The warm summers in Genoa, Illinois, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioning kicks on as expected. But, even after your AC operates, your home still feels damp and sticky.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be disappointing 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 not alone. Local homeowners often have this experience.
Why is this? Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. A temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within the space. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When moisture levels are extremely high, your home can feel much hotter than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this article, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Genoa, Illinois, home. That way, you’ll know when you should reach out to experts like the team at Assured Appliance & Heating & Air for professional help.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Cool
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your house enjoyable. Humidity is also an equally important consideration. Many homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels warmer, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also promote 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 lowering the temperature of the air without removing enough moisture.
8 Common Reasons Your Home Feels Humid
Residing in Genoa, Illinois, excess moisture can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are several common causes. Determining what's creating high idoor humidity is a key first step toward resolving the problem.
Below are several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Genoa, Illinois:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC unit 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 stops operating before completing a full cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter limits airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it more difficult for your equipment to remove moisture while cooling your home.
3. Blocked Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner pulls out moisture from your indoor air and that excess water drains from the unit through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't leave the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil removes both heat and moisture from your home's air supply. Dirt and grime on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your house. Leaks in ductwork can draw warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited 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 Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower keeps running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can circulate moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Exceptionally Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid and hot summers, your HVAC system has to run longer to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioner is functioning as designed, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Poorly Maintained Heating and Cooling Equipment
As heating and cooling 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 decrease performance, including your system's ability to control moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are some 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 effectively.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to flow out after each cooling cycle instead of being circulated back into your living spaces.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and unobstructed. Rugs or furniture over the vents or closed vents can limit airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Monitor how your air conditioning 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. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require specialized training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from 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. Compared with 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 Assured Appliance & Heating & Air's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier makes your home more comfortable while helping reduce the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Request HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often point to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Assured Appliance & Heating & Air will check refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine 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 scheduled for a home HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why Assured Appliance & Heating & Air offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections budget-friendly and stress-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve your indoor humidity problems, trust Assured Appliance & Heating & Air for dependable HVAC service in Genoa, Illinois.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 847-260-9583 today to restore your comfort.
