Updated September 2023
Few things are worse than being stuck in a hot, humid environment. Conditions like these can be downright oppressive. But what about when your San Antonio, Texas home feels cool and clammy? You don’t need heat to have an unpleasant and overly moist living environment. Fortunately, at times like these, you can rely on your air conditioner. Although your AC unit is largely meant for keeping your home cool, it can help on cold, wet days too. Read on to find out about your air conditioner’s dry mode setting, including why and when you should use it.
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How Dry Mode Works
When air conditioners produce cold air, they do so by drawing in warm indoor air. This air gets passed over evaporator coils, which contain refrigerant. As heat is extracted from this air, moisture condenses and forms droplets that are transported away by the air conditioner’s condensate line. This moisture is routed down into the AC system’s drain or drain pan. The resulting air is both drier and colder. It is distributed throughout the home via wall-mounted air registers or central HVAC air vents.
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The way an air conditioner functions while in dry mode looks very much the same. The primary difference is that the air moving through the AC isn’t having any heat extracted from it. It’s only having its excess moisture removed. Although the air flowing out of the air vents or air registers during dry mode is cool, it’s only as cool as it was before being pushed through the AC system.
Without dry mode, homeowners who want the humidity regulation that their AC systems normally provide would have to set their thermostats lower than normal on cool, humid days. Dry mode eliminates the need to do so.
When’s the Right Time to Turn Dry Mode On?
There’s never a bad time to turn dry mode on. If it’s cool in your home, but your skin feels moist and clammy, there’s likely too much moisture in the air. You might want to run your AC in dry mode at certain times.
- Hot shower or bath
- Cooking
- Extra company in the home
- Dryer use
- Rainy, wet days
It is often good to use dry mode on days that are cold and humid outdoors. If humidity is high outside, your home will also be humid within. Many people use dry mode right before or during big rainstorms. Outdoor air can be especially humid during warm spring rains. This is true in the summer and early fall as well.
Things to Remember When Using Dry Mode
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There are a few important things to remember when using dry mode to lower humidity in your home. The first is that, unlike the standard cooling mode on your air conditioner, this mode is not governed by your thermostat’s temperature reading. Dry mode will stop running when your indoor temperature drops to a certain level. For most air conditioners, this setting has to be manually turned on and off.
It is possible to leave an air conditioner running in dry mode for too long. Most HVAC manufacturers suggest limiting the use of dry mode to just one hour at a time. If your air conditioner is especially good at extracting humidity, using dry mode for several hours could leave you with an insufficient amount of indoor moisture. Having excessively dry air in your house can cause uncomfortable symptoms.
- Dry, itchy eyes
- Dry throat
- Chapped lips
- Dry skin
- Frequent nosebleeds
Excessively dry air can also result in static electricity. Imagine shocking anyone that you touch after simply walking across your carpet. It is always best to have balanced humidity indoors rather than too little or too much.
Beyer Air Conditioning & Heating proudly services residents of San Antonio, TX and the surrounding areas. In addition to HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair services, we offer VRF systems, indoor air quality services, and air duct cleaning.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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