The humid summers in Hodgenville, Kentucky, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The AC starts up right away. But, even after your cooling system cycles, your home still feels damp and sticky.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be frustrating 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 not alone. Many area homeowners have this problem.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. Your temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within the room. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When humidity levels are extremely high, your home can feel several degrees warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this article, you'll learn how humidity affects your indoor comfort levels, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Hodgenville, Kentucky, home. That way, you’ll know when you should contact experts like the team at Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc. for expert assistance.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Right
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your house pleasant. Indoor humidity is another important factor. The majority of homes are generally more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture 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 pulling out enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Living in Hodgenville, Kentucky, high humidity can be a challenge.
Countless area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Understanding what's creating humidity problems is a good first step toward fixing the problem.
Here are several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Hodgenville, Kentucky:
AC is Too Large
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC that's bigger than your home needs cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter limits airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it more difficult for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your AC collects moisture from your home’s air and drains it outside through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Icy Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt buildup on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to restore performance.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your house. Openings in ductwork can draw warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Change to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues to operate after the cooling cycle completes. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Extremely Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning is functioning as designed, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Aging HVAC Equipment
As heating and cooling systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, improves efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can limit performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
What You Can Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are some simple things you can check before requesting service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace a dirty air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Verify the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to flow out after each cooling cycle instead of being blown back into your living spaces.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and not covered up. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can limit airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water by your AC equipment may signal a clogged condensate drain or another drainage issue.
- Know how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off continuously, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home like it should, it's time to have the system inspected 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 specialized training and should always be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.
Should You Get 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. Unlike portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works alongside your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc.'s indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier helps keep your home more comfortable while lowering the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be extremely beneficial for homes in humid areas or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
Signs It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc. 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. Routine seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc. offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the home’s humidity issues, trust Phelps Heating & Cooling, Inc. for dependable HVAC service in Hodgenville, Kentucky.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 270-358-3167 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
