humidity issuess solved

[paul42]

I was fighting trying to keep the humidity below 60% and not always succeeding.

I installed the Honeywell IAQ thermostat and the problem is gone.

I have the thermostat set at 74 degrees and 42%. The temperature is always 74 degrees, and the humidity varies between 39 and 43% - usually at 41 or 42%. We walk in the door and the temperature feels just right.

I have the fan set to circulate and I changed the CPH to 1. It takes longer than an hour for my house to heat up by a full degree anyway.

My wife and I are now extremely happy with our current setup. We can’t hear the AC when it comes on, yet the house stays exactly at the temperature set on the thermostat. The humidity is very well controlled. The master bedroom is two or three degrees cooler than the rest of the house - just the way we like it.

We have the temperature set to our comfort level and our AC bills are still a small fraction of some comparable homes.

[heatingairman]

Do you work for Honeywell in the Marketing Department?

[Carnak]

Glad to hear you solved your problem.

Setting the fan to not circulate continuously will save you money, in the cost of running the fan when not needed and in the cost of pulling out extra mositure that you are constantly re-evaporating.

[paul42]

Do you work for Honeywell in the Marketing Department?

Funny you should ask. I did interview with them - about 28 years ago - and turned them down. At the time, they expected their electrical engineers to work 50 to 60 hours a week. I have no idea what their current policy is.

[paul42]

Glad to hear you solved your problem.

Setting the fan to not circulate continuously will save you money, in the cost of running the fan when not needed and in the cost of pulling out extra mositure that you are constantly re-evaporating.

The circulate mode on the IAQ runs 35% of the time when the AC is not on. That helps keep my home office a little cooler - too many computers in one room. The temperature is fine while the AC is on or the computers are off, but needs some circulation otherwise.

My cooling costs are extremely low for this part of the world. Before AC season started, my electric bill was right at $100. My last electric bill was $178, and I estimate that at least $25 of that is for the seperate window shaker AC for the dog house.

According to the electric company, the average high for that billing period was 96 degrees.

[teddy bear]

Keep us posted on your results during wet cool weather with low/no cooling load. How much fresh air ventilation are you introducing into the home? As you see, during high a/c load conditions, a properly setup a/c will control humidity. Unfortunately, the more complex a/c system/controls are difficult to set-up and maintain.
During low/no cooling load wet conditions, the moisture from the fresh air and occupants needs to be removed. This will not be a problem for a couple months. Get an air change of fresh air every 4 hours and keep us posted this fall. Regards TB

[Shophound]

You have an air conditioned dog house?? That is one spoiled dog...I thought I was spoiling my beagle by giving him a doggie door whereby he could let himself in and out of the air conditioned house at his leisure.

I'm happy to hear your humidity problems appear under control. As much effort as you've put into that house for it to give you the lion's share of shelter from our local elements, your HVAC system is now complimenting that process vs. being a detractor. I also knew that if I could achieve comfortable conditions in my own home, which is considerably less advanced, thermal efficiency-wise, than yours, that having the same apply for you was well within reach. Good job!

[Shophound]

TB, some cool, wet weather for us north Texans would sound VERY good right NOW. Can we swap our hot and dry conditions for your cool and wet, and then both Paul and I can tell you how our a/c only dehumidification strategies fare? And you can give your new a/c system a chance to stretch its legs?

[beenthere]

With your house, with the cool to dehumidify enabled. 1 CPH shouldn't be a problem.
Don't for get, the IAQ can also control ventilation if you want.

[paul42]

With your house, with the cool to dehumidify enabled. 1 CPH shouldn't be a problem.
Don't for get, the IAQ can also control ventilation if you want.

I have considered using that feature, but I haven't come up with anything that seems like much of an improvement.

The Reader's Digest version is that I am fairly certain we are getting enough air flow, and I don't see any way to restrict what I am getting without causing other problems.

At a very rough guess, based on how much air flow I see at the fresh air input, I am getting 20 to 80 cfm of fresh air anytime the blower is running on the air handler. The 80 cfm would be when the AC is on and the blower is at 800cfm (2 ton system). With the IAQ set on circulate, there is some fresh air pulled in whether we are there or not.

I have the thermostat set at a constant temperature. I haven't convinced myself that setting the temperature back during the day would provide much real savings.

Walking into the house after being gone all day, we notice no odors at all, and this is fairly new construction. So, I am fairly certain that the fresh air flow is sufficient.

I prefer that any fresh air that is pulled in by the exhaust fans or dryer comes in through the fresh air intake, so I do not want to add any dampers there.

[paul42]

You have an air conditioned dog house?? That is one spoiled dog...I thought I was spoiling my beagle by giving him a doggie door whereby he could let himself in and out of the air conditioned house at his leisure.

I'm happy to hear your humidity problems appear under control. As much effort as you've put into that house for it to give you the lion's share of shelter from our local elements, your HVAC system is now complimenting that process vs. being a detractor. I also knew that if I could achieve comfortable conditions in my own home, which is considerably less advanced, thermal efficiency-wise, than yours, that having the same apply for you was well within reach. Good job!

I have three dogs - the smallest is 70 pounds, the largest is 170 pounds. There is a dog door so that they can come into the house, but we only open that while we are at home. It is a really BIG dog door.

My wife and I are cheapskates - which is why I put all the effort into the house. Now, we can set the thermostat where it is the most comfortable for us and not worry about our next electric bill.

[beenthere]

With your house, I doubt a temp set back would get more then a buck or 2 in a hot month.
So I can see not setting back.

[Carnak]

Funny you should ask. I did interview with them - about 28 years ago - and turned them down. At the time, they expected their electrical engineers to work 50 to 60 hours a week. I have no idea what their current policy is.

was obvious that you were an electrical engineer