Winter Heating Tips
Having proper humidity levels in your home or business is important not only for your health but also in the amount of energy your HVAC systems use to keep you comfortable.
If the humidity level in your home is high in the summer you will not feel cool.
If the humidity level is low in the winter you will not feel warm when the thermostat is set at an average temperature.
This will result in turning the HVAC thermostat up to compensate and you will use more energy to stay warm.
A properly designed and installed system will keep the proper levels of humidity in your home or business and save you money on energy used by the HVAC System.
Why Humidity Affects How We Feel
First, let's review the definition of a BTU:Next, consider the impact of Latent Heat of Evaporation:
- BTU = The amount of energy it takes to change the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
What does the humidity level have to do with comfort?
- To change the "State" of water from liquid to vapor requires 970 BTU's. This process may be called "evaporation".
- Low humidity in summer means it's easier for water (sweat) on the skin to evaporate, resulting in lower cooling costs.
- Higher humidity in summer means it's harder for water (sweat) on the skin to evaporate, requiring a lower temperature to feel comfortable - resulting in higher cooling costs.
- Low humidity in winter means it's easier for water (sweat) on the skin to evaporate, requiring a higher temperature to feel comfortable - resulting in higher heating costs.
- Higher humidity in winter means it's harder for water (sweat) on the skin to evaporate, permitting a lower temperature to feel comfortable - resulting in lower heating costs.
