Dehumidification is an Important Part of the Indoor Air Quality Equation

Santa Fe Ultra98 whole house dehumidifier installed. With a dehumidification capacity of 12.25 gallons per day, the system can effectively dehumidify up to 2,300 square feet of indoor space.
Homeowners are increasingly concerned about improving indoor air quality, and dehumidification is an important part of the indoor air quality equation.
Officials from several companies that sell humidity-controlled HVAC products cite various developments, including new regulations requiring tighter building envelopes, the push to improve the energy efficiency of HVAC systems, and wetter weather, saying they’re seeing more and more. dehumidification of dwellings.
But the coronavirus pandemic, now in its third year, has brought to the fore the overall indoor air quality – optimal humidity, as well as air filtration and purification.
Whole Home Dehumidifier can cover up to 4,400 square feet of interior space and pump out up to 10 gallons of water per day.
“The pandemic has changed everything,” said Damian Mannino, senior product marketing manager at AprilAire, which has a line of whole-home dehumidifiers in addition to thermostats, humidifiers, air purifiers and more. “Consumers are well aware of the health effects of the air they breathe, especially if they spend more time at home.”
“Sales of our dehumidifiers have grown significantly since the start of the pandemic,” said Nikki Krueger, director of marketing and business development for Therma-store’s Santa Fe dehumidifiers for residential and commercial use.
Krueger said homeowners’ comments about Santa Fe show that many people are realizing their homes are uncomfortable after spending more time at home during the pandemic.
“This, combined with extensive media coverage of ventilation, filtration and humidity control, resulted in a huge increase in sales,” said Krueger.
Maintaining healthy indoor humidity is important to maximize comfort and control the growth of mold, as well as allergens, viruses, and other harmful airborne particles. At this condition, the commercial dehumidifier becomes more and more important in the world.

Humidity levels also affect how hard your heating and air conditioning systems work. A 4 percent change in relative humidity up or down feels like a 1 degree Fahrenheit change in temperature.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends maintaining a relative humidity of 40% to 60% in your home. In an online guide to indoor air quality, the US Environmental Protection Agency generally recommends 30% to 50% relative humidity in homes.
YORK BRAND: This York Affinity fan-assisted whole-home dehumidifier sucks up to 18 gallons of moisture per day from the air. (Courtesy of York/Johnson Controls)
Manufacturers say a greater emphasis on dehumidification could turn into a business for HVAC contractors. Tom Tasker, product manager at Johnson Controls, which offers York-brand HVAC products including dehumidifiers, points to a 2021 York study that found nearly 62% of homeowners said their indoor air quality needed to be improved.
“This is really the perfect time for contractors to start a conversation with homeowners because indoor air quality awareness is at an all-time high,” Krueger said.
Manufacturers say contractors should be prepared to educate homeowners about the benefits of dehumidification and indoor air quality.
“Dealers have a new opportunity to inform homeowners not only about the benefits of individual products, but also about the synergies between IAQ products,” Tasker said. “Proper humidity control certainly improves comfort, but it also interacts with filtering and UV-C (ultraviolet germicidal) products to increase their effectiveness.”
In addition, contractors should emphasize that proper indoor humidity is important to protect the structure of the home itself, as well as interior items such as furniture.
RESIDEO: The Resideo Honeywell Home Whole House DR 120 dehumidifier can absorb up to 15 gallons of moisture per day from the air. (Courtesy of Resideo)
“It’s helpful to think of upfront costs as an investment that not only benefits the occupants, but also helps protect the homeowner’s valuable and expensive assets,” said Hossam Rashid, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Resideo. can measure humidity.
“The cost to repair or replace these assets can be much higher than the initial investment to install a dehumidifier in the system,” Rashid added.
Krueger advises HVAC contractors to pay attention to when customers install portable air purifiers or whole home dehumidifiers and start discussions about indoor air quality and dehumidification from there.
“Once homeowners understand the value and benefits that these devices offer, it will not be difficult for them to offer them a commercial whole-home solution with a six-year warranty,” she said.
“Relative humidity control through excessive cooling is not an efficient or economical solution,” she said. “AC in HVAC can no longer be used for dehumidification. Most homes require special dehumidification in grassy climates.”
Mannino noted that many homeowners are looking for ways to expand their living space. When that includes basement renovations, it could lead to increased interest in dehumidification in many parts of the US, he said.
Successful contractors, Mannino says, “see them as educators who understand their clients and families, can point out what in the home affects air quality and health, and then figure out how to fix those issues.”
AprilAire’s Mannino said his company “launched the dehumidifier line, the E Series, in 2021 after working with contractors on the construction site to see their pain points and hear their ideas in person.” A new range that includes enhancements such as a built-in spirit level to make balancing the unit easier, a P-trap-free drainage system and a digital interface that makes setup and maintenance more efficient.
“The installation we recommend is the simplest and most energy efficient installation option: return the dryer and connect the dryer feed to the HVAC feed,” said Santa Fe’s Krueger.
It’s one of two installation methods allowed by the Florida building code, she said. Florida is generally considered the state with the second highest relative humidity level.
“We always incorporate their feedback from the field into the product development process to provide solutions to help them succeed,” Resideo’s Rashid says. The company also provides best practice training for distributors and contractors, he adds.
Matt Jahman, ACHR NEWS Legislative Editor. He has over 30 years of community journalism experience and holds a BA in English from Wayne State University Detroit.
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