The hot and humid summers in Huntingburg, Indiana, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioner starts up right away. But, even after your air conditioner runs, your home still feels damp and sticky.
Not a great feeling.
It can be frustrating when the air conditioner seems to operate normally, yet your home doesn't actually feel pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not the only homeowner. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different things. A temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within the space. It doesn't measure how much humidity is in your home. When moisture levels are too high, your home can feel much hotter than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this guide, 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 Huntingburg, Indiana, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Dearing's Service & Solutions for support.
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 consideration. Many homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels warmer, more oppressive and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also contribute to 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 cooling the air without pulling out enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Making your home in Huntingburg, Indiana, excess moisture can be a challenge.
Plenty of area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Determining what's creating high idoor humidity is a good first step toward resolving the problem.
Below are several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Huntingburg, Indiana:
Oversized Air Conditioner
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC 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 shuts off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it harder for your equipment to remove moisture while cooling your home.
3. Blocked Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner pulls out moisture from the air in your home and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes clogged, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Frozen 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. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your home. Gaps in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unconditioned areas into your HVAC system. This extra moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can circulate moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Older Heating and Cooling Equipment
As home comfort systems wear out over time, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before booking service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your AC or heating system remove moisture more effectively.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home effectively.
- 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. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can limit airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water by your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Know how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home, it's time to have the system evaluated by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not attempt repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or system components. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be left to a qualified HVAC technician.
Should You Get a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you deal with humidity in your house during summer or year-round moisture problems, a whole-home dehumidifier may be a good option. Unlike portable units that only work in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Dearing's Service & Solutions'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 a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning air conditioner.
When You Need to Request HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Dearing's Service & Solutions will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you scheduled for a home HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why Dearing's Service & Solutions offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve the indoor humidity problems, trust Dearing's Service & Solutions for dependable HVAC service in Huntingburg, Indiana.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 812-956-0349 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.