The warm summers in Waunakee, Wisconsin, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. The AC begins running automatically. But, even after your AC cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be frustrating when the air conditioner appears to work properly, yet your home doesn't actually feel pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. It happens a lot.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. The temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When humidity levels are too 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 home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Waunakee, Wisconsin, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Home Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC for support.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Right
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your house comfortable. Humidity is an extremely important factor. Many homes are generally more comfortable when indoor relative humidity stays 30-50 percent. 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 removing enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Residing in Waunakee, Wisconsin, excess moisture can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners ask the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Determining what's creating humidity problems is a good first step toward fixing the problem.
Here are several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Waunakee, Wisconsin:
Oversized Air Conditioning
1. Oversized Air Conditioning
An air conditioner that's bigger than your home needs cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it shuts off before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Dirty Air Filter
A dirty air filter limits airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Blocked Condensate Drain
Your AC pulls out moisture from your home’s air and that excess water drains from the unit through a condensate line. If that drain becomes restricted, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls both heat and moisture from your home's air supply. Ice formation or excessive dirt on the coil decreases its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your living space. Openings in ductwork can draw warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This additional moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle completes. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Extremely 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 cooling system is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity keeps entering your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Poorly Maintained Heating and Cooling Equipment
As HVAC systems age, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, improves efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
What You Can Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are some simple things you can check before booking service. These simple troubleshooting steps are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your AC or heating system remove moisture more effectively.
- Replace a dirty air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to flow out after each cooling cycle instead of being sent back into your living spaces.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. 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 signal a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Pay attention to how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off continuously, or it seems to run constantly without improving comfort, it's time to have the system evaluated by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not try repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you have humidity in your house during summer or year-round moisture problems, a whole-home dehumidifier may be worth considering. Compared with portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Home Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier keeps your home more comfortable while reducing the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Book HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an hidden problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Home Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also evaluate ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Home Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the problem, trust Home Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning LLC for dependable HVAC service in Waunakee, Wisconsin.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 608-413-4505 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
