Being in a humid environment presents certain issues — to you, and to your home’s heating and air conditioning systems. Ongoing moisture in the air can be detrimental to even the best HVAC systems, making them less efficient, affecting indoor air quality, and shortening lifespan. For Los Angeles homeowners, it can be a lifesaver to know how humidities are affecting your HVAC system — and how to maintain it.
Here at Affordable Heating and Air, we have helped many homeowners cope with these issues. Our HVAC Los Angeles technicians are well aware that humid areas require comfortable levels to be managed both carefully and regularly. Let’s discuss the most prevalent problems encountered when it comes to maintenance of HVAC units in humid areas and how you can avoid them to maintain your system working well throughout the year.
- Hidden Enemy: Moisture Build-Up in the System
Humidity is just the phrase we use to talk about higher moisture content in the air — and your air and heating system operates continuously to equalize that moisture to make your home comfortable. Through the years, that excess water moisture condenses in the system and causes corrosion, mold, or even component failure.
As air from your air conditioner goes around the evaporator coils, it brings moisture along too. If this moisture is not expelled, it has the potential to make water build up and form rust or plugged drain lines.
That’s why regular maintenance visits are necessary with a Los Angeles HVAC repair professional. He’ll check the coils, drain pan, and internal components to ensure there’s no moisture left behind that it shouldn’t be.
- Mold and Mildew — The Hidden Air Quality Menace
One of the biggest issues in humid environments is that of mold growth. As warm, moist air circulates through ductwork, it creates a perfect breeding ground for both mold and mildew. Not only does it affect the air that you are inhaling, but it has the potential to carry foul odors throughout your home.
If you get a whiff of something stinky or if your family members are having allergy-type symptoms, there may be likelihood that you have mold in your air and heating system. Preventive professional cleaning and replacing filtration systems can avoid these issues.
Affordable Heating and Air offers air quality testing and mold control services as part of our HVAC Los Angeles services to deliver a healthy and safe indoor environment.
- Lower Efficiency and Higher Energy Costs
If it is humid, your air conditioner must work that much more to reduce the indoor air to a comfortable temperature. Air conditioners do not merely cool, but also remove moisture. If it gets too humid, the system may be strained to its capacity, dehumidifying wise.
The end result? Slower run times, higher maintenance, and higher electric costs.
There are specific HVAC repair Los Angeles that will help you have your system perform best with frequent tune-ups, checks of the refrigerant, and thermostat calibration. In certain situations, a whole-house dehumidifier may also be installed to help lessen the stress of your HVAC system, thereby making it more efficient.
- Metallic Components’ Rust and Corrosion
Moisture does more than just cause problems in your ducts or coils — it has the potential to rust the system’s metals too. With time, continuous exposure to humid air will rust the essential components such as the fan blades, the wire, and the condenser unit case.
Once rust sets in, it can damage your entire system and shorten its life. For this reason, prevention is the best defense for your HVAC. Occasional maintenance for specialists like Affordable Heating and Air, which has a reputation for reliable Los Angeles HVAC repair, means that vulnerable components are inspected and protected before major damage has occurred.
- Overworked Systems and Shortened Lifespan
Humidity forces your HVAC system to work overtime. The constant battle against sticky, heavy air means components like compressors, blowers, and motors wear out faster.
This issues usually comes to a homeowner’s attention when the homeowner’s AC system is short cycling — cycling on and off more times than it should. Not only does it employ energy but also generates wear and tear.
Based on your request, schedule a routine maintenance check with your HVAC Los Angeles technician to help maximize the life of your system and minimize the chance of expensive repairs during busy seasons.
- Inconsistent Temperature and Comfort Discrepancy
Another drawback of humidity is that it will cause your house to be hotter than it actually is. When it contains more humidity, sweat on your body isn’t as quick to dry and you’ll be hotter still — and yet, your thermostat could still show a comfortable warmth.
If you have an HVAC installation that is not properly set or does not have a humidistat, you’ll be continuously adjusting the thermostat. When a system has been designed and installed by HVAC in Los Angeles professionals, you’ll have equal cooling, humidistat control, and consistent comfort throughout the home.
- Blocked Condensate Drains
Your HVAC condensate drain line performs the duty of disposing of the moisture that your system removes from the air. Where it’s damp, this drain line can become rapidly choked up with algae, grime, and other obstructions — causing water leaks, damage, and a less efficient system.
This is one of the most common problems that homeowners encounter in humid seasons. Preventive checking and cleaning of a Los Angeles HVAC repair professional can prevent clogging and ensure that the system drains properly.
- Air Filter Saturation and Maintenance Interval
High humidities cause more particulates to clump together, so your filters become詢clogged more quickly. A dirty filter also impedes airflow, which makes your HVAC system run harder to push air around.
There are homeowners who are in humid environments and have to change the filters more often — every 30 to 45 days during the summer. Techs at Affordable Heating and Air can recommend high-efficiency filters designed to handle the increased demands that humidities have on a filter.
- Indoor Condensation Issues
If you have observed condensing near walls, vents, or windows, it may mean that something is awry in how your HVAC handles humid air. It may make paints, furniture, and indoor wooden building components suffer damages.
By installing a higher level HVAC system that has a feature to control humidity, you can address this problem. With the current HVAC Los Angeles systems, it is possible to have complete humidity balance — no buildup of moisture while having air that’s comfortably cold.
- The Significance of Expert Upkeep
Even the greatest challenge of keeping maintenance consistent may be ensuring you adhere to regular tune-ups. In high-humidity areas, forgoing ordinary tune-ups can fast become a performance concern.
Routine maintenance by skilled Los Angeles HVAC repair professionals guarantees that your system performs optimally despite the harsh weather. From coil and drain cleaning to testing of refrigerant and electrical components, these maintenance steps prevent expensive repairs and energy losses.
Here at Affordable Heating and Air, we have a proactive approach to HVAC repair Los Angeles — we address potential issues that may be cropping up before they become real problems.
Conclusion
This paper Humidity is perhaps the most challenging aspect of any heating and air conditioning system. Repetitive moisture exposure can lead to mold, corrosion, inefficiencies, and complete failure of the system. Regular maintenance and check-ups will lead to a great living environment and a perfectly behaved HVAC system all year long.
If humid weather-related HVAC problems are a concern, don’t panic, Affordable Heating and Air has you covered. Our HVAC Los Angeles specialists provide fast, long-term solution to maintain your system in peak condition — regardless of how humid it gets.
