The warm summers in Lincoln, Nebraska, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The AC starts up right away. But, even after your AC runs, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
Not a great feeling.
It can be disappointing 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. Many area homeowners have this problem.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different factors in indoor comfort. The temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When indoor moisture is 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 right and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Lincoln, Nebraska, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to call experts like the team at AW Heating & Air Conditioning for expert assistance.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Cool
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your house enjoyable. Humidity is also an equally important element to consider. Most 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, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Excess moisture 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 lowering the temperature of the air without removing enough moisture.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Making your home in Lincoln, Nebraska, high humidity can be a frequent concern.
Plenty of area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are several common causes. Understanding what's creating humidity problems is the best place to start toward fixing the problem.
Here are several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Lincoln, Nebraska:
1. AC is Too Large
An AC unit that's too big for your home lowers the temperature in 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. Dirty Air Filter
A dirty air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it challenging 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 drains it outside through a condensate line. If that drain becomes clogged, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to higher indoor humidity.
4. Icy Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air. Ice formation or excessive dirt on the coil reduces its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your living space. Gaps in ductwork can pull warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused areas into your HVAC system. This extra moisture makes it harder to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
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 ends. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid and hot summers, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your cooling system is operating correctly, 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 HVAC systems age, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, improves efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before requesting service. These simple troubleshooting steps are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more effectively.
- Replace a dirty air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system condition and dehumidify your home better.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to flow out after each cooling cycle instead of being blown back into your living spaces.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and not covered up. Furniture over the vents or closed vents can limit airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- 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, it's time to have the system evaluated by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not try repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or system components. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require specialized training and should always be left to a qualified HVAC technician.
Does Your Home Need 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. Unlike portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of AW Heating & Air Conditioning's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier keeps your home more comfortable while helping reduce the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be extremely beneficial for homes in humid areas or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning air conditioner.
Signs It's Time to Request HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an hidden problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at AW Heating & Air Conditioning will evaluate refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine why your system isn't removing 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 a home HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become complicated, costly repairs. That's why AW Heating & Air Conditioning offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't fix the problem, trust AW Heating & Air Conditioning for dependable HVAC service in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 402-438-7992 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
