There is no denying that an air conditioner has become more of a necessity than a luxury in the recent decades as the continuously falling prices and intense competition in this space among hundreds of companies has brought down the prices to affordable levels for almost everyone. While most people have an AC in their homes these days, it is also a fact that not everyone is aware of the different features or functions of their air-conditioner.
If you take a close look at your particular model, you will find that it will most probably have 3 different modes including cool mode, dry mode and fan mode among others. Some of the more feature-rich models also have additional modes such as extreme cold mode though such modes are not found in all the air-conditioner but most of the air-conditioners have these 3 modes.
You can bet that most people run their air-conditioner in the cool mode only and are not even aware of the presence of these other modes let alone be aware of the use of these 2 other modes. After all, nobody has got time to read the manual or figure out the functions of so many buttons on their remote control or on the control panel of the air-conditioner. Therefore, not everyone is aware of the usage of these additional features and how those features should be used to save energy and to make the home environment more comfortable for the people inside. Here are some tips from professional aircon service contractor.
The temperature and humidity levels never remain the same and keep changing with seasons. For instance, during the rainy season, people have to deal with extremely high humidity levels. Extremely high humidity levels are uncomfortable for everyone as is extremely dry air. We need balanced humidity levels to feel comfortable inside an enclosed space and this is where the dry mode comes in. Not many people can tell the difference between dry mode and cool mode as they mostly feel the same for most people and most of the times, people only figure out whether the AC is running in dry mode or cold mode when they notice the light on the control panel of the air-conditioner. However, there is a big difference between cool mode and dry mode and here is what you need to know about the benefits of dry mode and what it is and when it should be used.
Simply put, dry mode runs the air-conditioner as a dehumidifier. You can always buy a separate dehumidifier but those work in a slightly different manner. Think of your air-conditioner as a huge dehumidifier when it is running in dry mode. It does not cool down the air as no heat exchange takes place but the moisture from the air inside your room is removed which will make you feel cool. If you run your air-conditioner in dry mode during the rainy season, it will bring the humidity levels to a comfortable level keeping you comfortable inside. It is also important to keep in mind that dry mode won’t get rid of all the moisture in the air but will make it comfortable and keep it comfortable for the occupants.
If you’re wondering how it works, you should know that when your air-conditioner is in dry mode, all the inner components of the system keep running but your air-conditioner does not blow out cold air as no heat exchange takes place. The only thing that happens is the removal of moisture from the air and that does bring down the temperature but no active heat exchange takes place when the air-conditioner is running in dry mode.
One of the reasons the dry mode exists in air-conditioners is high energy efficiency you get from dry mode. Running your air-conditioner in cool mode at all times isn’t energy-efficient as cool mode is best used in the hot and dry seasons which makes dry mode the more appropriate mode for your air-conditioner during the humid season where the temperature isn’t really high but there is a lot of humidity. When you run your air-conditioner in dry mode, it will consume less energy as compared to running it in cold mode.
If you’re wondering about the difference between running your air-conditioner in dry mode and in cold mode, the biggest difference between these 2 is that in the dry mode, your air-conditioner gets rid of the humidity in the room and no heat exchange takes place which means the air temperature doesn’t change due to heat exchange. When you run your AC in cool mode, active heat exchange takes place and the warmth from the indoor air is transferred to the outdoors with the help of the refrigerant gas inside the air-conditioning system. The refrigerant gas cycle does not happen when you run your air-conditioner in dry mode and this is why, you get to save a lot of energy in dry mode.
The dry mode is best used when you are experiencing extremely high humidity levels, typically north of 90%. If you run your air-conditioner for 1 to 2 hours in dry mode, it should bring down the humidity level to comfortable levels. It is also important to mention here that the dry mode shouldn’t be used for a long period of time as it will lead to the removal of all the moisture in the air and you will then have to deal with extremely dry air. Extremely dry air is as uncomfortable as extreme humidity levels and therefore, not desirable. Run your air-conditioner in dry mode for a few hours and then, switch it to the cold mode or shut it up as and when the humidity levels feel comfortable for occupants inside the room.
To conclude, almost all the air-conditioners have a variety of modes including cool mode, dry mode and fan mode. The dry mode should be used when there are high humidity levels and the temperature is not so high. If you use cool mode in such an environment, your air-conditioner will consume a lot more energy than necessary. When you run your air-conditioner in dry mode, it will consume less energy and will work as a large-scale dehumidifier. Hopefully, you are now aware of the use of dry mode and when it should be used and how it can help you save on energy costs and bring down your carbon footprint.