The hot and humid summers in Northglenn, Colorado, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioning starts up right away. But, even after your cooling system runs, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
Not a great feeling.
It can be annoying when the air conditioner appears to work properly, yet your home doesn't actually feel comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. Local homeowners often have this experience.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. Your temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within the space. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When humidity levels are too 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 home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Northglenn, Colorado, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to reach out to experts like the team at Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning for expert assistance.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Cool
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your house pleasant. Humidity is also an equally important element to consider. Most homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels warmer, more oppressive and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also promote 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 lowering the temperature of the air without removing enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Residing in Northglenn, Colorado, muggy conditions can be a challenge.
Many area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Determining what's creating excess moisture is the best place to start toward resolving the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Northglenn, Colorado:
Oversized Air Conditioning
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An air conditioner that's too big for your home cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it shuts 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. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning collects moisture from your indoor air and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't drain from the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil removes 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. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your living space. Gaps in ductwork can draw warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This extra moisture makes it more difficult to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues to operate after the cooling cycle is finished. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Unusually 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 conditioner 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 Heating and Cooling Equipment
As home comfort systems age, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, improves efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
What You Can Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before scheduling service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Confirm the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to drain away after each cooling cycle instead of being blown back into your living spaces.
- Check that supply and return vents are open and not covered up. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may indicate a clogged condensate drain or another drainage 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 checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not attempt repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or system components. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be performed by 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 a good option. Unlike portable units that only help reduce moisture in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning'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 climates or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also inspect ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections easy and affordable.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve the indoor humidity problems, trust Northglenn Heating & Air Conditioning for dependable HVAC service in Northglenn, Colorado.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 303-452-4146 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.