Q-Our home gets very humid in the summer. Do you recommend the use of a dehumidifier?
A-Not usually. I tell people to use dehumidifiers only as a last resort. Think about this: For every pound of water a dehumidifier takes out of the air, it will add heat to the space equivalent to that of a 700-watt stove burner operating for an hour. So there is a trade-off here, and from an energy-efficiency standpoint, it doesn’t make sense.
What I suggest you do first is try to find what’s causing the high humidity in your home and correct the problem. The No. 1 source of humidity problems in a home is outdoor air infiltration-the unwanted flow of outside air into the home. Take a look around the house and find places that need caulking and weatherstripping to seal holes and openings. Seal around the air handler and the room air outlets. And don’t forget openings like pet doors and holes for plumbing and TV cable wire.
Next, note that other sources of humidity in a home are cooking, showering and growing indoor plants. Cook outdoors on a grill instead of using the kitchen stove, and use vent fans in the kitchen and bathrooms. Use natural ventilation when you can.
Now is also a good time to have your air conditioner checked to make sure it’s operating properly. It may be low on refrigerant or need other adjustments. When operating the air conditioner this summer, make sure the fan is set in the automatic mode. It can help in moisture removal if you can lower the fan speed. I’ve heard of some people installing an additional small window unit that they run continuously to remove moisture, while they use the central air conditioner during peak hours.
Q-We’re putting together ideas for our dream house that we hope to build someday. What are some ideas that will make the home comfortable and enjoyable?
A-There are a few ideas that fall under the category of energy-saving amenities that I especially recommend.
One is a screened porch, which homeowners usually say is one of their favorite features. A porch can provide a comfortable resting area while it also provides shade for the home, keeping the interior more comfortable. A porch on the second floor offers a different view that can add to the home’s enjoyment. Porches can be built with a vented radiant barrier on the roof above them, with a ceiling fan and access from more than one room, including the kitchen.
Another idea is a built-in microwave oven. Most conventional cooking appliances are fairly inefficient. A gas or electric oven, for example, is about 10 percent efficient, meaning that 90 percent of the energy it uses does not go for heating the food. Microwave ovens are 50 percent efficient.
Stoves are also inefficient. Cooking one potato in a pressure cooker, for example, costs about 1 1/2 times as much as cooking it in a microwave. Note, though, that cooking larger amounts of food may be less expensive in an oven. Make sure that your microwave unit is properly vented, or you’ll have waste heat. An alternative is a unit mounted on a shelf rather than built in, but having it built in means you can provide better ventilation of the waste heat.
