So it's another hot Atlanta summer and you're wondering why it's so humid inside your home. After all, isn't air conditioning supposed to condition the air? It's supposed to make your home more comfortable and livable.
But that's not always the case, especially in this part of the country. As humidity levels rise, it makes it harder for air conditioning units that aren't working properly to keep your home from being humid. This can cause several issues like health issues, mold, and even property damage.
So, the AC is cooling but not removing humidity? Let's talk about some common reasons why your house feels humid with the AC running, aside from neglecting consistent maintenance.
Why Is My House So Humid With The AC On?
If you have the air conditioner cooling but it’s not removing humidity, then here are some common culprits why:
Your air ducts are leaking
If your house is more humid than it should be, then you might have a leak in your air duct. This can happen if you don't perform proper maintenance on your air conditioner. Leaks can occur in the duct connection points.
You might find that you've been leaving the windows open even when your AC is running because you want the outside air to circulate the house. In reality, the air conditioning unit should do this.
So since you have leaks in your air ducts, the AC air is going to be mixed with outside air. For every 100 CFM of air leakage in your ducts, 12 gallons of moisture is added to your atmosphere. That's a lot of moisture inside of one home, especially if you're sharing a home with more than one person.
If you were wondering “why is my house so humid with AC on” then now you know the answer.
Your AC only has one speed
Another reason for high humidity is if your AC only has one speed. If there's only an on and an off switch, then this can reduce efficiency for your air conditioning. In other words, the AC will simply run until it reaches the temperature that you set, and then it turns off.
For instance, if you set it to 65 degrees, then it will turn off once it reaches 65 degrees. In other words, it's more focused on regulating temperature than actually dealing with humidity. That's why your house has so much humidity in the first place.
Low amount of refrigerant
Your refrigerant charge is really important. If it's low, then the evaporator coil is actually negatively affected. It won't be able to properly condense water vapor.
That means your AC unit has to extract the humid air from your house, but it can't keep up with that demand. A lot of professionals find that this is one of the common reasons that consumers have humid homes, even though they're running their ACs at full blast.
Your evaporating coils are malfunctioning
This is one of the most important parts of your AC unit. They regulate the humidity levels. So if the evaporator coils don't have a lower temperature than the other parts of your AC, then it can't condense the humidity and make a liquid.
Usually it disposes of the liquid humidity through a condensation pan. So your evaporator coils might not be fully functioning if your AC is running, but humidity levels are still high. In addition, your evaporator coils could have frost on them, which could reduce their ability to regulate humidity.
Your AC size
If the AC unit you have in your house is not large enough for your home, then it won't be able to cool it based on the capacity. It also reduces its ability to dehumidify your home. So you should have a technician come out and see if you have the right size of AC unit for your house.
Your AC unit is old
The older your AC air conditioning unit, the less likely it is to work properly. Eventually every piece of equipment is going to malfunction. So if this is the case, then it might be time to get it repaired. Eventually you would need to install a new AC unit altogether.
Contact the AC professionals in Atlanta today
It’s time to stop asking “why does my house feel humid with the AC on” and start feeling great again inside. This is especially true in a place like Atlanta, Georgia.
So the best course of action is to have the Atlanta AC repair professionals visit your home and perform an evaluation. From here they can give you the best recommendations on how to maintain a comfortable cooler temperature in your home. Stop suffering from humidity and start enjoying clean fresh air once again.