It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Humidity that Makes Your Air Conditioner Work Hard

Understanding Humidity’s Affect on HVAC Systems

The local newscasts got real excited about the record-setting temperatures early this summer. But from a comfort perspective, the real story should be about the weather we are having now.

Day after day in the 90s with storms rolling through most afternoons leaves us with wet, sticky air that puts an extra load on your air conditioning system – it may be working harder today than it did when it was 105. When folks tell you “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity, ” they’re right. If your thermostat is holding 75 degrees but the humidity inside is 60 percent, you just don’t feel comfortable.

Proper Tune-Up on Air Conditioning System is Needed

A properly tuned air conditioning system will remove a good portion of the humidity while keeping you cool. And judging by the current forecast, your system is going to get an extreme workout over the next several weeks. With that in mind, here are a few things that can help your system during these hot, humid days and nights.

• Don’t open your windows at night. Letting all that moisture in will make your system work harder the next day.

• If you’re craving a seafood boil, cook it outside or find it at a restaurant. Boiling and baking right now will add extra humidity.

• If you absolutely positively can’t wait to clean your oven, do it at night. Waiting till September would be even better.

• This summer heat started early and still has a way to go. If you have a standard 1-inch filter, you may need an extra replacement this season.