Despite running the air conditioning (AC) system, homeowners in Florida often experience high humidity levels. This blog will explore why your home becomes humid even when the AC is running and provide effective solutions to alleviate this issue.
DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF HIGH HUMIDITY
High humidity levels can compromise the comfort of your home. It makes the heat unbearable and promotes the growth of mold and mildew. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain optimal humidity levels for a comfortable and healthy living environment.
Why is Your Home Humid with the AC Running?
When your air conditioning is working properly, it should keep your home cool and comfortable. However, if your home is feeling muggy and uncomfortable, there could be a variety of reasons why this is happening. Some of these include:
1. High Outdoor Humidity
When outdoor humidity levels peak, it becomes more challenging to manage indoor humidity levels. Particularly in Florida, where heat and humidity records are often broken, air conditioning systems struggle to keep up with the cooling and dehumification demands. During such periods, it may seem like your AC isn’t working, but the problem lies with the extreme weather conditions.
2. Misconfigured Fan Settings
Air conditioners remove moisture from the air as they cool it. However, if you are using the wrong fan settings, your house may feel muggy. If the blower fan is running constantly, it circulates air without cooling it, leading to high indoor humidity levels. To solve this, switch your fan setting to AUTO so the blower only runs when the AC is on.
3. Frozen Evaporator Coils
If your evaporator coils freeze, they cannot absorb heat to reduce air temperature and remove moisture. Then your home feels more humid. Causes of frozen coils include dirty air filters, clogged condensate drains, blocked condenser units, and low refrigerant levels.
4. Dirty Condenser Coils
The condenser coils in the outdoor unit of your AC enable the refrigerant to release heat absorbed from indoor air. If these coils are dirty, the heat transfer process is disrupted, and the air conditioner becomes less effective at removing humidity.
5. Age of the AC system
If your AC system is quite old, it could be nearing the end of its life. An HVAC system typically functions efficiently for up to 20 years. If your system is approaching this age and experiencing these problems, it may be time to consider a new HVAC system. See how Progressive Air Systems can help!
HOW TO COMBAT HIGH HOME HUMIDITY
If your Florida home feels humid and you are wondering why your cooling system isn’t adequately controlling humidity levels, you might need to consider the following solutions:
1. Reducing Heat Gain
One way to get some relief from the heat and high humidity is by reducing heat gain in your home. This way, your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your home. Make sure that all windows and doors are closed in your home.
2. Checking the Thermostat
As a homeowner, you can check if the thermostat is causing high indoor humidity levels. Ensure your AC is set to “auto” rather than “on”. When set to “auto”, the AC will cool and dehumidify your home. Conversely, when set to “on”, the system will run continuously without going through dehumidification cycles, resulting in humid air.
3. Cleaning the Air Filters
A buildup of dirt and debris in the air filters of your AC unit can lead to a high humidity level in your home. It’s crucial to ensure that your HVAC system has clean filters to cool air and avoid high levels of humidity properly.
4. Regular AC Maintenance
Regular air conditioner maintenance can help detect and resolve issues that cause high indoor humidity. For instance, cleaning the coils and replacing the air filter can significantly improve the performance of your AC in controlling humidity. If your AC still isn’t effectively controlling humidity levels, it’s time to call a professional servicing team to help identify the root of the problem.
CONTACT AC PROFESSIONALS PROGRESSIVE AIR
While Florida’s climate may naturally lead to higher humidity levels, your air conditioning system should be able to provide some relief. If it’s not, you need to consider the above factors and take appropriate action. It may be as simple as changing your fan settings or as complex as needing professional AC repairs or maintenance.
In the end, maintaining optimal humidity levels in your home is essential for your comfort and health. Don’t let Florida’s humidity get the best of you. Take control of your indoor climate today by calling /contact/ac-repair-contact-port-richey/”>Progressive Air Systems! Remember, your comfort is our priority, and we’re here to assist you every step of the way.
