The hot and humid summers in Belton, Missouri, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. The air conditioner starts up automatically. But, even after your AC cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be disappointing when the air conditioner appears to work properly, yet your home doesn't actually feel very comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. The temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within the space. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When humidity levels are too 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 home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Belton, Missouri, home. That way, you’ll know when you should contact experts like the team at Myers Furnace Company 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 home enjoyable. Indoor humidity is an extremely important factor. The majority of homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls in the 30-50% range. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels warmer, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Excess moisture can also encourage dangerous mold growth, mildew, musty 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.
8 Common Reasons Your Home Feels Humid
Residing in Belton, Missouri, excess moisture can be a frequent concern.
Plenty of area homeowners deal with 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 resolving the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Belton, Missouri:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC unit that's larger than your home actually needs cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A clogged air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it harder for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning removes moisture from your indoor air and that excess water drains from the unit through a condensate line. If that drain becomes restricted, 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 air. Ice formation or excessive dirt on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your house. Openings in ductwork can draw 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 throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "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 giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid summers, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning is operating correctly, 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 HVAC systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, increases efficiency and helps identify worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before booking 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 heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system condition 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.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water by your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Pay attention to how your air conditioning 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 checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not try repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal HVAC parts. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require specialized training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from 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 the right choice. Unlike portable units that only work in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Myers Furnace Company'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 especially helpful for homes in humid climates or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Schedule HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Myers Furnace Company 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 pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for a heating and cooling tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why Myers Furnace Company offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the home’s humidity issues, trust Myers Furnace Company for dependable HVAC service in Belton, Missouri.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 816-370-5244 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.