The hot and humid summers in Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You change the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. The AC starts up as expected. But, even after your air conditioner cycles, your home still feels damp and sticky.
That’s not very comfortable.
It can be disappointing when the air conditioner seems to operate normally, yet your home doesn't actually feel very comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're not alone. Local homeowners often have this experience.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. A temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within the space. It doesn't measure the amount of moisture in the air. When indoor moisture is too 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 home comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and easy troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania, home. That way, you’ll know when to call experts like the team at LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. for support.
Why a Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Right
The temperature is only part of what makes your home comfortable. The amount of moisture in the air is also an equally important factor. The majority of homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity is between 30% and 50%. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also contribute to 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 removing enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Residing in Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania, excess moisture can be a challenge.
Countless area homeowners ask the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There could be multiple reasons. Understanding what's creating humidity problems is a key first step toward solving the problem.
Here are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
An AC unit that's too big for your home cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a full cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A blocked air filter reduces airflow throughout your HVAC system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Blocked Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner removes moisture from the air in your home and drains it outside through a condensate line. If that drain becomes clogged, moisture can't drain from the system properly, contributing to increased humidity levels.
4. Icy Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil extracts 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. Loose Ductwork
Ductwork transports cool air throughout your living space. Gaps in ductwork can pull warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it more challenging to maintain comfortable humidity throughout your home.
6. Thermostat Fan is on “On” Setting Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can circulate moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Extremely Humid Weather
During the area’s very humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to work harder to remove moisture from the air. Even when your AC is functioning as designed, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continues to seep into your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Poorly Maintained HVAC Equipment
As heating and cooling systems get older, they often become less capable at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, improves efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Putting off regular air conditioning maintenance can decrease performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
What You Can Check Before Calling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before requesting service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home better.
- Verify 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 unobstructed. Rugs or furniture 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 suggest a clogged condensate drain or another drainage issue.
- Monitor 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 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 try repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or internal parts. Do-it-yourself fixes may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Does Your Home Need 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. Unlike portable units that only remove humidity from one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc.'s indoor air quality solutions, a whole-home dehumidifier makes your home more comfortable while lowering the risk of mold, musty odors and excess moisture. It can be a great choice for homes in humid climates or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Book HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an larger problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. will check refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't managing humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become major breakdowns. That's why LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections cost-effective and hassle-free.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve the home’s humidity issues, trust LTS Plumbing & Heating Inc. for dependable HVAC service in Shamokin and Sunbury, Pennsylvania.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 570-648-0748 today to fix your indoor humidity issues once and for all.