Humidity and Your Comfort

Humidity is a common villain here in SW Florida. Watch as Owner of Tri County Air, Billy Swanson, explains what humidity is and how it affects your comfort using a sponge and water.

Relative Humidity and Your Comfort:

 

What Is Relative Humidity?

Relative Humidity is RELATIVE to how much water can fit in a cubic foot of air. All air holds some water, so when we say the air has 50% relative humidity, it means the air can hold 50% more water before the air is saturated. When the air is 100% saturated, rain occurs (the dew point).

 

What Happens When The Temperature Changes?

If a cubic foot of air is cooled, it is similar to a sponge being squeezed. In other words, the volume of air decreases, so it cannot hold as much water, and the relative humidity increases. The opposite is also true: if a cubic foot of air is heated, it is similar to a sponge being expanded. In other words, the volume of air increases, so it is able to hold more water, and the relative humidity decreases.

 

What Does That Have To Do With Me?

All air conditioners remove both heat and water from the air in order to make you feel comfortable. Variable speed systems are more customizable to your comfort by giving you control over the relative humidity in your home. The catch is, this only works when the air conditioner is running. In order to maintain humidity levels inside your home even when your air conditioning system is not running, we recommend purchasing a dehumidifier (either portable or whole-home). The best time to run a portable dehumidifier is from December through the middle of March in order to maintain your comfort 365 days a year.

 

If you have any questions, we are here for you!

Call or text us: (941) 485-2222