The humid summers in Marshalltown, Iowa, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The AC kicks on right away. But, even after your AC runs, your home still feels damp and sticky.
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 very comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not the only homeowner. Local homeowners often have this experience.
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 humidity is in your home. When indoor moisture is very high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this guide, you'll learn how humidity affects your indoor comfort levels, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Marshalltown, Iowa, home. That way, you’ll know when to call experts like the team at B & G HVAC for professional help.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Cool
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your house pleasant. Humidity is another important factor. Many homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity is 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.
High humidity can also encourage dangerous mold growth, mildew, bad smells 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 removing enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Making your home in Marshalltown, Iowa, high humidity can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Understanding what's creating humidity problems is the best place to start toward fixing the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Marshalltown, Iowa:
1. AC is Too Large
An air conditioner that's too big for your home cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter limits 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 clogged, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt and grime on the coil decreases its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your living space. Leaks in ductwork can pull 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 Running on “On” Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle ends. This can circulate moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of letting it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid and hot summers, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning 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. Aging Heating and Cooling Equipment
As heating and cooling systems get older, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, improves efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are some simple things you can check before scheduling service. These simple troubleshooting steps 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 heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home better.
- Verify 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. Furniture over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may indicate a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Know how your AC should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home, it's time to have the system checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not perform repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced 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. Compared with portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works alongside your HVAC system to reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of B & G HVAC'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 damp climates or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning air conditioner.
When It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at B & G HVAC will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find 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 scheduled for an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why B & G HVAC offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve your problem, trust B & G HVAC for dependable HVAC service in Marshalltown, Iowa.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 641-649-4649 today to restore your comfort.
