The Munters DryCool™ HD residential dehumidifier has helped Ed Hill keep a healthy home for his family in Highlands, North Carolina.
Hill’s wife has severe allergies due to mold and ragweed pollen and he wanted to keep the house free from pollutants and high levels of humidity that could elevate any reactions. Hill also wanted to include as many energy efficient features in their home as their budget would allow.
The 
1,200-square-foot, single story, ranch-style residence was built in 1995 and included a passive solar design with high quality windows, ceramic tile flooring, and heavily insulated walls and attic space. The design did not include a central heating or cooling system since the temperature in this location rarely exceeded 90°F. However, the Hills started to notice moisture-related problems including sweating floors and mold growth inside cabinets.
“I had especially resisted getting central air conditioning because of cost and I didn’t think we needed it, but lately the summers have been especially hot and humid. It was time to do something,” Hill said. “We had been very happy with our house, with one exception: the humidity. Two portable dehumidifiers kept the humidity down some, but due to the considerable heat and noise, we were unwilling to run them all of the time.”
The Hills also noticed that condensation would form on the windows during colder winter spells. In the summer, despite comfortable temperatures, humidity levels would reach as high as 90% in the house and make the indoor conditions uncomfortable. Hill started looking for a solution that would allow him to remove the humidity, without impacting the indoor temperature.
“In researching central dehumidification systems, I tried to find one that wouldn’t heat up the house. We installed the DryCool™ HD and the difference so far has been remarkable,” Hill said. “Our contractor was surprised how quickly the Munters home dehumidifier brought the humidity down from 80% to 40%.”
Hill was able to notice improved results within weeks of installing the DryCool™ HD because unlike traditional systems, the DryCool™ HD removes humidity without adding heat to the discharge air. It eliminates the need to cool the dry discharge air after dehumidifying, further saving a substantial amount of money on energy bills.
Since installing the DryCool™ HD, the Hills said they have set the RH level to 45% and haven’t seen the indoor humidity rise above 49%.
“I have kept track of relative humidity and temperature conditions in our house. Our goal was to be as energy efficient as possible, and still be comfortable, without A/C,” Hill said. “There are thousands of homes in these mountains. Many of them could benefit by reducing the humidity without adding to their cooling load, even if they do have A/C. Most of them wouldn't even need their A/C if they could reduce the relative humidity to 40%.”
Many homeowners will run their air conditioning when the indoor temperature is acceptable, just to cope with high humidity. However, this is expensive and inefficient as it only reduces the thermostat set point to create what feels like a dryer, more comfortable climate. By using the DryCool™ HD, Hill is able to cope with the humidity without changing the temperature.
“It is a great pleasure to stay nice and dry even in the midst of two or three consecutive rainy days,” Hill said. “Even when we take showers, the DryCool™ HD unit removes all the excess humidity quickly, so we don’t need to ventilate as before. My wife and I are very happy to be done battling moisture issues in our home. No more heat output or loud noise from dehumidifiers, and a lower electric bill, too.”
Tel: (800) 843-5360 | E-mail: dhinfo@munters.com