The hot and humid summers in Mankato area, Minnesota, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The AC starts up automatically. But, even after your cooling system cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be annoying when the air conditioner seems to operate normally, yet your home doesn't actually feel comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not the only homeowner. Many area homeowners have this problem.
Why? 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 the amount of moisture in the air. When moisture levels are very high, your home can feel several degrees 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 correct and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Mankato area, Minnesota, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to reach out to experts like the team at Northern Comfort Inc 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 comfortable. Humidity is another important consideration. Many homes are the most 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.
Too much indoor 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 cooling the air without removing enough moisture.
8 Common Reasons Your Home Feels Humid
Residing in Mankato area, Minnesota, excess moisture can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Determining what's creating excess humidity is a good first step toward solving the problem.
Below are several common reasons for elevated indoor humidity in Mankato area, Minnesota:
1. AC is Too Large
An AC unit that's bigger than your home 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 complete cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A dirty 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 AC removes moisture from your home’s air and drains it outside through a condensate line. If that drain becomes blocked, moisture can't drain from the system properly, contributing to excess moisture indoors.
4. Frozen 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. Leaks in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” 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 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 very humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to run longer 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. Poorly Maintained Heating and Cooling Equipment
As heating and cooling systems get older, they often become less efficient at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, improves efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease 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 some 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 efficiently.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Verify 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 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.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may signal a clogged condensate drain or another drainage issue.
- Pay attention to how your air conditioning should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, or it seems to run constantly without cooling your home like it should, 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 with refrigerant, electrical components or system components. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.
Does Your Home Need a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you have 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 reduce humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Northern Comfort Inc'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 especially helpful for homes in humid climates or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When You Need to Request HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often point to an underlying problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Northern Comfort Inc will check refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also evaluate ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you scheduled for an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why Northern Comfort Inc offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't fix your problem, trust Northern Comfort Inc for dependable HVAC service in Mankato area, Minnesota.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 507-387-6596 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.
