By Stephen Robichaud
“It’s not the heat – it’s the humidity!” This statement can be heard all summer long across the Cape as we suffer through the intense Summer humidity. Believe it or not, humid weather can start as early as April. Homeowners need to be prepared! Late winter – early Spring is the time to develop a plan for summertime humidity mitigation. The effects of uncontrolled humidity can be devastating. Humidity is terrible for the woodwork in your home – floors, cabinets, walls, etc. Wood expands and contracts throughout the season, and without humidity control during the Summer this is magnified. Wood floors can buckle, cabinets and woodworking can crack – humidity can wreak havoc on our homes. Mold and mildew love the wet, moist environment that humidity creates – it provides the perfect home for mold to grow. The answer to these problems is of course dehumidifiers. A dehumidifier pulls the moisture out of the air and dries out our homes. Mold will not grow in a dry environment. A standalone dehumidifier, properly sized for the specific home, is a simple and effective solution to controlling humidity. Be sure to choose a dehumidifier with a built-in pump so that you don’t have to empty the tray! Local HVAC companies can assist with this process, or local retailers have dehumidifiers with built in pumps that are relatively affordable. Humidity has a huge effect on our indoor comfort. A home with an indoor temperature of 85 degrees with relative humidity of 50% is far more comfortable for homeowners than a home with an indoor temperature of 75 degrees with relative humidity of 90%. Through effective dehumidification, the A/C system won’t have to run as long which can save money on utilities. By drying out the home, we improve multiple aspects of our lives – our comfort, our energy savings and the health and longevity of our homes.
Stephen Robichaud is in charge of Sales & Marketing at Robies Heating & Cooling. He can be reached at (508) 775- 3083 or Steve@Robies.com
