Your commercial HVAC system is not only designed to provide the right climate for your business, but also to help control humidity. High humidity levels are a frequent problem for buildings in Chicago, and finding the right balance (too dry creates as many problems as too humid) can require specialized service for your HVAC equipment from professionals like ours.
The humidity level you want to aim for inside a building is between 30% and 60% relative humidity. For many facilities, the ideal balance is around 45%, although this isn’t true for all businesses. When you work with us for dehumidification in Hillside, IL and the rest of Chicagoland, we’ll help you determine the ideal indoor relative humidity level and target it with our services.
The Trouble With High Humidity
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about high humidity is that it creates an uncomfortable environment during hot weather. When relative humidity rises above 70%, it can make the interior of a building feel 8° to 10°F hotter, which is unpleasant for the people inside and will cause an increase in costs to cool the building. This will also add to the upkeep of strained HVAC equipment as well as possible early replacements.
Humidity creates other issues as well. High moisture levels can damage sensitive equipment and create warping in building materials and important supplies. Humidity is a source of mold growth, and mold can create a range of problems that include respiratory illnesses in people, damage to building material, and foul odors.
Proper Air Balancing
An important part of creating balanced humidity inside a facility is proper air balancing. In the majority of facilities that experience high humidity problems, the source of the moisture is building suction: the make-up air brought into the space through the ventilation system pulls in humid air from outside. Air balancing of the ventilation and exhaust systems for a facility can alleviate this problem and significantly reduce moisture inside the building.
Dehumidifiers
Another part of the solution to humidity balance in a facility is dehumidification services. We can install a dehumidifier into the ventilation system (or multiple dehumidifiers if you wish to have different humidity zones in your facility) to remove moisture attempting to enter from outside through the make-up air units. Dehumidifiers work using refrigerant, similar to ACs, but they do not interfere with the operation of cooling systems.
Ventilation System Repair
Your facility may have damaged and leaking ductwork, and this can create serious humidity problems. Poor sealing and gaps along the ducts will draw in humid air from closed-in spaces and then circulate it through the facility. Solving this requires having professionals seal the ductwork. This not only combats humidity, it also improves overall energy efficiency and HVAC performance.
If you aren’t sure what to do about high humidity in your commercial facility, you don’t need to worry. We can help. We are in the business of offering solutions, not just repairs, and we’ll find the best solution to ensure you have balanced humidity for ideal conditions.
Call Althoff Industries, Inc. for true 24-hour service. Challenges accepted!