Regular Guest
Hi, I'm in a new home with a variable speed furnace but builder grade AC compressor. I'm the southeast, so the humidity is high right now on the outside and I'm not seeing the humidity in the home ever drop below 50% even with the AC running. Any advice on how to get better dehumidification or what to check for? From a quick internet search, I am able to glean that possible issues could be (1) poor seals in ductwork where outdoor air is being pulled in or (2) blower speed needs to be reduced to allow air to move more slowly over coils. Does this sound right and is there anything else I could look for?
Sponsor & Professional Member*
the 50%RH is pretty good for most homes. The fun starts during low/no cooling load conditions when this not enough cooling load for the a/c to remove the moisture. Your will rise depending on the outside dew points, occupants, and limited a/c operation.
A dehumidifier is good solution to the problem of maintaining <50%RH during the rest of the year.
Regards TB
Bear Rules: Keep our home <50% RH summer, controls mites/mold and very comfortable.
Provide 60-100 cfm of fresh air when occupied to purge indoor pollutants and keep window dry during cold weather. T-stat setup/setback +8 hrs. saves energy
Use +Merv 10 air filter. -Don't forget the "Golden Rule"
Professional Member*
most variable speed motors have a delay profile which allows them to ramp up slowly, to address high humidity. Look in the OEM literature for this setting. You may also consider reducing airflow (slightly!) for better dehumidification but i wouldn't go below 350cfm per ton
Professional Member
Make sure the thermostat fan setting is on "auto" and not "on" (always running)
Professional Member
reducing the fan speed will also reduce the static and it could affect your air quantity which in turn reducing your cooling capacity.
Professional Member
if your maintaining a comfortable temp and have 50% humidity. whats the problem?
Professional Member*
sealing ductwork is always a good investment.
make sure that mastics are used and not duct or foil tapes.
less than 50% RH..dehumidifier.
I find my VS ahu can keep the house between 50-55% RH
lower than that..turn on whole house dehumidifier..45% RH.
good investment for me.
best of luck.
The cure of the part should not be attempted without the cure of the whole. ~Plato
Professional Member*
Yes.Originally Posted by energy_rater_La
Be careful about sealing supplies and not returns.
In fact, if you have natural draft appliances it might not be a great idea to seal the supplies unless you know how to perform worst case combustion appliance zone testing. For example, you don't want to turn the dryer on, have the furnace fire, then have the water heater backdraft and kill the baby.
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