The humid summers in Eugene, Oregon, can get muggy and uncomfortable. You set the thermostat to a ideal temperature. The air conditioning kicks on 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 seems to be doing its job, yet your home doesn't actually feel pleasant. If your rooms feel humid but thermostat says cool, you're in good company. 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 the room. It doesn't measure how much moisture is 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 article, you'll learn how humidity affects your comfort, common reasons your home feels humid even when the temperature is correct and basic troubleshooting steps you can try to reduce humidity in your Eugene, Oregon, home. That way, you’ll know when it’s time to call experts like the team at Home Comfort for support.
Why Your Home Can Feel Humid Even If the Temperature Is Right
Indoor temperature is only part of what makes your house comfortable. Indoor humidity is another important factor. The majority of homes are typically more comfortable when indoor relative humidity falls 30-50 percent. When a home has high indoor humidity, the air feels less comfortable, denser and stickier—even if the actual air temperature is cool.
Too much indoor moisture can also contribute to dangerous mold growth, mildew, musty 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.
Reasons Your Home Feels Humid Even with the AC Running
Making your home in Eugene, Oregon, excess moisture can be a problem.
Many area homeowners deal with the same question: Why does my house feel humid?
There are a variety of common explanations. Understanding what's creating excess humidity is a key first step toward fixing the problem.
Below are several common reasons for high indoor humidity levels in Eugene, Oregon:
1. Oversized Air Conditioning
An AC that's bigger than your home needs cools your home too quickly. The problem is an oversized AC often doesn’t reduce humidity effectively because it turns off before completing a proper cooling cycle.
2. Blocked Air Filter
A clogged air filter reduces airflow throughout your heting and cooling system. This makes it challenging for your equipment to control humidity while cooling your home.
3. Obstructed Condensate Drain
Your AC pulls out moisture from the air in your home 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 extracts both heat and moisture from your home's air. Dirt buildup on the coil decreases its effectiveness and often requires professional AC repair services to fix.
5. Leaky Ductwork
Ductwork moves cool air throughout your house. Openings 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 is on “On” Setting Change to “Auto”
If your thermostat fan is set to "On" instead of "Auto", the blower continues running after the cooling cycle is finished. This can push moisture collected on the evaporator coil back into your home instead of giving it time for it to drain away.
7. Unusually Humid Weather
During the area’s especially humid summer weather, your HVAC system has to operate more to remove moisture from the air. Even when your cooling system is operating correctly, sometimes your home feels muggy because outdoor humidity continues to seep into your home through doors, windows and normal air leakage.
8. Aging Heating and Cooling Equipment
As heating and cooling systems wear out over time, they often become less effective at controlling humidity. HVAC maintenance improves performance, improves efficiency and helps find worn-out parts. Skipping regular air conditioning maintenance can limit performance, including your system's ability to reduce moisture.
Simple Checks to Make Before Scheduling an HVAC Technician
If your home feels humid, there are a few simple things you can check before scheduling service. These DIY tips are easy ways to improve indoor comfort by helping your HVAC system remove moisture more efficiently.
- Replace or inspect the air filter. A clean heating and cooling system air filter allows proper airflow, helping your system circulate air through and dehumidify your home more efficiently.
- Make sure the thermostat fan is set to Auto. This allows moisture to leave the system after each cooling cycle instead of being blown back into your living spaces.
- Check that supply and return vents are open and not covered up. Rugs or household furnishings over the vents or closed vents can limit airflow throughout your home.
- Inspect 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 conditioning should run. If the AC is short cycling or turning on and off frequently, or it seems to run constantly without improving comfort, 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 involving refrigerant, electrical components or system components. Handling these repairs yourself may be tempting, but these repairs require professional training and should always be performed by a qualified HVAC technician.
Should You Get 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. Compared with portable units that only help reduce moisture in one room or area, a whole-home dehumidifier works with your HVAC system to control humidity throughout your entire house.
Just one of Home Comfort'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 especially helpful for homes in humid areas or properties that still have humidity even with a properly functioning cooling system.
When You Need to Schedule HVAC Service
Home HVAC humidity issues often trace back to an larger problem that needs professional repair. The technicians at Home Comfort will inspect refrigerant charge, airflow, blower performance and evaporator coils to find why your system isn't managing humidity effectively. They can also evaluate ductwork, condensate drainage and overall system sizing to identify the root cause.
We also can get you set up with an HVAC tune-up. Seasonal seasonal tune-ups help identify small problems before they become potentially expensive repairs. That's why Home Comfort offers an HVAC maintenance plan that helps make regular inspections easy and affordable.
If basic troubleshooting doesn't solve your home’s humidity issues, trust Home Comfort for dependable HVAC service in Eugene, Oregon.
Schedule HVAC service online or call 541-345-2838 today to take care of high indoor humidity issues for good.