The Average Humidity in an Air Conditioner

Humidity

• Humidity is water vapor in the air, the amount of which can fluctuate throughout the day and from location to location. Humidity also depends on weather and vegetation. Inside, you can manipulate humidity to some extent with appliances created specifically to increase or decrease humidity levels in a home. Having a high level of humidity in your home can cause various health complications, such as sneezing, itching and coughing, and increases the chance of fungus growth. Furthermore, if the level of humidity is too low it can also cause health complications, including dry skin and breathing difficulties, and an increase of static electricity in the home.

Air Conditioner

• The humidity pulled from the air by an air conditioner collects on the appliance's condenser coils. This condensation will drain into a base pan our to a hose outside. The average amount of humidity an air conditioner removes from the air depends on various factors including the temperature the air conditioner is set on. The lower the temperature is set on the air conditioner, the more humidity it removes. Some models of air conditioners allow you to set the humidity level as well as the temperature level.

Increase Humidity

• There are several ways to increase the level of humidity in your home. Using a small appliance known as a humidifier will increase the amount of humidity in the air. A cheaper option is to place bowls filled with water around your home. As the water evaporates, it will increase the water vapor in the air, thus increasing the humidity level.

Considerations

• You can regularly check the humidity level of your home with a device called a hygrometer. Hygrometers are relatively inexpensive and available at home improvement stores. The recommended humidity level depends on the season. For winter seasons in cold climates, a 30 percent to 40 percent humidity level is recommended. If humidity levels exceed 40 percent, the chance of condensation increases; while levels lower than 30 percent will cause dry nasal passages and skin as well as increasing the probability of respiratory complications. For summer months, the humidity level should stay below 65 percent. Once the humidity increases above 65 percent, mold and mildew growth becomes more probable.