The humid summers in Smyrna, Delaware, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The AC kicks on as expected. But, even after your air conditioner cycles, your home still feels damp and sticky.
Not a great feeling.
It can be disappointing when the air conditioner seems to be doing its job, yet your home doesn't actually feel pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. Many area homeowners have this problem.
Why? Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. A temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within your home. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When indoor moisture is too high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this blog, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and easy troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Smyrna, Delaware, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC for professional help.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your home pleasant. Indoor humidity is another important element to consider. The majority of homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity is between 30% and 50%. 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 promote dangerous mold growth, mildew, unpleasant odors and other indoor air quality issues. That's why your house feels humid but the AC is running—your system may be chilling the air without pulling out enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Living in Smyrna, Delaware, high humidity can be a problem.
Plenty of area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Identifying what's creating high idoor humidity is the best place to start toward solving the problem.
Below are several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Smyrna, Delaware:
Oversized Air Conditioning
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An air conditioner that's too big for your home lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t eliminate humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Dirty Air Filter
A clogged air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning removes moisture from your indoor air and drains it outside through a condensate line. If that drain becomes clogged, moisture can't leave the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil removes both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt and grime on the coil decreases its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your home. Gaps in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This extra moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues to operate after the cooling cycle is finished. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioner is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Aging HVAC Equipment
As HVAC systems get older, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can limit performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
Things to Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before booking service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your heating and cooling system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home better.
- Verify the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to flow out after each cooling cycle instead of being circulated back into your living spaces.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and unblocked. Furniture over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Monitor how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off repeatedly, or it seems to run constantly without improving comfort, it's time to have the system inspected by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not perform repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal HVAC parts. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be performed by 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 a good option. Compared with portable units that only help reduce moisture in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works alongside your HVAC system to reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier helps keep your home more comfortable while helping reduce the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be especially helpful for homes in damp climates or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Request HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an underlying problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC will evaluate 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 identify the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections budget-friendly and stress-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't fix your problem, trust Fletcher Plumbing, Heating & AC for dependable HVAC service in Smyrna, Delaware.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 302-653-0503 today to take care of high indoor humidity issues for good.