The warm summers in Derby, Connecticut, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioner kicks on automatically. But, even after your air conditioner cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be disappointing when the air conditioner seems to be doing its job, yet your home doesn't actually feel comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. Your temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within your home. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When moisture levels are extremely high, your home can feel much hotter than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this blog, you'll learn how humidity affects your indoor comfort levels, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and easy troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Derby, Connecticut, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Giordanos Heating and Air Conditioning for professional help.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Right
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your living space enjoyable. Indoor humidity is another important factor. The majority of homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls 30-50 percent. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels hotter, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity can also encourage dangerous mold growth, mildew, bad smells and other indoor air quality issues. That's why your house feels humid but the AC is running—your system may be lowering the temperature of the air without removing enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Living in Derby, Connecticut, excess moisture can be a problem.
Many area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There are several common causes. Understanding what's creating excess moisture is the best place to start toward resolving the problem.
Below are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Derby, Connecticut:
1. AC is Too Large
An AC unit that's bigger than your home needs lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Dirty Air Filter
A dirty air filter reduces airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it harder for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning pulls out moisture from your home’s air and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil removes both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt and grime on the coil reduces its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to restore performance.
5. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your house. Leaks in ductwork can pull warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused areas into your HVAC system. This extra moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower keeps running after the cooling cycle completes. This can circulate moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Exceptionally Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid summers, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your AC is operating correctly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity keeps entering your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Aging Heating and Cooling Equipment
As HVAC systems age, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
Things to Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before requesting service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your AC or heating system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Verify the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to leave the system after each cooling cycle instead of being blown back into your living spaces.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Furniture over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may signal a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Know how your air conditioner should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home like it should, it's time to have the system evaluated by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not perform repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or system components. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be left to a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you struggle with humidity in your house during summer or year-round moisture problems, a whole-home dehumidifier may be worth considering. As opposed to portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Giordanos Heating and Air Conditioning's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier makes your home more comfortable while reducing the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be extremely beneficial for homes in humid areas or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Request HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an underlying problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Giordanos Heating and Air Conditioning will check refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also inspect ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why Giordanos Heating and Air Conditioning offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve the home’s humidity issues, trust Giordanos Heating and Air Conditioning for dependable HVAC service in Derby, Connecticut.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 203-941-5099 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.