Humidity - A sticky situation: There are plenty of ways to describe humidity. Scientifically, it’s the concentration of water particles in the air. From a technical standpoint, it can be stated in percentages and levels. From a general perspective, some will say, “it’s nice out, just a little humid.” But for those in truly humid climates, who literally live and breathe it, they’ve taken their descriptions to a whole new level. There’s the “walk outside and your glasses fog up humidity”, or the “it’s sticky outside” type of day, and of course the “I stepped out and my hair went flat and the wrinkles in my clothes disappeared.”
For this article, we’ll be speaking to anyone who at some point has said, “close the door, we’re not paying to cool the outside.” For those in retail spaces, you know the battle. You want people coming in your store, but you don’t want the humidity accompanying them. Let’s look at some options.
OPTION 1: GIVE UP AND LET THE HUMIDITY WIN
At some point, you may just give up and think humidity is just part of the deal. Customers and profit are paramount, so you deal with the condensation covered glass, sweating ductwork, higher energy bills and unpleasant temperatures. So what if there are puddles of water where the condensation has accumulated. Just put up a wet floor sign and hope no one slips! While this might be a worst-case scenario, any one of these problems can be a nuisance. Fortunately, there’s help
OPTION 2: GIVE AIR CURTAINS A CHANCE
Air Curtains positioned above your doors are effective tools that can significantly reduce the levels of humidity in your store, restaurant, and business. The benefit of an air curtain as a humidity fighter is in its ability to create a consistent barrier of air across the doorway, which blocks the hot air from entering (hot air carries more water vapor than cold air).
Preventing the entrance of warm air enables the AC to operate more efficiently. This saves money and creates a more pleasant interior climate. The air curtain also recirculates conditioned inside air, helping to break up heavy concentrations of humidity that may be present.
ADDITIONAL AIR CURTAIN BENEFITS
Of added bonus, Air Curtains block flying insects, fumes and other unwanted elements, while providing unobstructed access for customers. Without the humidity infiltrating your shop or restaurant, you eliminate the condensation and remove unpleasant, potentially dangerous, conditions such as wet floors and dripping ductwork. By blocking the insects, you won’t be hearing the dreaded, “there’s a fly in my soup”, or watch customers swat away flying pests.
A flexible solution: Air curtains can also be a very flexible solution. When paired with a door switch, they will activate the instant a customer enters. In less than a second, the air curtain can be covering the entirety of the door, blocking the humidity while your customers pass through. If the door is closed, the air curtain can remain off. You can also choose your color or hide the air curtain in the ceiling so that only a vent is visible.
OPEN DOORS = OPEN FOR BUSINESS
An open door is essentially a “We’re Open” sign. An air curtain allows shop-keeps to keep their front doors open without worrying about humidity, bugs or fumes entering. By pairing the air curtain with a SmartTouch control, you can set the hours your air curtain will run, like during your business hours.
Not just a summer solution: And while we hate to bring up winter while talking about hot, humid summers, Air Curtains can be just as effective during the cold months when you’re trying to keep the hot air in and cold air out. Air Curtains equipped with heat can block winter winds and keep your heating costs in check.
Customer and Employee comfort:
Lastly, Air Curtains improve the customer and employee experience by helping maintain a more comfortable environment. Whether hot or cold outside, an air curtain will prevent outside air from entering, ensuring more comfortable interior conditions for customers and employees. The temperatures shown in the image were recorded on a hot/humid summer day in Hermitage, PA. The air curtain effectively maintained a comfortable indoor temperature by blocking the outside heat, regardless of how long the door remained open.
To learn more about Air Curtains and combatting humidity within your shop or restaurant, click the links to the right or feel free to check us out online at www.PoweredAire.com. As always, you can shoot us an email at info@PoweredAire.com or call us at 1-888-321-AIRE (2473).
Download the PDF Article here