Monthly Archives: August 2013

Air conditioners and humidity control are important to a healthy and enjoyable climate in your home. Air conditioners mainly reduce the air temperature in summer and also help reduce humidity. With high humidity, your air conditioner may not remove enough moisture to makes things comfortable in your home. This can leave you feeling too warm in summer (humid and sticky) or too cool in winter (moist and clammy). Too much moisture can also result in growth of mildew, bacteria and mold.

Humidity is the percentage of moisture that can be held in the air at a certain temperature. The average year-round humidity in the Mobile area is over 60 percent, and up to 90 percent in summer. If the moisture in your air is not from a leak and your air conditioner cannot remove enough moisture to maintain comfort, you may need to consider adding a dehumidifier to your home.

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air by taking in air from the house and cooling it quickly causing moisture to condense, and then pushing the dehumidified air back into the home. Water removed from the air is either collected in the unit or drained away by tubing. You may want to consider adding a dehumidifier to your air conditioning system. Good air conditioners and dehumidifiers can work together to make your home comfortable and for more efficient operation and cost savings in the long run.

Two types of dehumidifiers are whole-house and portable units. The difference between the two is capacity. A whole-house dehumidifier has a larger capacity and can remove moisture from your entire home in less time. Portable dehumidifiers have a smaller capacity to remove moisture and are more suitable for small areas or single rooms. Consumer Reports’ dehumidifier buyer’s guide can help you decide which type would better serve your needs. If you decide to purchase a dehumidifier, you may also be eligible for a tax credit.

Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. is a third-generation family owned business serving the Mobile community since 1964. Contact us for more expert advice and information about our services and ways to get more for your energy dollar.

The journey through the system of your air conditioner’s parts might compare to the adventure in the 1966 movie, “Fantastic Voyage.” Come along with the experts at Keith Air Conditioning, Inc. and see how your system works.

Three main stops await: the compressor, condenser and evaporator. A
visual diagram maps it out. The vehicle is a chemical fluid easily converted
between a gas and a liquid. Your air conditioner’s parts transform the fluid
between these two states, absorbing heat from the inside of your home and taking
it outside, keeping you cool in the process.

The journey is circular, and perhaps the best place to begin is…

• The compressor: The working fluid leaves the house in a gaseous state, traveling
  to the outdoor unit where the first stop is the compressor. The gas is squeezed
  together tightly, getting hotter than the air outside, too hot to become a
  liquid just yet. That’s next.

• The condenser: To become a liquid, some of the heat needs to be removed. The
  condenser uses the air outside for cooling, while keeping the pressure high. A
  coiling pattern gives time for the transformation to happen. The liquid, still
  very warm, is sent back into the house, where the cooling magic happens.

• The evaporator: The liquid passes through a tiny nozzle controlling the
  process. Once inside, another set of coils allows space for the liquid to expand into a gas, but the molecules need heat to accomplish this and snap up all they can. The
  heat is taken from the air inside, which your duct system has directed over the
  coils. The air leaves the heat and goes on, cooled and fanned back into the
  house.

This voyage between compression and expansion, harnessing the forces of
energy to keep you cool, is the goal of your air conditioner’s parts.

For more information on air conditioning or any other HVAC topics, contact us at Keith Air Conditioning. We’re proud to have served the Mobile and greater Baldwin County area since 1964.