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Should You Use a Humidifier and Air Conditioner Together?

Should You Use a Humidifier and Air Conditioner Together?

First published: 24 June 2022 @ 6:00 pm

Humidifiers are a great way to get some extra moisture into your home, but can they be used with air conditioners? In this article, we’ll look at the pros and cons of using a humidifier with an air conditioner.

How Air Conditioner Works

Before we get into the advantages and disadvantages of using a humidifier with an air conditioner, let’s take a look at how an air conditioner works. 

Air conditioners work by changing the amount of moisture in the air. A central fan and blower unit cools the air to around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Then, a set of coils are turned on, which blow cool air across these coils to increase the temperature inside your home. This makes it easier for you to feel comfortable inside your home because you can maintain a consistent temperature. 

The next step is removing heat from the room using a fan or blower, which blows hot air out of your home.

Photo by Jopeel Quimpo on Unsplash.

How Humidifiers Work

Humidifiers work by adding moisture to the air in your home. Humidifiers work by using a fan to blow water across the evaporator coils inside the unit. The water then condenses on the cold coils, adding moisture to the air.

Most humidifiers have an automatic shut-off feature, which will turn the unit off after a set amount of time. However, this feature is not always used. 

If you want to know how long your humidifier will run on a given setting, check the manual that came with your unit.

Humidifiers are generally quiet, and they can even run at night to help with dry skin and congestion.

Humidifier Vs. Air Conditioner

Humidifiers have many benefits over air conditioners. Here are some advantages of using a humidifier:

Cost-Effective

Since humidifiers are more energy-efficient than air conditioners, they use less electricity. 

If you’re concerned about electricity costs, consider installing a low-cost smart thermostat like Nest Thermostat E for Energy Savings. 

Good for Skin Moisture

Humidifiers can add moisture to the air in your home to help you feel more comfortable while you’re indoors.

This helps reduce dry skin, allergy symptoms, and congestion, which can be helpful if you have children or pets in your home who get cold easily. Some also have filters, which can be a plus for many people.

Humidifiers Can Help Prevent Mold

If you have allergies issues or asthma, using a humidifier can help reduce your symptoms by adding water vapor to the air. Some people use humidifiers for this reason, and others use them because they find that the air in their homes is too dry. 

Either way, it’s a good idea to keep the humidity level in your home between 40% and 60%. People often accomplish this by installing a humidifier.

Photo by Felicia Buitenwerf on Unsplash.

Humidifiers Can Add Water to Your Plants

If you have plants in your home, you may want to consider installing a humidifier. This will help prevent plants from drying out during dry seasons. 

Using Humidifier and Air Conditioning Together

A humidifier acts in reverse to an air conditioner. While it adds moisture to the air, it removes moisture from the air. The excess moisture added by a humidifier is water that was removed from the air by an air conditioner.

Therefore, using humidifiers and A/C together will not result in any benefit. 

You will use more energy because you will have to run both the humidifier and the air conditioner at the same time, while one device cancels out the other device.

Related Article: Ways to Lower Your Electrical Bill

Ideal Level of Humidity for Home

The ideal humidity level for your home is 40% to 60%. When the humidity level in your home is too low, it can cause you to have skin problems and sinus infections. You may also want to consider using a humidifier if you have allergies or asthma.

However, if the humidity level in your home is too high, it can cause you to feel clammy or uncomfortable. If you are concerned about your humidity levels, use a humidifier that has an automatic shut-off feature so that it won’t run all night long.

What to Consider When Buying Humidifier

Depending on the type of unit you choose, the cost of a humidifier can vary widely. Expensive units have the highest energy efficiency ratings, which means they use less electricity. T

The most basic units have lower energy efficiency ratings, which means they use more electricity over time.

While the cost of a humidifier is an important factor to consider, consider other factors, such as the size and shape of your home and whether you have pets or children in your home. 

If you have children or pets in your home, then look for a safe model with multiple settings so that you can adjust to your needs. 

If you live in an apartment or condo, then space is another important factor to consider when buying a humidifier. 

A large unit may not fit in small spaces because it takes up too much space on your floor or countertop. A smaller unit may not add enough moisture to your home because it only covers one room at a time.

Final Thought

While there are many benefits to using a humidifier with an air conditioner, there are also many drawbacks. In general, it’s best to use one or the other in your home. If you have questions about using a humidifier with an air conditioner, contact your local HVAC professional for more information.

If you are interested in more articles about home heating and cooling, check out our website, HandyWork.

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