Moving from the north to the south was a big transition.
I was accustomed to winter temperatures in the negatives, snow for months at a time and relying heavily on the heating system.
Sweaters, snow shovels and ice scrapers were necessities. I drove a four-wheel-drive vehicle and never dared buy tickets for an event scheduled anytime between November and April. I was delighted to relocate to an area with plenty of sunshine, palm trees and warm temperatures. I no longer worry about snow removal or blizzard conditions. My new house is not equipped with any type of heating capacity. We run the air conditioner just about year round. The cooling system effectively pulls heat out of the house to maintain the desired temperature. It helps with humidity but can’t handle the abundance of moisture. Lowering the thermostat setting just creates a bigger workload for the air conditioner without solving the cause of the problem. It was necessary to install a dehumidifier. I’d tried portable dehumidifiers and found that the devices required constant emptying of the reservoirs without making much of an impact. The whole-home dehumidifier pulls moisture out of the air as it passes through the cooling system. By lowering humidity to a comfortable level, it’s possible to set a higher thermostat setting, lessen demands on the air conditioner and improve comfort. The dehumidifier operates round-the-clock and virtually silently. It requires only annual maintenance. Because of this upgrade, we have far fewer issues with condensation running down the windows, mold and mildew growth. The house feels and smells fresher. My family sleeps better at night and has more energy during the day.