Portland area homeowners contend with high humidity throughout the year, averaging more than 50 percent above optimal levels inside homes, and often reaching even higher levels due to year-round moisture accumulation and air leakage through the home’s envelope. Whole-house dehumidification, in addition to air conditioning, offers Portland homeowners an effective tool for controlling indoor moisture, which provides many benefits for health, efficiency and property.
Why dehumidify?
Excessive moisture creates a host of issues inside homes, both in the living spaces and in basements, crawl spaces, attics and inside walls. Issues may include mold growth, which damages property and contributes to respiratory and health ailments; the proliferation of dust mites and other biological contaminants; and structure damage from the continuous presence of excessive moisture in porous materials.
Musty odors and higher cooling bills are two additional side effects of excessive indoor humidity. Mold quickly takes hold on any surface – such as wood, paper, cotton and leather materials, or even an oily fingerprint – that sustains their food source. Mold also may grow on an air conditioner’s evaporator coil and drainage components, which will send foul odors through the entire home.
Whole-house dehumidification
The benefits of whole-house dehumidification are numerous, especially for homeowners in humid regions like ours. A whole-house dehumidifier attaches to the duct system and removes moisture from the air with chilled coils, much like the evaporator coils of an air conditioner removes moisture. For Portland area homeowners, whole-house dehumidification makes perfect sense for two reasons:
- Year-round high humidity levels
- Generally moderate cooling-season temperatures (i.e. air conditioning is frequently unnecessary, but humidity removal is necessary)
If you have a powered whole-house dehumidifier installed by your HVAC professional, you can dehumidify your home without the need to run the air conditioner (or heating system) if it isn’t necessary for your comfort. The ability for you to remove moisture 24/7 without contributing to higher cooling/heating bills can allow your to affordably protect the health of household occupants and protect your property.
For more detailed information about whole-house dehumidification benefits, contact us at (503) 266-1249 today. We’ve proudly served residents of the Greater Portland area since 1976.
