The warm summers in Streamwood, Illinois, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. The air conditioning begins running right away. But, even after your air conditioner runs, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
Now, you’re cool and damp.
It can be annoying 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 in good company. Many area homeowners have this problem.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. Your temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When moisture levels are extremely 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 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 Streamwood, Illinois, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to reach out to experts like the team at Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning for support.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your home enjoyable. Indoor humidity is another important consideration. Many homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity is between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, more oppressive and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity 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 lowering the temperature of the air without extracting enough moisture.
8 Common Reasons Your Home Feels Humid
Living in Streamwood, Illinois, excess moisture can be a challenge.
Plenty of area homeowners ask the same question: What's making my house feel humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Determining what's creating excess moisture is a good first step toward solving the problem.
Here are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Streamwood, Illinois:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC that's too big for your home cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t eliminate humidity effectively because it shuts off before completing a full cooling cycle.
2. Dirty Air Filter
A dirty air filter restricts airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it more difficult for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner 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 exit the system properly, contributing to excess moisture indoors.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls 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 restore performance.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork moves 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 added moisture makes it more difficult to maintain comfortable humidity throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues 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 especially humid and hot 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 continues to seep into your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Poorly Maintained HVAC Equipment
As home comfort systems wear out over time, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can limit performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
Things to Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are some simple things you can check before requesting service. These strategies 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.
- Confirm 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.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and unblocked. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water by your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drainage issue.
- Know how your air conditioner should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, 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 with refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you struggle with humidity in your house during summer or year-round moisture problems, a whole-home dehumidifier may be a good option. 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 Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier keeps your home more comfortable while lowering the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be especially helpful for homes in humid areas or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often point to an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also inspect ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for a home HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve your problem, trust Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning for dependable HVAC service in Streamwood, Illinois.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 630-948-4591 today to restore your comfort.