Excess Moisture
Excess Moisture | Dehumidifier Installation | Heating and Air Conditioning | Sharps Chapel
Sharps Chapel’s beautiful lakeside climate can come with a muggy downside—damp basements, sticky indoor air, and the musty smells that follow. HEP’s excess-moisture specialists pair their HVAC know-how with precision dehumidifier installation to balance humidity levels all year long. From initial moisture readings to selecting the right-sized unit for your home, our licensed technicians eliminate the guesswork, helping protect drywall, woodwork, and your family’s respiratory health in one smooth visit.
Expect courteous scheduling, transparent pricing, and craftsmanship backed by HEP’s 24/7 support. Your new system integrates seamlessly with existing heating and cooling equipment, reducing energy waste while keeping every room comfortably dry—even during Tennessee’s steamiest stretches. Ready to breathe easier? Call HEP today and feel the Sharps Chapel difference tomorrow.
FAQs
Why is controlling excess moisture so important for homes in Sharps Chapel?
Sharps Chapel’s warm summers and proximity to Norris Lake create long stretches of high relative humidity. When indoor humidity stays above 60 %, it encourages mold and mildew, dust-mite growth, wood warping, peeling paint, and musty odors. Excess moisture also makes your air conditioner run longer because it has to remove latent heat, which drives up energy bills. A professionally installed dehumidifier keeps relative humidity in the 30–50 % range, protecting your family’s health, the home’s structure, and your HVAC equipment.
How does a whole-home dehumidifier integrate with my existing heating and air-conditioning system?
We install the dehumidifier in the return-air side of your ductwork or in a dedicated bypass loop. A built-in humidistat constantly measures indoor RH; when the level rises above the set point, the dehumidifier pulls air from the return, removes moisture through refrigeration coils, reheats the air to a comfortable temperature, and sends it back into the supply plenum. Condensate drains safely to a floor drain or condensate pump, so there are no buckets to empty. The unit operates automatically and can be tied into most smart thermostats for unified control.
What are the signs that I need a professionally installed dehumidifier instead of a portable unit?
Portable units can handle a single room, but they struggle with whole-house moisture. You likely need a central system if you notice: • Consistently high indoor RH readings (>60 %) on hygrometer tests • Musty smells in multiple rooms, closets, or crawl spaces • Condensation on windows, ductwork, or toilet tanks • Visible mold on walls, ceilings, or HVAC registers • Cupping hardwood floors or sticking interior doors • Your AC runs constantly yet the air still feels clammy. A whole-home dehumidifier treats every conditioned space and keeps humidity steady even when the AC compressor is off.
How is the correct dehumidifier size determined for my home?
During our free in-home assessment we measure your square footage, ceiling heights, insulation levels, number of occupants, and sources of moisture (crawl space, basement, cooking, showers, aquariums, etc.). We then perform a Manual J latent load calculation to estimate pints per day of moisture removal required. Residential units typically range from 70 to 130 pints/day, but larger lakefront homes or properties with finished basements may need 155 pints/day or more. Correct sizing ensures the unit runs efficiently without short-cycling or leaving moisture behind.
How long does installation take and will it disrupt my routine?
Most whole-home dehumidifier installations in Sharps Chapel take four to six hours. We arrive on time, protect floors and furnishings, cut into the ductwork, place the unit, run the condensate line, wire the humidistat, and test the system. Your HVAC will be offline for only about an hour while we make the duct connections. In nearly every case you can stay in the home, and we leave the workspace as clean as we found it.
What maintenance does a whole-home dehumidifier require and how long does it last?
Maintenance is minimal: change or wash the air filter every three to six months, keep the drain line clear, and have our technicians clean the coil and calibrate the humidistat once a year during your HVAC tune-up. High-quality units last 10–15 years when properly maintained—about the same lifespan as a central air conditioner. Regular service ensures peak moisture removal, low energy use, and continued warranty coverage.