Dehumidification: Causes, Effects and How to Control It

It’s Not the Heat; It’s the Humidity

When people say that, they are partially correct. Although our comfort is mostly determined by the actual temperature, the humidity does affect the way we feel temperature. The reason has to do with our biology.

The human body sheds heat by perspiring. When perspiration evaporates into the air, heat is removed from our body. The amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature is known as humidity, and the air can only hold a certain amount of water vapor. As the air becomes more humid, our perspiration evaporates more slowly. This makes our body’s temperature regulation less efficient and affects the way we feel.

At 75 degrees and a relative humidity of zero percent, the temperature of the air will only feel like 69 degrees to us. At a relative humidity of 100 percent, however, that same 75-degree air temperature will feel like 80 degrees. We usually feel most comfortable when the relative humidity is at about 45 percent. If the humidity is too low, the membranes in our noses dry out and our skin can develop painful cracks. If the humidity is too high, wood framing around doors and windows can swell, hardwood floors can buckle, and mold can grow. Because hot air can hold more water vapor than cold air, high humidity is usually a summertime problem. Low humidity problems usually occur in the winter months when the air is cold.

Residents of the Greater Beaumont, Lumberton, and Port Arthur areas of Texas’ Gulf Coast know all about summertime humidity. Indoor air quality becomes an issue for many homes in this area when outdoor temperatures and humidity levels soar. Heat and moisture create an environment in which certain molds thrive, and indoor mold can cause respiratory problems or exacerbate asthma or other existing respiratory conditions. Brettco Service Company can help by installing air purifiers or dehumidifiers. If the air circulation within the home is good, the normal operation of an air conditioning system may remove enough moisture from the air to get the humidity down to a comfortable level.


Dehumidification systems are usually recommended for areas of a home that do not receive good air circulation. Finished basements, for example, often develop a damp, musty smell from high humidity levels. Without good air circulation, the damp air remains in the lower levels and the humidity continues to increase. Brettco carries multiple dehumidifiers and ventilator solutions for these types of floor plans.

Air Conditioning Systems

Air conditioners remove moisture from the air as a side effect of their cooling. If your home doesn’t have a lower level, then the normal day-to-day operation of an air conditioner will probably be sufficient to keep the humidity at a comfortable level. Brettco offers Bryant Evolution, Preferred, and Legacy air conditioning systems with budget-friendly financing and factory rebates for new systems and online coupons for savings on repairs or service to existing systems.

Call Brettco Service Company Today

If you have concerns about humidity in your home, or if your air conditioner isn’t operating at its fullest potential, contact us. Our NATE-certified technicians will answer all of your questions and provide any service you need for your residential or commercial air conditioner.