unit work twice as hard, with informed choices and proper maintenance, you can keep your cool all year round.