With Spring just around the corner, and Summer not far behind, our mind shifts to the more humid months of the year and how the combination of heat and humidity causes us discomfort.
Indoor humidity can cause great irritation during periods of high temperatures, as well as increasing mould and the subsequent health hazards that come with it.
From a commercial facilities management or property management standpoint, indoor humidity is an important issue. Whether your office or building is full of employees, customers or both, their comfort level affects your business. Workers are less likely to engage in their tasks when humidity levels are high, thus impacting productivity. Likewise, customers and clients seek a relaxed and comfortable environment when contemplating purchases.
Relative humidity is calculated as a percentage of the partial pressure of water vapour to the equilibrium vapour pressure of water, at any given temperature. The ideal relative humidity indoors, for both comfort and health, is around 40-50%. Each Summer, throughout Sydney and greater NSW it is likely that levels of indoor humidity will be much higher than that, and on a regular basis.
Managing humidity in your commercial building, office or retail space.
Good news, having an efficient commercial HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system can significantly reduce humidity in your building. Air conditioners do more than just cool your premises, they actually remove heat and humidity as part of their process using refrigerant and evaporator coils.
Refrigerant has the ability to absorb and discharge heat because it can easily change back and forth from liquid to gas. When it comes to removing the actual moisture in the air, the evaporator coils do the brunt of the work. As hot air blows over the evaporator coils in the system, moisture is removed as the air condenses. This condensation is collected in a pan and drained from the system.
If you are noticing mould, mildew or issues with humidity, your commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning system may be failing to remove moisture in the building. It’s probably time for some commercial air conditioning maintenance or repair. And it’s important to have your HVAC system properly maintained and serviced before Summer.
If you have any questions regarding commercial air conditioning and how it can help with indoor humidity and air quality, contact the professional team at Equilibrium Air Conditioning on (02) 9439 4822.