The hot and humid summers in Carpentersville, Illinois, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioning starts up right away. But, even after your AC runs, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be annoying when the air conditioner appears to work properly, yet your home doesn't actually feel very comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different things. 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 too high, your home can feel several degrees warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this guide, you'll learn how humidity affects your home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and easy troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Carpentersville, Illinois, home. That way, you’ll know when to reach out to experts like the team at Controlled Comfort HVAC for professional help.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Right
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your living space comfortable. Indoor humidity is another important consideration. Many homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity is 30-50 percent. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity can also contribute to dangerous mold growth, mildew, unpleasant 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
Making your home in Carpentersville, Illinois, excess moisture can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners ask the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Determining what's creating excess humidity is the best place to start toward solving the problem.
Here are several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Carpentersville, Illinois:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An air conditioner that's larger than your home actually needs lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Blocked 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 leave the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Icy Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's indoor air. Dirt and grime on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to restore performance.
5. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your house. Leaks in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unconditioned areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle completes. This can circulate 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 extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continues to seep into your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Older HVAC Equipment
As HVAC systems wear out over time, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Scheduling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before requesting service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system condition and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Make sure 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 furniture over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drainage issue.
- Monitor 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 involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal HVAC parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be left to a qualified HVAC technician.
Should You Get 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. Unlike portable units that only help reduce moisture in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works alongside your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Controlled Comfort HVAC's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier helps keep your home more comfortable while reducing the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be especially helpful for homes in humid areas or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning air conditioner.
When It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Controlled Comfort HVAC will evaluate refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for an HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why Controlled Comfort HVAC offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the indoor humidity problems, trust Controlled Comfort HVAC for dependable HVAC service in Carpentersville, Illinois.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 224-335-9783 today to take care of high indoor humidity issues for good.
