If you live in Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, or the surrounding areas, moisture problems probably aren’t high on your list. However, it turns out the air inside a home tends to be much more humid than the air outside. Combine this fact with how an air conditioner works, unwanted moisture problems may emerge, even in the High Desert.
- The Threat of Home Moisture and High Humidity: What’s so bad about moisture inside the home? Not much – if it dries up quickly. The problem comes when moisture lingers and is not removed. Then it can be one of the most damaging forces inside your house. You see, moisture creates problems on several levels. First, it can seep into any nearby porous materials and create ceiling stains, rot, and other damage. Second, it can encourage pests to come in and eat soggy materials or gnaw through them, leading to pest issues. Third, it can encourage mold problems. Not only does mold lower air quality and make people sick, but it can cause massive and very expensive damage to your house, sometimes without you even knowing.
- Leaks and Air Conditioners: What do air conditioners have to do with moisture problems? They can develop leaks. Often this has to do with the condensation process used to cool air – here moisture often develops and drains away. But if the drain is clogged or something else goes wrong, that moisture can pool around or nearby your air conditioner, causing localized damage.
- Home Moisture in Enclosed Environments: Another common source of moisture is high humidity combined with enclosed environments. This happens more frequently in air ductwork, where humid air passes through ducts and leaves moisture behind, which even pools in the ducts. This, unfortunately, provides an ideal place for mold to grow. This type of condensation can also occur in attics during the High Desert heat.
Controlling Home Moisture: To improve air quality and control home moisture, you need both good venting and healthy maintenance for your HVAC system. Only properly placed attic vents can prevent condensation. Only an examination of your ducts and system can spot leaks or pooling issues before it’s too late. You can contact the professionals at Elite Climate Control for more information about moisture problems, inspections, and what to look for.
