After my husband and I retired from our jobs, we decided to move south.
We’d had enough of the northern winters with sub zero temperatures and feet of snow.
We wanted to be done with plowing and shoveling, and looked forward to throwing away our wool coats, heavy boots and ice scrapers. My husband and I were anxious to enjoy blue skies and sunshine all year round. We were prepared for the heat and realized that air conditioning was going to become a necessity. The home we purchased includes a modern whole-house cooling system that has no trouble handling the high temperatures. However, we soon discovered that humidity is another problem altogether. It didn’t seem to matter how low we set the thermostat, the house still felt clammy. Creating a freezing cold environment didn’t combat the excess of moisture in the air. We simply put a huge workload on the air conditioner and ended up paying very high utility bills. Realizing that we needed to target humidity, I started by purchasing portable dehumidifiers. These were not all that effective and simply created a great deal of work. If I didn’t remember to empty the reservoir frequently, the water created a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. I finally contacted a local HVAC contractor and asked about a whole-home dehumidifier. Although I hated to spend the money, adding a dehumidifier was definitely worthwhile and cost-effective. We’ve been able to raise the thermostat setting and lower monthly utility bills. Lessening demands on the air conditioner will allow it operate more reliably and last longer. Plus, the home is far more comfortable and we’re enjoying healthier indoor air quality.