There are several reasons the air conditioner was invented but one of the main ones was to control humidity. When it’s hot and sticky a lack of humidity control can lead to mould growth and a litany of other issues related to moisture. High levels of humidity is high in your home or office can lead to health issues, discomfort, building damage, mold growth, and damage to sensitive electronic equipment.
While stand-alone dehumidifiers are also good ways to control humidity, they’re often not powerful enough to take care of entire homes or very large spaces. The modern air conditioner typically has a dehumidifier built into it and has the ability to control humidity as it cools a space. When you see water draining out of your air conditioner that’s the water that’s taken from the air in your home or office. Typically, the removal of this moisture is a side-effect of temperature control as most air conditioners can’t independently control both temperature and humidity.
The Hot Climate Air Conditioner
When it’s incredibly hot and humid this incidental dehumidification from an air conditioner might not be enough to ensure humidity levels are normal. A 60% humidity level is typically seen as normal and achieving this through an air conditioner is nearly impossible when humidity is very high.
Some very high-end air conditioners have the ability to remove more humidity than other units, but complementing your system with a stand-alone dehumidifier is still recommended.
When it comes to comfort and controlling humidity it’s the best way to protect yourself, your space and your possessions. Overall, keep your air conditioner running when temperatures rise, and at the very least keep your fan running to circulate the air in your home.