The warm summers in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioner starts up right away. But, even after your AC runs, your home still feels damp and sticky.
Not a great feeling.
It can be annoying 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 in good company. It happens a lot.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different things. A temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much humidity is in your home. When humidity levels are very high, your home can feel several degrees warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this blog, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Highlands Ranch, Colorado, home. That way, you’ll know when you should call experts like the team at PS Cool Heat for support.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your living space enjoyable. The amount of moisture in the air is also an equally important consideration. The majority of homes are generally more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls 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 cooling the air without pulling out enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Residing in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, high humidity can be a challenge.
Many area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Understanding what's creating excess humidity is a key first step toward solving the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Highlands Ranch, Colorado:
Oversized Air Conditioner
1. AC is Too Large
An air conditioner that's larger than your home actually needs cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your AC 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 drain from 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. Dirt buildup on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your house. Openings in ductwork can pull warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unconditioned areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more difficult to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
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 completes. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Extremely Humid Weather
During the area’s especially humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to run longer 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 get older, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, improves efficiency and helps identify worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
What You Can Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few 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 efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to leave the system after each cooling cycle instead of being sent back into your living spaces.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Pay attention to how your air conditioner should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off continuously, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home, it's time to have the system evaluated by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not try repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or system components. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from 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. Compared with 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 PS Cool Heat's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier helps keep your home more comfortable while lowering the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be a great choice for homes in damp climates or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Schedule HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at PS Cool Heat will evaluate 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 pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you scheduled for a heating and cooling tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why PS Cool Heat offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve the problem, trust PS Cool Heat for dependable HVAC service in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 720-613-2210 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
