In my neck of the woods, the central air conditioner isn’t enough.
There’s simply too much moisture in the air.
The damp conditions make the air think warmer and horribly sticky. It causes concerns with mold, mildew and gross germs. The damp and boiling conditions are the perfect habitat for dust mites, cockroaches and other critters. The moisture can cause wood to swell and warp. There’s all sorts of challenges with air quality and the resulting health concerns, such as more intense symptoms of allergies and asthma and respiratory infection. Even modern a/cs aren’t built to combat such high humidity; Lowering the control component setting simply puts too much strain on components. The method runs for longer cycles, experiences wear and tear and results in having higher energy bills. Over-cooling the home doesn’t solve the problem of high humidity. I tried portable dehumidifiers and wasn’t blissful. The portable units weren’t effective and yet required way too much service. I then consulted with a local Heating plus Air Conditioning corporation and asked for suggestions. She installed a whole-home dehumidifier that installed right into the air handler. The dehumidifier pulls humidity out of the air as it passes through the cooling system. I was downright flabbergasted by the improvement. I’ve been able to raise the control component setting noticeably and yet the home feels cooler and is way more comfortable. My whole family sleeps better every night. The people I was with and I don’t suffer as several headaches or congestion and have a clearer head while the two of us were in the day. The resulting lowering of my energy bills will quickly reclaim the investment into the dehumidifier. I am so happy that the air quality accessory runs almost silently and only requires yearly service.