Your AC can't handle Florida humidity by itself — not because it's broken, but because it was never designed to. The result: musty smells, sticky air, mold pressure, and AC bills inflated by trying to cool your way out of a humidity problem. Here's what whole-house dehumidification actually does for a Treasure Coast home.
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Your AC dehumidifies as a byproduct of cooling. In July when it runs 14 hours a day, that's plenty of moisture removal. But in October when outdoor temps drop to 80°F and indoor temps coast at 76°F, the AC barely runs — maybe 2 hours total — and humidity climbs because outdoor air is still 85%+ RH. The result is a chilly, clammy house with 65% indoor RH. Mold starts colonizing surfaces. Allergies flare. Your sheets feel damp.
Once you install a dedicated dehumidifier and target 50% RH, four things change.
We use Ultra-Aire (Therma-Stor), Honeywell DH150, and Aprilaire E100 series. All three are heavy-construction whole-house units with 5+ year warranties and capacities matched to home size. Mounted in the attic or mechanical room, ducted to the return side of your air handler, plumbed to drain, with a dedicated control or integration with your existing thermostat.
Undersized = it can't hold setpoint and runs constantly. Oversized = short cycles and inefficient operation. We calculate latent load using the Manual J methodology, accounting for outdoor humidity, square footage, ceiling height, exterior wall area, and occupancy patterns. Typical Treasure Coast home: 70 pint/day for 1,500 sqft, 90 for 2,500, 130 for 3,500+.
Return-air integration only — never tie into supply ductwork (defeats the purpose). Insulated supply ducting from the dehumidifier discharge to prevent condensation. Gravity drain when possible; condensate pump when not. Dedicated 120V or 240V circuit per nameplate. Service access on all four sides for filter changes. None of this is optional — handyman installs that skip these steps fail in 2–3 years.
Modern dehumidifiers ship with their own humidistat — set it to 50% RH and forget it. For homes with Aprilaire, Honeywell, or Ecobee thermostats that include humidity sensors, we can wire the dehumidifier as a second-stage humidity control: the AC handles cooling-load humidity removal, the dehumidifier kicks in only when AC alone can't hold setpoint. This is the most efficient configuration.
Quality whole-house units use 600–800 watts when running. Typical Treasure Coast operating pattern: heavy use March–May and October–November ($35–$50/month), light use January–February and July–September ($15–$25/month). Most customers see their AC bills drop enough to offset the dehumidifier cost in summer.
Annual filter change at the dehumidifier intake (similar to your AC filter). Annual coil cleaning every 2–3 years. Drain pan inspection. We include all of this in our Captain's Comfort Club maintenance program.
“My highest recommendations for Devon and the Maritime Air team — thorough, honest, and on time. They explained everything in plain language and didn't push any unnecessary upsells.”
“Devon has provided thorough maintenance and excellent service. Truly family-owned care — they treat your home like it's their own. Highly recommend for Treasure Coast homeowners.”
“Working with Devon on my HVAC system was a great experience from start to finish. Fair, clean install, and the system has been running perfectly through Florida summer heat.”
Real installs and repairs we've completed across the Treasure Coast.
Yes — but only when it's running. Florida's shoulder seasons (March–May, October–November) have high humidity but low cooling demand. Your AC short-cycles, can't pull enough moisture, and indoor RH climbs above 60%. That's when dehumidifiers earn their keep.
45–55% RH year-round. Above 60% allows mold and dust mite growth. Below 35% causes wood floor damage and respiratory irritation. Most Treasure Coast homes without dedicated dehumidification run 60–70% during mild weather.
For a single room, yes. For a whole house, no — even the biggest portable (70 pint) can't keep up with a 2,000 sq ft Florida home. Whole-house units integrate with your ductwork and run independently of your AC.
Running your AC to 72°F to dehumidify costs 30% more than running it to 76°F with a dehumidifier handling moisture. Plus you'll freeze. The dehumidifier is the cheaper tool for the moisture job.
About $25–$50/month during high-humidity seasons. Less in dry periods when it doesn't need to run.
Most installations are in the attic, garage, or mechanical closet, ducted into the return side of your air handler. The dehumidifier conditions a portion of return air on its own schedule, independent of your AC.
10–15 years for quality units (Ultra-Aire, Honeywell, Aprilaire). They're built for whole-house duty — much heavier construction than portable units.
Unit capacity (70 vs. 90 vs. 130 pint/day), brand, installation location and ductwork required, drain routing (gravity vs. condensate pump), and whether dedicated electrical needs to be run.
Call (772) 236-4277 or schedule online. Class-A licensed across the Treasure Coast.
