Can Your Air Conditioner Cause Dehydration?

You lose water with every breath you take. So in a very dry indoor environment, you are more likely to get dehydrated. Air conditioning removes a certain amount of humidity from the air. If you run your AC for an extended period of time, it is not unusual for your AC to cause dry air. But can your air conditioner cause dehydration? We explain the facts in this article.

If you are looking to upgrade your AC or want summer HVAC maintenance done ahead of St. Louis’s hot and muggy weather, call us at 314-993-1110 or fill our online contact form today.

Yes, Your Air Conditioner Can Dehydrate You

When humid air comes in contact with your AC’s evaporator coil, it condenses on the coil and drains into the pipe leading outdoors – thus removing moisture from the air. This condensation and evaporation process proceeds continuously as your AC system runs.

In a recent study, researchers checked the hydration levels of workers who spent a large part of their day in a low humidity, air conditioned environment. As a result, they found that the workers’ urine was much more concentrated than workers in other areas of the plant. This means that the dryer air can have dehydrating effects on the body.

How Can You Tell If Your Home Has Dry Air?

If you or a family member experience dry skin, frequent bloody noses, or sore throat, the humidity in your home may be low. Dry air also creates a higher risk of static electricity build-up, which can cause electrostatic discharges. If you encounter static shocks, the air in your home may be very dry.

Indoor air becomes drier during winter, but it can also become dry from over use of your air conditioning system in summer. As a result, prolonged exposure to this means that your air conditioner can cause dehydration.

How to Increase Humidity in Your Home

The ideal humidity level in a home is between 30% and 50%. If you are experiencing dry air in your home, you can increase humidity levels in a few ways:

Use a humidifier
Avoid turning on bathroom and kitchen fans
Keep water bowls throughout your home

If you have an older AC model, you can consider upgrading to a more energy-efficient one that has a built-in humidifier. Upgrading your system will tackle two common problems that homeowners have: “How to reduce AC bills?”, and “Can air conditioner cause dehydration?” An AC that consumes less energy will help you save on your energy bills. Additionally, advanced AC systems also maintain proper humidity levels as well. A built-in humidifier will add moisture to the air and help maintain an ideal humidity level in your home.