Air Conditioners
This appliance combo works by cooling the air and reducing excess humidity. The ac dehumidifier removes mold and mildew in the air. It also cools the air to your comfort.
Having the right temperature and humidity level in your home is essential. I have been a Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning technician for more than 20 years. I understand the need to find the right balance of temperature and humidity in your home.
Achieving both a comfortable humidity and temperature can be a challenge. It is especially true during hot summer days or when you live in humid climates.
You want to breathe, relax and not feel like your air is heavy and muggy. You can use two appliances for this. You can use an air conditioner and a dehumidifier. Get one or the other, or you can get both.
A dehumidifier and air conditioner combination will help you relax. You breathe in cleaner air.
Here is the Area Vs BTU.
How Does An Air Conditioner Work?
Heat Pumps. We have all come across this device; it is a very nifty machine. It extracts heat from a room and transfers it to an outside location to cool it down.
The cool air can then circulate within a structure through ventilation. Air conditioners operate in a similar way to heat pumps, except they use a cooling cycle.
Central heating and cooling system’s air conditioner delivers cool air through ducts. It uses a mechanism that pulls warm air inside and eliminates its heat.
The compressor squeezes the refrigerant in your system to cool a hot and humid area . The refrigerant circulates through the outside unit. The refrigerant changes from vapor into liquid and from liquid into gas. This change removes heat from the surrounding air.
The liquid moves through the cooling compartment or indoor evaporator coil. Cold air emerges at a point and is then distributed. The fan in the indoor unit circulates the air inside the unit. It allows the air to pass through the evaporator fins.
The metal fins of the evaporator share thermal energy with the air around it. The refrigerant transforms from liquid to vapor at this stage. It then extracts any heat from the air. The air that goes through the cooling process exits back into the building through air vents. [1]
Benefits Of An Air Conditioner In A Humid Place
Air conditioners work very well at improving indoor air quality. Here are some benefits:
- Air conditioners reduce excessive indoor humidity. They cut dampness. They discourage the formation of molds and fungi.
- Air conditioners improve health. They remove pollutants, allergens, and dust mites from the air. They reduce asthma symptoms.
- Air conditioners control indoor temperature. They promote air changes and ventilate spaces. They create a pleasant, comfortable living environment.
- Air conditioners reduce dehydration and heat stroke incidences.
- Air conditioners encourage a pest-free atmosphere. Insects like mosquitoes, house flies and others are unwelcome.
- It is difficult to focus on a hot day. Air conditioning makes work more productive.
- Air conditioning helps you sleep better on hot and humid nights.
- Air conditioning reduces fumes and bad odors in the air.
Drawbacks Of An Air Conditioner
Like most appliances, air conditioners have pros and cons. Here are the disadvantages.
- Air conditioners can use a lot of electricity. They can increase your electric bill.
- Air conditioners can cause skin dryness if used for a long time.
- Air conditioners can cause sudden changes in actual temperature. These quick changes can cause respiratory problems
- If your air conditioner is not cleaned and maintained, it can collect dust. Dust can then blow into the air causing allergies and respiratory infections. [2]
Types of Air Conditioner
1. Central Air conditioner
Central air is best for big homes. Homes that have different rooms that need cooling.
A central air conditioner uses a split system. It has a condenser and a compressor. It uses HVAC technology with programmable thermostats. The air goes through ducts installed in the rooms.
2. Ductless Mini-Split
The ductless air conditioner connects to one or more units inside your home. There is a compressor and condenser. There are no ducts involved. A tube connects the components. The refrigerant circulates through them.
Ductless Mini-Split units are small and compact. Each room can have its own air conditioning unit for both cooling or heating. They are very energy efficient. They often work by remote control. They can increase your energy bill.
3. Window Air conditioner
Window Air conditioners, as their name indicates, attach to a window. They are single-room units suitable for small spaces.
All components are in that unit. Hot air goes in and blows outside. Cool air flows into your room.
4. Portable Air conditioners
Portable air conditioners are smaller units like the window ones. Their advantage is you can move them around from room to room.
Portable air conditioners are an easy and immediate way to cool an area. All you need is a plug and a window. A funnel that expels hot air through the window while pumping cool air inside.
Portable air conditioners work well in small spaces. They are a good alternative to a built-in air conditioning system.
5. Floor-mounted Air conditioner.
Floor-mounted air conditioners are mini-split systems. They are placed on the floor. They do not need ducts or any preparation for use.
Most people use floor mounted air conditioners in attics or basements. They can work in any room.
Floor-mounted Air conditioners are super-efficient at cooling a room. Position them so nothing blocks air flow in and out. They also come with a remote control.
6. Smart Air conditioner
Smart air conditioners come in mini-split, window or portable models. They connect to the WIFI, and you can control them using your remote or phone.
You can program smart air conditioners. They are energy efficient and can help save energy. They are also a lot cheaper than traditional air conditioner units.
Smart air conditioners make air conditioning on-demand so much easier.
7. Geothermal Air conditioning system
Geothermal Air conditioning is the most energy and cost effective system.
They work by using the earth’s insulating properties. Geothermal technology takes advantage of ground temperatures.
The ground temperature 6 feet or more under the surface stays quite constant. Regardless of the weather, they heat and cool your home with efficiency.
Pipes run underground. Water circulates from the house through a heat pump via the ground. Setting up geothermal air conditioning is very intensive and expensive.
8. Hybrid/ dual Fuel Air Conditioner
A hybrid device incorporates a gas furnace with an electric air-source heat pump. This provides a cost-effective and reliable heating and cooling solution.
The hybrid machine switches between burning fossil fuels and using electricity. This depends on the temperature outside. You can set the temperature at which the device changes from heat pump to furnace.
The heat pump does what it’s meant to do in the summer. In summer it draws hot air from your house and vents it outside.
This mechanism is reversed in the winter. In winter the heat pump draws cold air from your house and vents it outside. Heat spreads in your home. The furnace kicks in when the temperature is too cold for a heat pump to operate. [3]
What Is A Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier is an appliance that reduces excess moisture in the air. Water collects in a bucket or drains away.
Dehumidifiers improve health and comfort. They remove musty odors. They prevent mildew from developing by removing water from the air.
As an allergy sufferer, I discovered dehumidifiers reduce allergens indoors. They improve indoor air quality. Remember that a healthy home has a relative humidity of 30% to 50%.
How Does A Dehumidifier Work
When you are buying a dehumidifier it helps to understand the mechanics behind it.
The dehumidifier draws in warm air currents through a fan into its coils. Hot air contracts as it goes through the machine’s cooling coils. The condensation remains inside the dehumidifier.
Condensation collects one drop of water at a time. It collects into a water tank attached to the dehumidifier. Cooler, drier air goes back into your home from the other end of the machine.
Your dehumidifier should lessen the excessive humidity in the air to a relative humidity of 30 to 50%. A lot of dehumidifiers have a meter that determines the average humidity in your space. Set the humidity to the percentage range you want.
There are different types of dehumidifiers. They all do the same job. Let me break it down a bit further.[4]
Benefits Of A Dehumidifier
When you introduce a dehumidifier into your space, you start to see the difference. The name says it all. The appliance removes humidity bringing it under control.
A dehumidifier reduces the health symptoms caused by the consequences of high humidity. Allergens cause itching, eye irritation, chest pain, sneezing, wheezing or trouble breathing. A dehumidifier helps reduce this.
When the air is less heavy with less moisture, it is easier to breathe. People with asthma and breathing issues immediately note the difference.
A dehumidifier will give you a healthier environment. A dehumidifier makes the space cooler, and you can finally relax.
The dehumidifier brings down the humidity to a level where those pests, dust mites will not breed. The growth of mold will stop dead in its tracks.
Drawbacks Of A Dehumidifier
As handy and efficient as a dehumidifier is, it has its drawbacks. These can influence your decision to get one.
Your electricity bill will go up. Your energy bill depends on the capacity of your dehumidifier. A smaller unit can be cheaper for your pocket, but it can also cost more if you have to run. Larger units tend to be more energy efficient.
My advice is to look for an energy-efficiency unit with an Energy Star Rating. These have become standard, because energy consumption is a big deal.
Dehumidifiers may need maintenance. If you unit has a bucket you will need to empty the collected water. I prefer a self draining unit. If your unit has a washable filter you will need to wash it.
You have to be hands-on with cleaning and maintaining your dehumidifier. This can be time-consuming. If you neglect cleaning your unit, it could cost you more in inefficiency and electric bills.
Dehumidifiers can be a bit loud. Some can be louder than others. Consider a quiet model if noise is a concern. They are louder when you run them at high speed.
Dehumidifiers can lead to dry heat indoors. Dry heat can be a concern, if you run your dehumidifier all the time.
Types Of Dehumidifiers
There are two common ways that dehumidifiers work. They work by refrigeration and absorption.
They reduce moisture levels in the air in different ways.
Refrigeration dehumidifiers
Refrigeration dehumidifiers are the most popular kind. They are refrigeration based, making them efficient. They extract moisture from the air by condensing it on a metal plate and, in the process, cools the air.
Working of refrigeration humidifiers
This dehumidifier uses pretty much the exact mechanism as your home refrigerator. They have a cold metal plate. Moisture from the air condenses and cools when it comes in contact with the cold plate.
A fan draws room air over to the cool coils. Water vapor condenses as it comes in contact with the plate. The water droplets form and drip into a water tank or water drains away.
The relative humidity in the room / home goes down. As the humidity returns to normal levels, the unit turns off to standby.
This humidity control feature can help you save on your energy bill. The dehumidifier will only run when humidity levels go up.
Refrigerant dehumidifiers are most effective at typical room temperatures. I have noticed that their performance declines when conditions are cooler. This decline is due to the formation of ice crystals on the metal cooling plates (coils).
As temperatures fall below 65°F/18°C, there is a remarkable reduction in efficiency. After this point, you need a higher-performing unit.
Consider a unit with a defrost function. If you need a dehumidifier to work in cold conditions consider a low temperatures model.
Adsorption dehumidifiers
An adsorption dehumidifier differs from a refrigerant type. They use a desiccant to absorb water from the air. A desiccant is a water-absorbing compound such as silica gel.
Working of adsorption dehumidifiers
A wheel composed of the desiccant turns through the incoming air stream. It absorbs moisture using the desiccant.
A proportion of the wheel passes through a stream of warm air. During the rotating period it “reactivates” the desiccant, moving away moisture.
Condensed water collects in the water bucket or drains out via a dedicated drainage tube. Empty water in the collection bucket. Or consider a model that is self-draining via a plug hole.
Adsorption dehumidifiers are generally smaller and lighter than the refrigerant type.
The adsorption dehumidifier can function at much lower temperatures than a refrigerant unit. For those of us who live in cold areas, this is the ideal unit to have. [5]
Dehumidifiers vs Air Conditioners
Differences between air conditioners and dehumidifiers
- Dehumidifiers work in damp spaces where structural damage is likely to occur.
- Moist air passes over the dehumidifier evaporator coil and the condenser coil. Dry air goes back into the room.
- The condenser coil warms the air. This results in colder air going out than what went in. Because the dehumidifier is right in the room, it affects the air by lowering the humidity levels.
- Dehumidifiers work well for the restoration of water damaged properties.
- Dehumidifiers balance the humidity in a room. They bring humidity down to normal levels and help avoid health conditions.
- Air conditioners cool the air rather than warming the air.
- Air conditioners create a comfortable temperature.
- Air conditioners are usually held outside of buildings. This allows for unrestricted airflow. A window unit and split air conditioning unit are both held outside.
- Warm air goes in through the air conditioner vents or air tube. Air moves over an evaporator coil and then a condenser coil.
- The heat produced by the air conditioner fan goes outside of the room, thus resulting in a cooler climate. This is the air conditioner cooling effect.
- Dehumidifiers use less energy than air conditioners. So, your electric bill will be lower with a dehumidifier compared to an air conditioner. [6]
Final thoughts
We have reviewed how air conditioners and dehumidifiers work. An air conditioner dehumidifier combo is the best way to go. You get the best of both worlds.
An air conditioner dehumidifier combo combines dry mode features and air conditioning modes. You can control your units with a remote.
A AC dehumidifier combo goes a long way. It creates a more relaxing atmosphere. The appliance also protects your property and health from high humidity levels.
Combo air conditioning dehumidifier units are more energy-efficient than separate units. Using an air conditioner raises your energy bill more than a dehumidifier.
Your combo air conditioning dehumidifier will save you about 6% to 10% on your utility bill.
