The humid summers in Wausau, Wisconsin, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You adjust the thermostat to a pleasant temperature. The air conditioning begins running right away. But, even after your air conditioner cycles, your home still feels damp and sticky.
Now, you’re cool and damp.
It can be annoying when the air conditioner appears to work properly, yet your home doesn't actually feel comfortable. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. Many area homeowners have this problem.
The reason is simple: Temperature and humidity are two different measurements in your home. The temperature only tells you how hot or cold the air is within the room. It doesn't measure how much moisture is in the air. When moisture levels are very high, your home can feel several degrees warmer than the thermostat indicates, due to indoor humidity problems.
In this blog, you'll learn how humidity affects your home 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 Wausau, Wisconsin, home. That way, you’ll know when to contact experts like the team at Gilray Heating and Cooling for professional help.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even Though the Temperature Is Cool
Your home's temperature is only part of what makes your living space enjoyable. Humidity is an extremely 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 warmer, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also contribute to 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 extracting enough moisture.
Home Feels Humid? Here are 8 Common Causes
Making your home in Wausau, Wisconsin, excess moisture can be a problem.
Plenty of area homeowners ask the same question: Why does my home feel so humid?
There are several common causes. Determining what's creating humidity problems is a good first step toward solving the problem.
Let's look at several common reasons for indoor humidity problems in Wausau, Wisconsin:
1. AC is Too Large
An AC unit that's larger than your home actually needs cools down your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t remove humidity effectively because it stops operating before completing a complete cooling cycle.
2. Clogged Air Filter
A clogged air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to remove moisture while cooling your home.
3. Clogged Condensate Drain
Your air conditioner pulls out moisture from your home’s air and and then it drains from the equipment 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 air supply. Ice formation or excessive dirt on the coil limits its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to restore performance.
5. Damaged Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your home. Gaps in ductwork can allow warm, humid air from attics, crawl spaces or other uninhabited areas into your HVAC system. This additional moisture makes it more difficult to maintain comfortable humidity levels.
6. Thermostat Fan Set to “On” Change setting to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is running on "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues to operate after the cooling cycle ends. This can blow moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of allowing it to drain away.
7. Exceptionally Humid Weather
During the area’s especially humid summers, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your air conditioner is working properly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity keeps entering your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Older HVAC Equipment
As HVAC systems get older, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance optimizes performance, improves efficiency and helps detect worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can reduce performance, including your system's ability to remove moisture.
What You Can Check Before Scheduling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are several simple things you can check before requesting service. These strategies are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your heating and cooling system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean HVAC air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Confirm the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to leave the system after each cooling cycle instead of being circulated 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 limit airflow throughout your home.
- Look for water around the indoor unit. Water near your AC equipment may indicate a clogged condensate drain or another drainage-related issue.
- Know how your air conditioner should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off repeatedly, 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 attempt repairs with refrigerant, electrical components or internal HVAC parts. DIY repairs may be tempting, but these repairs require advanced training and should always be handled by a qualified HVAC technician.
Could You Benefit from a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?
If you have humidity in your house during summer or year-round moisture problems, a whole-home dehumidifier may be the right choice. Unlike portable units that only work in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to manage humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Gilray Heating and Cooling'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 especially helpful for homes in humid climates or properties that continue to have humidity even with a properly functioning AC.
When It's Time to Schedule HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often are caused by an hidden problem that requires professional repair. The technicians at Gilray Heating and Cooling will evaluate refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to identify why your system isn't removing humidity effectively. They can also check ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to find the root cause.
We also can get you on the schedule for a home HVAC tune-up. Routine seasonal tune-ups help find small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Gilray Heating and Cooling offers an HVAC maintenance plan that makes regular inspections easy and affordable.
If simple troubleshooting doesn't solve the problem, trust Gilray Heating and Cooling for dependable HVAC service in Wausau, Wisconsin.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 715-515-7221 today to restore your comfort.