The warm summers in Wilmington, Delaware, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioning starts up automatically. But, even after your air conditioner cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
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 comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why? Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. The temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When moisture levels are very high, your home can feel warmer 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 Wilmington, Delaware, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to contact experts like the team at Ambience HVAC, Inc. for professional help.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your home comfortable. The amount of moisture in the air is also an equally important element to consider. The majority of homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity stays in the 30-50% range. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels hotter, more oppressive and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity can also encourage 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.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Residing in Wilmington, Delaware, high humidity can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners ask the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Identifying what's creating excess humidity is a key first step toward solving the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Wilmington, Delaware:
Oversized Air Conditioning
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 eliminate humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Clogged Air Filter
A clogged air filter limits airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it harder for your equipment to remove moisture while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning collects moisture from the air in your home and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes restricted, moisture can't leave the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air supply. Dirt buildup on the coil decreases its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your home. Openings in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower keeps running after the cooling cycle ends. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of letting it to drain away.
7. Extremely Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioner is operating correctly, 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 home comfort systems get older, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, boosts efficiency and helps identify worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
What You Can Check Before Scheduling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before booking service. These simple troubleshooting steps are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system condition and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Make sure 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.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and unblocked. Rugs or furniture over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water by your AC equipment may signal a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Know how your air conditioner should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off repeatedly, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home like it should, it's time to have the system checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not perform repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be handled by 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 worth considering. Compared with portable units that only work in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Ambience HVAC, Inc.'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 climates or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Schedule HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Ambience HVAC, Inc. will check 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 pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why Ambience HVAC, Inc. offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve your problem, trust Ambience HVAC, Inc. for dependable HVAC service in Wilmington, Delaware.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 302-239-HVAC (4822) today to restore your comfort.