Do Heat Pumps Dehumidify?

Sticky, humid air can make your home uncomfortable and even unhealthy. To solve this, you need a system that removes excess moisture from the air, and a dehumidifier remains a prevalent option among many homeowners, but what if a single HVAC system can help with that, too? Yes, a heat pump can also dehumidify. This comprehensive guide will include an introduction to heat pumps, their functionality, and how they control indoor humidity. 

What Is a Heat Pump and How Does It Work?

Heat pumps warm and cool buildings by transferring heat. Their double functionality eliminates the requirement for separate systems for different seasons. If correctly installed, a heat pump can be energy efficient, offer long-term savings, and provide year-round comfort.

How Heat Pumps Work

Winter (Heating): It extracts heat from the outside air, ground, or water, depending on the type of system that you have installed, and transfers it to the interior of the building. 

Summer (Cooling): By activating the reverse function, it evacuates heat from the indoor environment and discharges it outside, providing comfort in hot weather. 

Do Heat Pumps Dehumidify?

During summer, a heat pump also works as a dehumidifier, reducing indoor humidity to create healthier air. Hence, you don’t need a separate dehumidifier when you have a heat pump. This HVAC system will excellently optimize humidity control in cooling mode. 

Mini Split Heat Pumps and Dehumidification

During the summer, Southern Maine’s humidity creates discomfort and health issues. Mini splits or ductless heat pumps also dehumidify the air in addition to cooling, helping you breathe quality air. Explore their benefits:

Zoned Control

A mini split system allows better temperature control in highly humid areas, as indoor units can serve different zones in a building. Customized temperature settings, energy savings as only specified zones are being served, and no requirement for the ductwork systems make these systems the best HVAC solution.  

Dry Mode Setting

The systems also have a dry mode option that helps lower humidity in damp areas without dramatically changing the temperature. This eliminates the need to cool the room aggressively to make the air humidity-free, enabling the systems to fulfill their commitment to providing the best comfort. 

No Duct Loss

In ducted systems, the Heat pump’s efficiency in controlling humidity can be compromised as the air can absorb or lose moisture when it travels through the ducts. As no ducts are required in mini splits, the air is delivered directly to your room without absorbing or losing moisture, giving homeowners more accurate humidity control. 

Ducted Heat Pumps and Humidity Control

A ducted heat pump works on the same principle, i.e., transferring heat to maintain temperature, but with properly installed ducts. It can also help dehumidify the air; however, professionally installed ducts are vital, as leakage through the ducts can affect the performance. 

Why Southern Maine Homeowners Should Consider a Dehumidifier Heat Pump?

A dehumidifier heat pump is essential for comfort, healthy air, and energy savings in Southern Maine’s humid climate. Maine Energy Experts provides reliable heat pump solutions with access to Efficiency Maine rebates, ensuring you enjoy both efficiency and savings. Let’s take a closer look at the other reasons to install a heat pump to dehumidify air:

Healthy Air

Mold and mildew in damp areas cause allergies and respiratory problems. To stop their development, you should find a solution to remove excessive humidity from the air. A heat pump does this effectively, without overcooling or drying out your space. So, you breathe healthy air. 

No More Musty Odors and Dampness

A musty smell in highly humid areas during the summer leads to extreme frustration. Living in a humid zone becomes tough. However, when cooling the room, a heat pump also dehumidifies it, reducing the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria, which are the main reasons for unpleasant odors. 

How Does a Heat Pump Remove Indoor Humidity?

Removing humidity from the air effectively remains challenging for traditional HVAC systems, but a heat pump does it efficiently in the following way:

Air Intake: The system draws in the humid air.
Cooling Process: The air is passed over the chilled coils, lowering its temperature.
Condensation: Moisture in the air is condensed into water droplets.
Dehumidified Air: The condensed moisture is collected and drained, allowing cool, dry air to circulate back into your home.
Humidity Reduction:  Continuous cycling lowers the overall humidity level. 
Dry Mode: The option focuses on removing moisture without excessively cooling the air. 

Can a Heat Pump Dehumidify in Winter?

Winter air is naturally dry, but a  few factors can make indoor air humid, such as poor ventilation, tightly sealed homes, and basement moisture. So, if you need to dehumidify the air in winter, the dry mode and advanced heat pumps can help you, but with some limitations. Explore more details:

Prioritize warming: Heat pumps are focused on warming the air rather than removing humidity during winter. 

Dry Mode: The mode can dehumidify the air in winter, but efficiency can be compromised. 

Separate dehumidifier: For greater relief from humidity in cold climates, you must rely on an efficient dehumidifier. 

Does a Heat Pump Dry Out the Air Too Much?

Heat pumps don’t over dry the indoor air; they balance humidity and temperature. Here’s what you need to know: 

No Excessive Moisture Removal 

The heat pumps naturally remove moisture from the air by passing it over the coils. Moreover, they don’t excessively dehumidify the air.

Short Cycle

Indoor air might feel dry due to short cycles of heat pumps. If the heat pump is oversized, it will quickly warm the room and fail to balance the humidity efficiently. 

Improper Insulation

Air leaks due to poor insulation let dry air from outside enter the indoor environment, making the room feel dry. Thus, poorly sealed rooms also lead to excessive dryness in the air. 

Conclusion

Heat pumps are efficient HVAC systems that can work as dehumidifiers during summer. Thus, their role in excellent humidity management during summer makes them a perfect, versatile HVAC solution. Homeowners should consider installing these efficient, eco-friendly systems in their homes to get year-round comfort.