Your home’s air conditioning system works both to absorb heat from the building and also to reduce indoor humidity. That being said, there are times when your house can still feel incredibly humid even when the AC is running almost constantly. Typically, when this happens, it indicates that your AC isn’t working properly for one reason or another. However, the problem can also be caused by something not directly related to your AC. In light of this, here are some of the reasons why your house may feel humid when your AC is running and what you can do about them.
Insufficient Airflow in Your HVAC System
One possible reason that your house is humid when your AC is running is that there simply isn’t enough airflow in the system for it to work properly. This problem is usually fairly easy to identify as it will also result in your AC system not being able to effectively cool your home. Insufficient airflow can have numerous causes, from a clogged air filter to a malfunctioning blower fan or leaking air ducts.
Condensation Inside the Ductwork
Your humidity issues could also signal that condensation is building up inside the ductwork. This typically happens when the ductwork is run through unconditioned areas, like the attic, that are hotter than the rest of the home. The extreme temperature difference between the cold air inside the ducts and the hot air surrounding them can cause condensation to form inside the ductwork.
When condensation forms on the evaporator coils, the system is designed to allow the water to drain out of the building. However, if condensation forms inside the ductwork, it will have nowhere to go and can keep the home much more humid. The easiest way to overcome this issue is to make sure that any ducts running through unconditioned areas are properly insulated.
Clogged Condensate Drain Line
Similarly, if your condensate drain system is clogged or not draining properly, all of the water dripping off the evaporator coil will have nowhere to go. Although the system will still be absorbing moisture from the air, it won’t have much of an impact on the overall humidity level since the moisture will still be stuck inside the house. All of this moisture will eventually evaporate back into the air inside your home and basically cancel out the dehumidifying effect of the AC system. In this situation, you will need to fix whatever the condensate drain issue is so that the water isn’t trapped inside the house.
Attic Doesn’t Have Enough Insulation or Isn’t Fully Sealed
If your attic doesn’t have adequate insulation or has air leaks, it can allow much of the heat and humidity from outside to seep into the building. This can make it impossible for the AC to properly regulate the temperature and humidity level inside the home. The only way to overcome this problem is with attic air sealing or additional insulation.
AC Isn’t Running Frequently Enough
Your thermostat measures the temperature inside the home and signals the AC system to turn on and off as needed. Although the air conditioner works to remove moisture from the air, the humidity level inside the building doesn’t have anything to do with how often the system runs and for how long. Even if the humidity level inside the house is extremely high, the system will still shut off when it reaches the set temperature regardless of how humid it is. If the humidity level inside the home is too high when the AC turns on, the AC will never be able to keep up.
The primary reason that this happens is that you’re not running your AC often enough. This typically occurs in situations where you shut off your air conditioning at night, and the problem can become much worse if you sleep with the windows open. When a building is overly humid, the moisture will soak into the furnishings, walls, and carpets, and this makes it basically impossible for the air conditioner to ever regulate the humidity level. For this reason, it is always recommended that you keep your air conditioner turned on and your doors and windows closed throughout the summer and especially during times when the humidity level outside is higher.
Frederick and the surrounding areas typically have quite hot and very humid summer weather, and this can often make it impossible to regulate the humidity level inside your home even if you’re not experiencing any of the above issues. This is why more and more people are opting to install whole-home dehumidifiers as these units will remove much more moisture from the air than your air conditioner ever could on its own.
At Weather Masters Corp., we can offer numerous solutions to help you better regulate your home’s humidity level. Our technicians can repair and maintain your cooling system so that it is working properly, and we also specialize in the installation, maintenance, and repair of whole-home dehumidifiers and humidifiers. Don’t suffer through another long summer with your home feeling hot and muggy. Instead, give us a call and let us help you experience true home comfort all year long.
