"It's not the heat; it's the humidity." It's a familiar refrain on sweltering Southern Louisiana days. But why does a 90-degree day in New Orleans really feel so much hotter than one in Vegas or Phoenix?Our bodies cool off by opening up the skin's pores and releasing water and salt. (How's that for a delicate way to say "We sweat"?) How fast the water evaporates (carrying away latent heat, the heat required to transform liquid water to vapor) depends upon how much water is already in the air.On dry days, sweat evaporates fast, which means that it carries away heat fast too. On humid days, however, sweat evaporates more slowly, so the heat sticks around longer. In fact, when relative humidity is extremely high, sweat may not evaporate at all and the body simply can't cool down, which can lead to heat stroke.Air conditioners work by removing heat and moisture from the air. And when it comes to humidity, they're kind of like the body: They find it a lot harder to keep cool in high humidity. If your HVAC system can't cope with extreme humidity, your home may develop foggy windows, mold, mildew and a musty smell - and feel clammy instead of comfortable.Now if you're thinking, "No way! I have a GIGANTIC air conditioning unit, and my house isn't even that big!" that could be precisely your problem.To remove moisture from the air in a place as humid as New Orleans, your AC needs to run pretty continuously. A unit that's way too large for your home may do the cooling by running in short bursts - short bursts that will unfortunately do nothing to reduce your home's humidity and improve comfort and air quality.Call Pullen Air Conditioning today. Our experts will help you find the perfectly sized unit for your home. Trane's energy-efficient TruComfort models offer variable speed operation and unbeatable dehumidification, and they automatically adjust your home's temperature. Don't sweat. Let Pullen show you how you can have it all: comfort, air quality, and savings.
