Does the air conditioner humidify or dry the air? How the device works

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What else can be said that has not been said before about such a wonderful device? And in the hot summer it can help, and in the cold it is no less useful. Yes, you won’t believe it – an air conditioner can even serve as an additional source of heat.

One thing worries device users: what happens to the air? Does the air conditioner humidify or dry the air? After all, there is so much information on the Internet on the topic of the harm of air conditioning that it is difficult to understand: where is the truth and where is the lie. Our article is specially prepared to help you understand everything in a few minutes.

What air humidity should be in the room to feel good?

Sanitary standards set this indicator in the range from 40% to 60%. In the middle zone it can reach 70%. But with only one air conditioner you can instantly reduce the indicator to 20-30, which is not the norm. For comparison, even in the Sahara the humidity reaches at least 30%.

What is affected by low moisture in the atmosphere:

• the lungs do not absorb oxygen well;
• the skin becomes dry;
• mucous membranes are irritated;
• constant poor health, headaches, etc.;
• decreased productivity;
• development of allergic reactions or worsening of existing ones.

And this is not a complete list of all the consequences of dry air.Even wood and paper cannot withstand low humidity and deteriorate.

But a high percentage of moisture can cause even more harm than dryness. True, you won’t achieve this with a regular air conditioner - you can sleep peacefully.

It is possible to explain why a split system dries the air based on the operation of a traditional appliance. We’ll tell you how it works right now.

How does the air conditioning system work?

The design of the air conditioner consists of two parts: the one in the room (internal) and the external one. In cooling mode, freon (refrigerant) is produced in the outer part. The pressure heats it up, and the vapors are released into the atmosphere.

The cooled refrigerant enters the inside of the air conditioner. Here it increases in size, taking heat from the atmosphere. As a result, the temperature in the room decreases. And water droplets appear on the cold heat exchanger - condensation. It is discharged outside through the drainage system.

So, does the device dry out the air? Let’s look at several methods of operation at once.

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What is air conditioning dehumidification? We are considering the option for cooling

With prolonged use, a conventional split system can reduce the humidity in the room by up to 30%. Dehumidification is a reduction in the percentage of water in the atmosphere by removing it from a closed space (on the street it will not be possible to reduce the humidity in one area, because there is no closed space).

Reducing the percentage of moisture can have both positive and negative consequences for a person: in the subtropics, even an additional dehumidifier can be useful.

Why is everyone afraid of moisture? The main sign of a high water content is a stuffy room. If you don’t “dry” the apartment, it sometimes becomes impossible to even sleep. That's how it is, high humidity.

And in the cooling mode of the air conditioner, the room atmosphere is partially dehumidified. Waste in the form of condensate is discharged to the street through a drainage channel.

What happens when heated?

The device operates using the “heat pump” method. How it works: when the air conditioner is turned on, warm air masses that are outside even in winter are taken into the room. This is what distinguishes a split system from an electric heater.

In this situation, the process is the opposite of cooling: the condensate does not evaporate, but vice versa. With its help, freon goes into a gaseous state, the atmosphere is saturated with additional moisture and the overall temperature in the room increases. When working this way, the air in the room is not dehumidified.

As you can see, in different modes, the air conditioner behaves differently. Don’t be afraid of drying out the air in your house or apartment: ventilate the room often to saturate the air with moisture. And be healthy!