When you live in a humid climate, you need an air conditioning system that actually works in that climate. You might be shocked to find that not all systems are humidity-friendly. Because of this, you must have a better understanding of what you need, where you are located, and which option is best for you. You must also keep in mind that this situation is worsened if you have a chronic respiratory condition such as asthma.
How do you make the right choice? Use these tips when you live in the tropics or in a humid location where you can feel the humidity in the air throughout the year.
Why Does Humidity Matter to You?
If you live in a very humid place, you know precisely how important your AC system is. Some people have a hard time breathing because it is so humid. Some people constantly cough because the air is muggy. Others have persistent asthma attacks. Humidity also makes hot temperatures that much worse. If you were to check the heat indices for any location, you would notice that high humidity makes a hot day feel even hotter than it already is.
A ducted air conditioner is very effective and practically unseen. You might also go with an evaporative air conditioning unit or reverse cycle split systems.
When it is hot and humid throughout most of the year, you might use the cooling-only split system because you never need to worry about heat and the unit is easy to service. You can even get a multi-head system so that you can cool one room or several rooms. This is also a good idea when you want to save money because one person can keep their room like a meat locker while others do not need to shiver all day long.
Ducted Air Conditioning
A central ducted air system works in all locations because you cannot even see that it is there. Vents lead to each room so that you can hear the air start, but you are not staring at an air conditioning system all day, every day. These units are easy to service because much like a traditional split system, the central unit is located outdoors where a professional can reach it. You can change the temperature on a smart controller mounted on the wall, and you can program modern controllers to precisely meet your temperature needs through WiFi.
When considering purchasing a new air conditioner, the most important initial step is to select a suitably sized unit. Unlike other products such as televisions, where the size of the product is obvious, air conditioners typically look similar despite having wide ranges of heating and/or cooling capacities. Sizing for air conditioners is provided as a kilowatt (kW) capacity output figure (not to be confused with the power input, which is the amount of power required to produce the listed cooling and/or heating output) and this can be found on the energy rating label, as well as on the manufacturer’s product literature.
You still do not need a reverse cycle system if it is hot all year because the reverse cycle would simply make the humidity worse.
Portable or Window Units are a Possibility
When you want to cool each room quickly and cheaply, you can install portable or window units. Unfortunately, they are not energy efficient. Plus, you will find that they need to be serviced just like any other air conditioner. At the same time, you will only cool the room where you install the unit. This is the best option for renters or those who can’t have a split or ducted system installed. Be warned; window units can be noisy and inefficient at cooling a room.
Final Thoughts: Evaporative Systems & Humidity
Stick to energy efficient ducted and split system air conditioning units when you want to remain cool in humid climates, and speak to ActronAir when you need assistance.