[handieman]

Its summer in the villages and the rains have begun and the outdoor humidity is very tropical. This is all well and good when your sitting in the pool but NOT a good thing for the interior or your home.
Let me try to explain what a DEhumidistat will do for you. First off its not a harmful thing for you home interior to be 85. It is a harmfull situation when your home has a relative humidity of 85 inside combined with the heat. So what can we do besides run the airconditioning at a livable temperature resulting in a lower interior relative humidity when were up north for a number of months? Seems wastefull doesn't it and yes it is. At this point you should be asking yourself how can I not run the AC when I'm away and save electricity and still keep the interior of my home safe.
A device called a DEhumidistat is simply a device that when set at 60% does not allow the AC to come on unless the humidity is above 60%. Even though the temperature inside the home is 85, there is no need to cool it if the humidity inside is dry. You Arizona folks know all about this. It costs approx. $50.00-$60.00 and can be installed with a very short service call. It is wired in series with the low voltage coming to your thermostat and simply will not allow the AC to turn on until two parameters are met, one the inside temperature must exceed the temperature set on the thermostat (78-80) AND the relative humidity inside the home must exceed the set humidity level (60%)
Conversations with various folks who have used these devices while away have told me of savings in the $100.00 per month range for the hottest months in summer. As you can see this device pays for itself usually very easily in the first month or two. This is not a device for use when the home is occupied, so it is merely turned to the ON position and the thermostat does its thing.

Being a northerner myself, these devices were a mystery to me until I used one. Color me in the "still learning mode"

[swrinfla]

Handie:

I am happy to read your defense of this device. I was persuaded to install one along with my digital thermostat earlier this year, and think it will help. I haven't been away yet, so haven't set the system.

I'll be away a couple of days in June. In light of the shortness of my absence, I may or may not set it in motion. Any thoughts about whether the length of absence makes any significant difference?

SWR

[handieman]

Originally Posted by swrinfla

Handie:

I am happy to read your defense of this device. I was persuaded to install one along with my digital thermostat earlier this year, and think it will help. I haven't been away yet, so haven't set the system.

I'll be away a couple of days in June. In light of the shortness of my absence, I may or may not set it in motion. Any thoughts about whether the length of absence makes any significant difference?

SWR

Being away for a few days will not cause the humidity level to rise sufficeintly to allow the system to work together. I suspect your AC will never kick on for such a short period. Remember temp @78-80, humidty @ 60% thermostat set for cooling and auto fan mode
Handie

[mitchbr47]

Originally Posted by handieman

Its summer in the villages and the rains have begun and the outdoor humidity is very tropical. This is all well and good when your sitting in the pool but NOT a good thing for the interior or your home.
Let me try to explain what a DEhumidistat will do for you. First off its not a harmful thing for you home interior to be 85. It is a harmfull situation when your home has a relative humidity of 85 inside combined with the heat. So what can we do besides run the airconditioning at a livable temperature resulting in a lower interior relative humidity when were up north for a number of months? Seems wastefull doesn't it and yes it is. At this point you should be asking yourself how can I not run the AC when I'm away and save electricity and still keep the interior of my home safe.
A device called a DEhumidistat is simply a device that when set at 60% does not allow the AC to come on unless the humidity is above 60%. Even though the temperature inside the home is 85, there is no need to cool it if the humidity inside is dry. You Arizona folks know all about this. It costs approx. $50.00-$60.00 and can be installed with a very short service call. It is wired in series with the low voltage coming to your thermostat and simply will not allow the AC to turn on until two parameters are met, one the inside temperature must exceed the temperature set on the thermostat (78-80) AND the relative humidity inside the home must exceed the set humidity level (60%)
Conversations with various folks who have used these devices while away have told me of savings in the $100.00 per month range for the hottest months in summer. As you can see this device pays for itself usually very easily in the first month or two. This is not a device for use when the home is occupied, so it is merely turned to the ON position and the thermostat does its thing.

Being a northerner myself, these devices were a mystery to me until I used one. Color me in the "still learning mode"

This was our very first add-on on our CYV home. It ran all summer and really didn't cost much. Our electric bills were probably less than $25 a month. We contacted Munn for the install. We also added a solar fan this winter.

[teach232]

Handiman you are 'da man!'

We will be new snowbirds to the villages soon (closing on a house in Hemingway next month) and TOTV is a wealth of information. Everyone is so darn helpful! THANK YOU!

[Peazoup]

OK - here goes. I am a living testament for the "DEhumidistat". I will tell you that I bought my CYV last May, but didn't move in until November. After getting my June and July electric bill (thermostat set at about 82), I called ************************ and asked him to please install this device. He did and it saved me almost $100 a month. So, I can vouch for what he says and his ability to install it. If you are away during those hot months in the summer, I really can tell you that you'll save a lot of money in electric bills. And, Handie is our man!!!!!

[Halle]

We had a DE Humidistat installed because we had also heard it would save money on our electric bill. Unfortunately our summer electric bill was still high for an unoccupied home. This past April our A/C quit working. The repair company found the DE Humidistat unit had been wired incorrectly and that was the reason my A/C wasn't working and also explained why my electric bill was so high last summer. I cannot remember the name of the person who installed it he was recommended by our previous Home Watch Service and they were present when it was installed. I'm sure they were not aware that the person installing it didn't do it correctly. So make sure the person installing it knows what they are doing. Hoping to see lower electric bills this summer.

Thanks for the good advice Handie.

[bsliny]

I had Munns Install one in my house and it does make a difference in the electric bill

[Biker B]

Can you post contact info for Munn's

[katezbox]

Handie,

As usual, you explain something that is a mystery very clearly. I am used to the dehumidifiers we had up north - but they needed to be emptied. This is great advice.

[shighsmi]

Munn's did ours as well and it made a big difference. The AC only goes on if the humidty in the house goes over 60%. Our bill last month was $30. shighsmi

[Biker B]

Please anyone have contact info for Munn"s

[KayakerNC]

Originally Posted by handieman

A device called a DEhumidistat is simply a device that when set at 60% does not allow the AC to come on unless the humidity is above 60%. Even though the temperature inside the home is 85, there is no need to cool it if the humidity inside is dry. You Arizona folks know all about this. It costs approx. $50.00-$60.00 and can be installed with a very short service call. It is wired in series with the low voltage coming to your thermostat and simply will not allow the AC to turn on until two parameters are met, one the inside temperature must exceed the temperature set on the thermostat (78-80) AND the relative humidity inside the home must exceed the set humidity level (60%)
[/CENTER]

Handie,
Are there reliability issues with any brands? Any recommendations?

[Bubbalarry]

Got ours from MUNNS last Feb 08. Works great and saves on elecric bills.

[iaudit]

Originally Posted by handieman

It is wired in series with the low voltage coming to your thermostat and simply will not allow the AC to turn on until two parameters are met, one the inside temperature must exceed the temperature set on the thermostat (78-80) AND the relative humidity inside the home must exceed the set humidity level (60%)

I was looking for a humidistat today and found this statement on Progress Energy Website:

Proper Installation
A humidistat should be connected in parallel with the thermostat so each can operate independently of the other's control setting. Recommended settings when used with an air conditioner are 85 degrees for the thermostat and 70 percent relative humidity for the humidistat.

See:
http://www.progress-energy.com/custs...umidistats.asp

for a full discussion on a humidistat.

Was wondering if anyone out there knows if it should be wired in series or parallel?