Excess Moisture
Excess Moisture | Dehumidifier Installation | Heating and Air Conditioning | Hixson
Sticky floors, foggy windows, and that unmistakable musty smell—living in Hixson means battling high humidity almost year-round. HEP’s seasoned comfort specialists tame the Tennessee damp with precision dehumidifier installation, selecting the ideal capacity unit and positioning it for maximum moisture capture without wasting energy. From crawl spaces to whole-home systems, we tackle the hidden condensation that can warp wood, invite mold, and make your air conditioner work overtime.
Our certified technicians arrive on schedule, protect your home with drop cloths, and calibrate every setting so your dehumidifier runs quietly and efficiently from day one. You’ll notice the difference fast: crisp indoor air, lower energy bills, and a healthier environment for your family and pets. Call HEP today and reclaim the dry, comfortable living space you deserve—backed by clear upfront pricing and our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
FAQs
Why is a whole-house dehumidifier important for homes in Hixson?
Hixson sits in the humid Tennessee River valley, where outdoor moisture levels remain high from late spring through early fall. That humidity seeps indoors and can push relative humidity above the 50 % comfort threshold, even when your air conditioner is running. Excess indoor moisture encourages mold, mildew, musty odors, warped wood, and aggravated allergy symptoms. A properly sized, ducted dehumidifier removes this excess moisture before it can settle in walls, floors, and furnishings, giving you healthier air, better comfort at higher thermostat settings, and added protection for your home’s structure and belongings.
How does a dehumidifier integrate with my existing heating and air conditioning system?
A whole-home dehumidifier is installed in line with your return or supply ductwork—usually next to the air handler or furnace—so it treats all the air that circulates through the HVAC system. Moist air is drawn across a refrigerated coil inside the unit, water condenses and drains away, and the dried air is sent back into the supply plenum. The dehumidifier has its own humidistat, so it can run independently of the air conditioner whenever indoor humidity exceeds the set point. Most models can be wired to your smart thermostat for unified control and can share the HVAC blower to move air, keeping operating costs low.
What are the signs that I need a professionally installed dehumidifier rather than a portable unit?
Portable plug-in units help in a single room, but they rarely keep a whole house in the 40–50 % range. Telltale signs you need a ducted solution include: condensation on windows in multiple rooms, a musty smell in closets or the crawl space, visible mold on vents or bathroom grout, persistent clammy feeling even when the AC is on, high indoor humidity readings from a hygrometer, or repeated asthma/allergy flare-ups. If you find yourself frequently emptying buckets from portable units, or if humidity problems return as soon as the AC cycles off, a whole-home system will be more effective, quieter, and less labor-intensive.
How is the correct capacity of a dehumidifier determined during installation?
Our technicians perform a room-by-room load calculation similar to a Manual J for air conditioners. We evaluate square footage, ceiling height, typical occupancy, infiltration rates, existing insulation, crawl space conditions, and average outdoor dew points for Hixson. Using those figures, we select a unit sized in pints per day (PPD) that can maintain 45–50 % RH on the most humid design day. Undersizing leaves moisture behind, while oversizing wastes energy and short-cycles, so the right capacity matters. For most 1,800- to 3,000-sq-ft homes in Hixson, capacities range from 70 to 120 PPD.
What does the dehumidifier installation process involve and how long does it take?
A standard installation typically takes 4–6 hours. We begin by verifying electrical capacity and adding a dedicated 110–120 V or 220 V circuit if needed. The unit is mounted on a vibration-isolation platform beside the air handler or suspended from joists for crawl-space models. Supply and return collars are cut into existing ducts, sealed, and insulated. A rigid or flexible condensate line is run to a floor drain or condensate pump with an overflow safety shut-off. Finally, we wire the humidistat or integrate it with your thermostat, test airflow, set humidity levels, and review operating instructions with you.
How much maintenance does a whole-home dehumidifier require and what can I expect for operating costs?
Maintenance is simple: replace or rinse the air filter every 3–6 months, clear the condensate line annually, and have the coil inspected during your regular HVAC tune-up. Filters cost roughly $10–$25, and most homeowners spend under 15 minutes a quarter on upkeep. Energy use depends on size and humidity load; a 90-PPD Energy-Star unit averages 3–5 kWh per day in Hixson’s peak summer season—about the cost of running a small window AC. Because drier air feels cooler, many customers raise the thermostat 2–3 °F and actually see a net drop in total HVAC operating costs.