Research shows that almost 90% of American households have AC. However, it can take away your comfort when it comes to humidity. When the air from your vents cools off, it absorbs moisture from the air inside the house. But don’t worry; Energy Stars Heating and Cooling Co has been the most trusted team to repair your AC in Illinois since 2013. Let’s take a deeper look at why your home feels humid with AC running and how to handle these situations.
Possible reasons for this are:
RETURN DUCT LEAKS.
If your return runs in the attic, it is possible that a leak in the duct exist. The air in the attic is both hot and moist. A leak in the return side of the system will pull in hot moist air. Not only is it pulling in moisture but the hot air is making the system work harder.
THE AC ISN’T SIZED PROPERLY
An air conditioner has 2 jobs. Its primary job is to cool the home, however a home with a temperature of 72 degrees will still feel hot if the humidity is too high. We find many homes actually have a unit that is too big. The home will cool off quickly, but the AC can’t run long enough to begin removing humidity. In many cases the AC will run for 10 to 15 minutes and shut off. It takes 5 to 10 minutes of run time before the AC will even begin to remove humidity. We are one of the few things that bigger isn’t better.
CLOGGED EVAPORATOR COIL
A clogged evaporator coil will cause your AC to struggle moving air through the system. Not only will it not remove the moisture, but will struggle cooling the home. It is vital that your filter is changed a minimum of every 2 months when running the system. More often is even better. Once the dirt that the filter is supposed to catch starts hitting the wet coil it turns to mud and begins building on the coil. This will cause the system to freeze up eventually as the air cannot get through to move the energy you paid for.
HIGH HUMIDITY OUTSIDE
Many days in the St Louis area the humidity is excessive. If the temperature isn’t real hot, the AC isn’t going to run as much. The outside humidity will begin to penetrate into the house making the home feel more humid. You can turn the AC down a degree or two making it come on more frequently, thus removing more humidity.
AN OLD AC UNIT
There is a point that the compressor on the AC just can’t do what it used to do. You will probably start having issues with keeping the temperature at a comfortable level. Since the AC isn’t producing what it used to, it also will not remove enough humidity.
HOW TO GET RID OF HUMIDITY USING YOUR AC
REGULAR MAINTENANCE
First and foremost the filter needs to be replaced on a regular basis. A clogged filter or coil if the system hasn’t been well maintained will block the air from moving through the system.
Every AC manufacturer recommends that you have your AC checked out by a professional HVAC tech once each season. Many issues or weaknesses can be detected early and eliminate your system from failing on you.
REPAIRING DUCT WORK
As mentioned above, occasionally a joint on the return ductwork can become disconnected and cause hot moist air to come into the home. This adds to the work the AC is trying to do and will result in your home becoming uncomfortable.
CORRECT SIZING OF YOUR AC UNIT
An AC that is too big will struggle removing humidity out of the home. If you can imagine a Spring day where the temperature is 72 degrees but the humidity is low, it feels very cool and comfortable. That same Spring day but the humidity is high will feel much warmer and may cause you to sweat.
USING A MULTI – STAGE AC UNIT
If you are looking for real comfort during the summer a 2 stage or variable stage (5 stages or more) will remove humidity like you never imagined. The reason for this is like a car you can go at a high speed or a low speed. On a hot day when the sun is just bearing down on your home, the AC needs to run at its full capacity. However once the sun begins to go down the heat isn’t beating down on your home now. With a standard AC the unit will just shut off. With the multi – stage units the AC is going to shift to a lower BTU output thus forcing it to run longer pulling out much more humidity and making your home feel like HEAVEN.
Even though it is running more than it used to it is so much more efficient that the cost of operation will go down. This will not only make you much more comfortable, but will save you a lot of dollars.
Energy Stars Heating and Cooling Co, Experts in AC Repairs
It can be frustrating when your air conditioning is not operating as it should. Luckily, our maintenance specialists will have your equipment running in no time, and you’ll never have to ask, “why does my house feel humid?”
Schedule an appointment or call us today to get in contact with our team!