The comforts that a well installed HVAC unit can bring to your home are numerous; perfect heating in the winter, a cool retreat in the summertime. Like any piece of technology, however, poorly installed or maintained HVAC units can cause problems; these problems extend beyond discomfort, however, and can impact your furniture and walls.
Moisture and humidity are the enemies of craftsmanship. The modern air conditioner was invented in a printing shop to stop humidity from warping the paper; dehumidification is an air conditioner’s initial raison-d’être. Too much moisture means the development of mold, the warping of paper and paintings, and growth on rugs, drapery, and other fabric. Improperly installed HVAC units can even cause water to leak, which is even more problematic. Moisture can also damage and strip wallpaper and paint, so the very walls of your house can be impacted by an improperly functioning system.
It’s important to have maintenance done on your HVAC system before you go on vacation; a properly maintained system is far less likely to have a breakdown or other problems, so humidity will stay regulated. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and it’s far cheaper to do regular maintenance than it is to repair or replace the furniture and other adornments of your home.
There are myriad causes for AC malfunction; it could be that parts have begun to wear down, and their eventual breakdown might stop the system and cause further damage. Should this be the case, a regular maintenance call will allow worn parts to be detected and replaced before they cause systemic breakdown, saving your house from the consequences of humidity. Refrigerant leaks can be equally difficult to detect by a layperson, so a licensed technician doing an inspection is your best bet to avoid problems.
Properly installed systems are equally important to reducing humidity in the home; a system that is too large will shut off frequently, cooling your home but not dehumidifying it. This can actually cause the humidity in your home to increase, as HVAC units are a relatively closed system, and new humidity that is introduced is not removed. Conversely, a unit that’s too small will work constantly to cool your home; the dehumidification can go into overdrive as the system never stops, and your too dry home can cause warping to wood and paper products.
Ideal in home humidity should be around 45%, and a properly maintained and constructed system will allow you to keep humidity at that level. The importance of having a professional do the maintenance and installation cannot be understated, as the costs of a faulty system far exceed the cost of good work. Companies with heating and Cooling services will be able to maintain your entire system, furnace, air conditioning and all, allowing you to control the humidity in your home to the perfect degree.