What is dehumidification and how does it work?
Dehumidification is the process of removing moisture or humidity from the air in your home. This process can be done two ways: wired dehumidification or overcooling.
Note: Neither feature will trigger a cooling cycle on its own. A cooling cycle will only be extended based on whether the humidity percentage is above the desired humidity.
Overcooling (Optimal Dehumidification)
This feature allows anyone with a cooling system to achieve dehumidification. Sensi offers 2 types of overcooling, basic and dynamic.
Basic
By setting this feature, you allow the thermostat to cool past your set point by up to 3 degrees during an active cooling cycle to achieve the dehumidification percent you desired or until the 3-hour time limit is reached.
To set this feature on the thermostat, refer to the Installation Guide of your thermostat model.
To set this feature with the Sensi app, follow these instructions:
- Open the Sensi app.
- Tap on your thermostat name.
- Tap on the settings gear.
- Tap on System settings.
- Tap on Dehumidification and toggle it On.
- Adjust the Humidity Percentage as desired.
- Go back to the main thermostat page to save changes.
Dynamic
This feature is only available on the Sensi Touch 2 smart thermostat. This feature like the Basic Overcooling will cool past your set point by up to 3 degrees, but it has not time limit.
Example: The thermostat set for 70 degrees with the humidity at 60%; Dynamic overcooling is set to 50% humidity.
When Dynamic overcooling is active it will run cool mode down to 67 degrees, the thermostats new set point is 67 degrees until 50% humidity is reached. The thermostat will return to 70 degree set point after conditions are met.
Now that the feature is active, any time the thermostat triggers your cooling system to come on by the set temperature, you may notice that the cooling cycle lasts longer and cools below your set temperature.
Wired dehumidification (Optimal Comfort)
If you want the thermostat to control humidity in your home, you’ll need a wired connection that a contractor should install. A technician can wire your system to run a low Fan Speed or Whole Home dehumidification during a cooling cycle.
When you have a wired dehumidification system you have the option to select Independent Dehumidification or to select to run dehumidification during a call for cool, heat, fan only, or a combination of all 3. *
Independent Dehumidification is a setting that reduces the humidity without needing a system call and can be used with Fan Speed or Whole Home.
Fan Speed Dehumidification
This feature slows the fan speed down of your HVAC system to control the airflow across the cooling coils, allowing for more condensation and better moisture removal from the air. The is only available on the Sensi Touch 2 smart thermostat.
Whole Home Dehumidification
When you have a whole home dehumidifier installed in your HVAC system will work with the dehumidifier to extract moisture from the air.
- Wired dehumidification is an advanced feature and should installed and configured by an HVAC professional.
- Some features are only available on the Sensi Touch 2 smart thermostat.
How do I know if I have two stages of heat or dehumidification?
Two stage heating systems are not commonly found in high humidity environments; however, it’s still important to verify whether your system is two-stage. The easiest way to determine if you have a two-stage unit is to consult the manufacturer’s manual for your system.
I have an ACC or DEHUM wire on my current thermostat.
If you do not have a two-stage system, trace the thermostat wires to the control panel located at your indoor system, and look for a terminal labeled “Dehum”. If the ACC/DEHUM wire from the thermostat is connected to a “Dehum” terminal, then you have dehumidification capabilities.
