Keeping up with summer heat is one thing, but keeping up with summer humidity is quite another. Read on to learn the relation between temperature and humidity outside and inside the home, and take the necessary steps to give your Canby home’s A/C and energy budget a break.
Summertime Humidity
In the Portland area, the degree of summer temperature and the temperature which air actually feels to us (described as heat index) are usually two different number, with the heat index being substantially higher. For instance, the temperature outside on a hot day may be 85 degrees, but the heat index is 95. This is because of high relative humidity.
As warm outside air enters the home and cools, the temperature may go down, but the relative humidity goes up. As air cools, it compresses and cannot hold as much water, which makes the humidity seem higher.
Canby Cooling Tips
Since there is no way around the relation between heat energy and moisture, the best solutions are modifying activities, humidity and heat management, and humidity removal:
- Appliances — Limit clothes washing, dish washing, hot showers and oven and stove cooking to late evenings and early mornings.
- Ventilation — Keep windows open at night for fresh air ventilation. This helps alleviate much of the “stuffy” feeling. Keep curtains closed during the day to reduce sunlight heat gain into the home.
- Airflow — If you’ve got ceiling fans, use them. Portable fans help too by wind-chill effect.
- Heat gain — Use weatherstripping around doors, windows and the attic hatch to seal air leaks.
- Mechanical dehumidification — Whole-house dehumidifiers work with the A/C to remove moisture through the entire home. These are simple add-on systems to the air ducts.
- Take care of your A/C — Check the air filter monthly. Clean the evaporator coil with a clean soft cloth. This aids heat and moisture removal from the home (i.e. A/Cs provide some dehumidification especially if they are well maintained).
For more tips on how to help stay cool and comfortable in your Canby home, and reducing the workload on your A/C, please contact us at Roth Heating & Cooling.
