Excess Humidity
Excess Humidity | Dehumidifier Installation | Heating and Air Conditioning | Harrison
Feeling sticky even when the thermostat says you shouldn’t be? HEP’s Excess Humidity Heating and Air Conditioning brings crisp, breathable comfort back to Harrison homes with expert dehumidifier installation. Our certified technicians size each system precisely to your square footage, crawl space, or basement, then integrate it seamlessly with your existing HVAC so excess moisture disappears—along with mold worries, musty odors, and soaring energy bills.
From the first inspection to the final walkthrough, you’ll experience the neighbor-next-door service HEP is known for: clear pricing, tidy work areas, and a 100 % satisfaction promise. Reclaim every room as a fresh-air zone and protect your investment year-round—schedule your appointment today and see why Harrison families say, “Call HEP, we’ll fix it!”
FAQs
Why is excess indoor humidity a concern for homes in Harrison?
Our part of the country experiences warm, wet summers and frequent shoulder-season rain. When the relative humidity in your house stays above 60 %, moisture condenses on walls, windows, and inside ductwork. That damp environment encourages mold, dust-mite colonies, wood warping, peeling paint, and that sticky, uncomfortable feeling. A whole-home dehumidifier keeps humidity in the ideal 40–50 % range so you protect the building structure, improve indoor air quality, and feel cooler at the same thermostat setting.
How does a whole-home dehumidifier work with my existing heating and air-conditioning system?
The unit is installed in line with your supply or return ductwork—usually next to the air handler or furnace. When the indoor humidity rises above the set point, the dehumidifier’s fan draws air from the ducts, passes it over a refrigerated coil to remove moisture, then sends the conditioned, drier air back into the supply plenum. Condensate drains away through dedicated PVC piping. Because it shares the HVAC blower and thermostat control wiring, the dehumidifier can operate with or without the air conditioner running, giving you year-round humidity management.
What size dehumidifier will my Harrison home need?
Sizing is based on square footage, ceiling height, typical moisture loads, and how tight the building envelope is. During a free in-home assessment we measure the living area, inspect insulation levels, look for moisture sources such as crawlspaces or basement slabs, and use ACCA Manual H guidelines to calculate the required pint-per-day capacity. For example, a 2,400 sq ft home with average infiltration usually needs a 70–90 pint whole-home unit. Oversizing wastes energy, while undersizing never reaches the set humidity, so professional sizing is critical.
What is involved in the installation process and how long does it take?
Most installations are completed in one day. Our technicians first turn off power to the HVAC system, then cut a small opening in the main return or supply trunk to mount the dehumidifier cabinet. We connect 8-inch insulated flex duct, wire the control board to your thermostat or a dedicated humidistat, run a 120-V or 240-V power line, and install a condensate drain line with an overflow safety switch. Before leaving we verify airflow, confirm the drain is leak-free, program the humidity set point, and show you how to change the filter.
Will adding a dehumidifier increase my energy bills?
A whole-home unit draws about the same power as a medium window A/C—roughly 0.3–0.8 kWh per hour of operation. However, most homeowners see little or no net increase because drier air allows you to raise the cooling set point 2–3 °F while feeling just as comfortable. In addition, lower humidity reduces the air conditioner’s latent load, so the compressor runs less. The Department of Energy estimates that for every degree you raise the thermostat, you save about 3 % on cooling costs, often offsetting the dehumidifier’s consumption.
What maintenance does the dehumidifier require after installation?
Routine care is simple: 1) Replace or rinse the internal MERV-rated filter every 3–6 months so airflow stays unrestricted. 2) Check the condensate drain annually for clogs and pour a cup of white vinegar through the trap to discourage algae. 3) Verify the humidity set point seasonally—45 % in summer, 40 % in winter to prevent window condensation. We offer an HVAC maintenance plan that includes a yearly dehumidifier inspection, coil cleaning, and drain flush so the system runs efficiently and stays under warranty.