The hot and humid summers in Cottonwood & Verde Valley, Arizona, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. The AC kicks on right away. But, even after your cooling system cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be frustrating when the air conditioner seems to be doing its job, yet your home doesn't actually feel very comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not the only homeowner. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. The temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within the space. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When moisture levels are extremely high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this article, you'll learn how humidity affects your indoor comfort levels, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Cottonwood & Verde Valley, Arizona, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Connolly Electric & Mechanical for expert assistance.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your living space comfortable. Humidity is an extremely important factor. The majority of homes are the most 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.
Too much indoor moisture can also contribute to 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.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Residing in Cottonwood & Verde Valley, Arizona, excess moisture can be a problem.
Many area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Determining what's creating humidity problems is the best place to start toward resolving the problem.
Here are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Cottonwood & Verde Valley, Arizona:
1. AC is Too Large
An air conditioner that's too big for your home lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A clogged air filter restricts airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning pulls out moisture from the air in your home and that excess water drains from the unit through a condensate line. If that drain becomes restricted, moisture can't drain from the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air supply. Ice formation or excessive dirt on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your living space. Leaks in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused 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 Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle completes. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Exceptionally Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to run longer to remove moisture from the air. Even when your AC is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity keeps entering your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Older Heating and Cooling Equipment
As home comfort systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, improves efficiency and helps identify worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can limit performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before requesting service. These simple troubleshooting steps are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your heating and cooling system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace a dirty air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home better.
- 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.
- 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.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may indicate a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Monitor how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off continuously, or it seems to run constantly without improving comfort, it's time to have the system inspected 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. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require specialized training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Does Your Home Need 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 the right choice. As opposed to portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Connolly Electric & Mechanical'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 a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Request HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an underlying problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Connolly Electric & Mechanical will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to identify the root cause.
We also can get you scheduled for an HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Connolly Electric & Mechanical offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix your indoor humidity problems, trust Connolly Electric & Mechanical for dependable HVAC service in Cottonwood & Verde Valley, Arizona.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 928-862-5977 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
