The humid summers in Saint Louis, Missouri, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioner kicks on right away. But, even after your AC operates, your home still feels moist and clammy.
Now, you’re cool and damp.
It can be frustrating 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 alone. It happens a lot.
Why? Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. A temperature only tells you how comfortable the air is within your home. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When moisture levels are extremely high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this guide, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is comfortable and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Saint Louis, Missouri, home. That way, you’ll know when you should reach out to experts like the team at Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating for expert assistance.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your home pleasant. Humidity is an extremely important factor. The majority of homes are generally more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels hotter, more oppressive and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also promote 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
Making your home in Saint Louis, Missouri, high humidity can be a challenge.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Determining what's creating excess moisture is a good first step toward fixing the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Saint Louis, Missouri:
Oversized Air Conditioning
1. AC is Too Large
An AC that's too big for your home lowers the temperature in your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t eliminate humidity effectively because it shuts off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Clogged Air Filter
A dirty air filter restricts airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your AC removes moisture from your indoor air and and then it drains from the equipment through a condensate line. If that drain becomes clogged, moisture can't exit the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Frozen Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt buildup 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. Leaks in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other unused areas into your HVAC system. This additional moisture makes it more difficult to maintain comfortable humidity conditions.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Switch to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle ends. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of letting it to drain away.
7. Exceptionally Humid Weather
During the area’s extremely humid summers, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioning is functioning as designed, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Poorly Maintained Heating and Cooling Equipment
As HVAC systems age, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, boosts efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Neglecting 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 house feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before requesting service. These simple troubleshooting steps are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your heating and cooling system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace a dirty air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home effectively.
- Confirm the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to drain away after each cooling cycle instead of being sent back into your living spaces.
- Make sure supply and return vents are open and unblocked. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can restrict airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Pay attention to how your air conditioning 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 checked by a professional.
Even if your thermostat still says cool but house feels humid, do not perform repairs involving refrigerant, electrical components or system components. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be left to a qualified HVAC technician.
Should You Get 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 a good option. As opposed to 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 Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating'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 continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
Signs It's Time to Schedule HVAC Service
Ongoing HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an hidden problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for an HVAC tune-up. Regular seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve your home’s humidity issues, trust Morgner Inc. Air Conditioning & Heating for dependable HVAC service in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 314-310-0363 today to restore your comfort.