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High Humidity in Home

3K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Dave Carney 
#1 ·
HI,

It's been quite humid here in Wisconsin over the past month. The humidity in my house is frequently 60-80%.

I have a 2 1/2 ton central air (put in about 4 years ago) that works well to cool the house, upstairs isn't quite as cool as I would like, but reasonable. About 2600 sq ft being cooled.

I have large shade trees that help keep the house cooler, so even on warm (low 80's) days, the house is frequently in the low 70's, but the humidity will creep up into the 70%+ range.

Then I end up having to run the air to get some of the humidity out to get it more comfortable. I end up having to bring the house down to the low 60's before I get the humidity down to around 50% so it is reasonable comfortable.

The house is about 45 years old, fairly tight construction, but still has many old windows.

I've tried running a dehumidifier in the basement, but it barely makes a dent in the basements humidity and adds about $50 a month to the electric bill.

There are no water leaks in the house or the attic. Basement is poured and is sound and water tight. There are no long or frequent showers that add lots of humidity. Limited cooking in the house. Dryer vents outside.

Is there anything else that can be done to reduce the humidity or do I just have to settle for running the AC down to the low 60's if I want to get the humidity down?

Thanks,

Jamie
 
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#2 ·
May be able to slow the blower to increase the amount of moisture the A/C removes. So you don't need to set the temp as low.

Next. Put the dehumidifier in the occupied area.
 
#4 ·
If you slow it too much it can freezeup the indoor coil and slug liquid refrigerant and destroy the compressor. I would get a tech out to check the freon level and do an annual maintenance on it and have him check the pressures, temps to make sure it is okay after changing the speed. Beenthere said "may be able" not should. Dangerous to do w/o checking the pressures, delta T and superheat. May freezeup on milder days so DIY is not guaranteed to be safe.
 
#6 ·
Seal that old house. Use caulk and spray foam to seal every electrical and plumbing penetration into the attic, walls, and basement. There are MANY. Also, insulate your rim joists with foam boards and seal around it. All that will keep our moisture and heat.
 
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