The warm summers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioner begins running right away. But, even after your cooling system cycles, your home still feels humid and uncomfortable.
Now, you’re cool and damp.
It can be disappointing when the air conditioner seems to be doing its job, 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 things. The 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 very high, your home can feel warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this article, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is right and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, home. That way, you’ll know when you should call experts like the team at Polar Air & Mechanical for support.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even When the Temperature Is Cool
The temperature is only part of what makes your house enjoyable. Indoor humidity is an extremely important factor. Many homes are the most comfortable when indoor relative humidity is in the 30-50% range. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels warmer, heavier and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also promote dangerous mold growth, mildew, unpleasant odors 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 pulling out enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Making your home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, muggy conditions can be a problem.
Countless area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Identifying what's creating high idoor humidity is a key first step toward fixing the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina:
1. Oversized Air Conditioner
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 eliminate humidity effectively because it shuts off before completing a full cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A dirty air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to extract humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your air conditioning 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 increased humidity levels.
4. Dirty Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil pulls both heat and moisture from your home's indoor air. Dirt buildup on the coil reduces its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork carries cool air throughout your house. Gaps in ductwork can draw warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This added moisture makes it harder to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
6. Thermostat Fan Running on “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle ends. 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 extremely humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioner is operating correctly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continually enters your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Older Heating and Cooling Equipment
As HVAC systems age, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance enhances performance, increases efficiency and helps identify worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
Things to Check Before Contacting an HVAC Technician
If your house feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before booking service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your AC or heating system remove moisture more effectively.
- Check your HVAC air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system cool and dehumidify your home better.
- Make sure 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 furniture over the vents or closed vents can reduce airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water around your AC equipment may indicate a clogged condensate drain or another drain problem.
- Monitor how your air conditioner 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 evaluated 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. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be handled by 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 help reduce moisture in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier connects to your HVAC system to control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Polar Air & Mechanical'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 a great choice for homes in humid areas or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When It's Time to Request HVAC Service
Persistent HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an hidden problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Polar Air & Mechanical will evaluate refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to determine why your system isn't controlling humidity effectively. They can also inspect ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to pinpoint the root cause.
We also can get you set up with a home HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Polar Air & Mechanical offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections budget-friendly and stress-free.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve the indoor humidity problems, trust Polar Air & Mechanical for dependable HVAC service in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 843-484-3783 today to take care of high indoor humidity issues for good.
