The hot and humid summers in Covington, Georgia, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioning begins running right away. But, even after your AC operates, your home still feels damp and sticky.
Now, you’re cool and damp.
It can be annoying when the air conditioner seems to be doing its job, yet your home doesn't actually feel pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. Many area homeowners have this problem.
Why? Temperature and humidity are two different things. A 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 humidity levels are very high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this blog, you'll learn how humidity affects your home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and simple troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Covington, Georgia, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to contact experts like the team at Covington Air Systems for expert assistance.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your living space enjoyable. Indoor humidity is also an equally important factor. Many homes are generally more comfortable when indoor relative humidity stays in the 30-50% range. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels hotter, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity can also contribute to 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 cooling the air without removing enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Living in Covington, Georgia, excess moisture can be a challenge.
Plenty of area homeowners wonder the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Understanding what's creating excess humidity is the best place to start toward fixing the problem.
Here are several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Covington, Georgia:
Oversized Air Conditioning
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC unit that's bigger than your home needs cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A dirty air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner collects moisture from the air in your home 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 higher indoor humidity.
4. Icy Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls both heat and moisture from your home's air. 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. Openings in ductwork can allow 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 conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can push 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 extremely humid and hot summers, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning 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. Aging HVAC Equipment
As home comfort systems get older, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, increases efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Neglecting regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
Things to Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before scheduling service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your heating and cooling system remove moisture more effectively.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- 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 unobstructed. Rugs or 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 continuously, or it seems to run constantly without improving comfort, it's time to have the system inspected by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not try repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from 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 work in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Covington Air Systems's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier makes your home more comfortable while reducing the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be especially helpful for homes in damp climates or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When It's Time to Schedule HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Covington Air Systems will check refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't managing humidity effectively. They can also inspect ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to identify the root cause.
We also can get you set up with a home HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Covington Air Systems offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the problem, trust Covington Air Systems for dependable HVAC service in Covington, Georgia.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 770-766-8015 today to restore your comfort.