The warm summers in Laurel, Maryland, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioning kicks on as expected. But, even after your cooling system runs, your home still feels moist and clammy.
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 pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. It happens a lot.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different things. A temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within the room. It doesn't measure how much humidity is in your home. When indoor moisture is very 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 home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Laurel, Maryland, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to call experts like the team at H&C Heating and Cooling for expert assistance.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your house pleasant. The amount of moisture in the air is an extremely important element to consider. The majority of homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity stays between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels hotter, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Excess 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 removing enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Making your home in Laurel, Maryland, high humidity can be a frequent concern.
Plenty of area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Identifying what's creating excess moisture is the best place to start toward solving the problem.
Here are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Laurel, Maryland:
1. Oversized Air Conditioning
An air conditioner that's larger than your home actually needs lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it more difficult for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning collects moisture from your indoor air and that excess water drains from the unit through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't leave the system properly, contributing to excess moisture indoors.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls both heat and moisture from your home's indoor air. Dirt and grime on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your living space. Openings 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 Set to “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower keeps running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of letting it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s especially humid summers, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your cooling system 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 HVAC systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, boosts efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
What You Can Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are some simple things you can check before scheduling service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more effectively.
- 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 effectively.
- Verify the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to drain away after each cooling cycle instead of being circulated back into your living spaces.
- Check that supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can restrict 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 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 try repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Does Your Home Need a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you have 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 control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of H&C Heating and Cooling'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 a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning air conditioner.
When You Need to Schedule HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an hidden problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at H&C Heating and Cooling will evaluate refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also evaluate ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to identify the root cause.
We also can get you scheduled for an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why H&C Heating and Cooling offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve your indoor humidity problems, trust H&C Heating and Cooling for dependable HVAC service in Laurel, Maryland.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 301-235-2937 today to restore your comfort.