The hot and humid summers in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioning kicks on automatically. But, even after your air conditioner runs, your home still feels moist and clammy.
Not a great feeling.
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 the only homeowner. It happens a lot.
Why? Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. Your temperature only tells you how warm or cool the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much humidity is in your home. When humidity levels are too high, your home can feel several degrees warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this guide, you'll learn how humidity affects your indoor comfort levels, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and easy troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home. That way, you’ll know when you should call experts like the team at Ilten's for professional help.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Nice and Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your living space enjoyable. Humidity is also an equally important element to consider. Most homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity stays in the 30-50% range. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
High humidity 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 pulling out enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, excess moisture can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: What's making my house feel humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Understanding what's creating excess humidity is the best place to start toward fixing the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Cedar Rapids, Iowa:
1. AC is Too Large
An air conditioner that's bigger than your home needs cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it shuts off before completing a full cooling cycle.
2. Clogged Air Filter
A clogged air filter restricts airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner collects moisture from the air in your home and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil removes both heat and moisture from your home's air supply. Dirt buildup on the coil reduces its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to restore performance.
5. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your home. Openings in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This additional moisture makes it harder to maintain comfortable humidity throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan Set to “On” Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower keeps running after the cooling cycle ends. 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 extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to run longer to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning 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. Aging HVAC Equipment
As heating and cooling systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, increases efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
What You Can Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before scheduling service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your AC or heating system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system condition and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to drain away after each cooling cycle instead of being circulated back into your living spaces.
- Check to ensure your supply and return vents are open and unblocked. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Check for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may signal a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Pay attention to 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 checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not attempt repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be left to 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 worth considering. 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 Ilten's's indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier helps keep your home more comfortable while lowering the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be extremely beneficial for homes in damp climates or properties that struggle with humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When It's Time to Request HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an larger problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Ilten's will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also evaluate ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to identify the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for a home HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help catch small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Ilten's offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't fix the indoor humidity problems, trust Ilten's for dependable HVAC service in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 319-343-5158 today to take care of high indoor humidity issues for good.