This podcast is the Santa Fe Panel from the 4th Annual HVACR Training Symposium. The panel focused on dehumidification, was moderated by Nikki Krueger, and featured Andy Ask and Ken Gehring.

"Matchmaking" a residence to the climate requires us to design and install equipment that keeps occupants healthy and comfortable. HVAC contractors need to focus on the dew points, especially as they remain high at night and in the shoulder seasons. Humidity loads tend to hold steady (even peak dew points), while sensible loads increase and drop, making it difficult to control latent heat loads the same way we control sensible loads.

The equipment will typically be less efficient if you focus on long runtimes to remove latent heat under partial load conditions and maintain 50% humidity. Dehumidifier efficiency is determined on a pint per kilowatt basis, but a constantly running dehumidifier will do its job a lot more efficiently than one that starts and stops regularly.

The dehumidifier adds heat to the house and should only come on when the HVAC system is having trouble maintaining the desired humidity load; the dehumidifier has a reheat effect, but the HVAC system will need to deal with the increased heat load. When you add a whole-house dehumidifier, adding a fresh air ventilation component is highly recommended.

Nikki, Ken, and Andy also cover:

Infiltration and exfiltration
Variable-speed technology and supplemental dehumidification
Fresh air ventilation
Air conditioner vs. dehumidifier latent heat removal
Net zero HVAC, electrification, and decarbonization initiatives
Air mixing in the ductwork
Standalone dehumidifiers
Vapor pressure and buoyancy
Sizing for peak dehumidification loads
Dehumidifier supply and return tie-ins
Static pressure and "injection" dehumidification
Fan cycling

Learn more about the HVACR Training Symposium or buy a virtual ticket today at https://hvacrschool.com/symposium.

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