North Carolina’s hot, humid summers force an air conditioner to remove both heat and moisture from indoor air. Unfortunately, excessive indoor humidity can reduce air conditioner efficiency, increase cooling costs, strain system components, and leave Greensboro-area homes and businesses uncomfortable even when the thermostat displays the desired temperature.
To ensure your total comfort, Gentry Air covers common reasons your AC may be unable to control indoor humidity, along with tips on when whole-home dehumidifier installation may be the right choice.
How Does an Air Conditioner Remove Humidity?
As warm, humid indoor air passes over your AC’s evaporator coil, the water vapor in the air condenses into liquid and drips into a drip pan.
Eventually, the excess moisture drains through the condensate line, and the drier, cooler air then circulates back throughout your home. For this process to be effective, air conditioning systems require sufficiently long cooling cycles.
How Does High Humidity Affect Air Conditioner Efficiency?
Excess moisture in the air increases your air conditioning’s workload. When humidity levels are high, the system will need to run longer to reach your desired thermostat setting, resulting in greater energy consumption, accelerated wear, and a higher risk for AC repairs.
In addition, homeowners who struggle with muggy indoor air often attempt to get more comfortable by lowering the thermostat. However, this doesn’t address the underlying humidity problem in the home, and instead further increases energy usage.
What Are the Signs of Excessive Indoor Humidity?
Indoor humidity is generally most comfortable around 30% to 50%, and persistent readings above 60% may warrant professional attention.
Warning signs that your home or business may have a humidity issue include:
- Sticky, muggy, or warmer air than the thermostat indicates
- Air conditioners that run for extended periods or cycles frequently
- Condensation on windows, vents, or other cool surfaces
- Musty odors or visible mold and mildew
- Rising cooling bills without a clear change in thermostat settings
- Rooms that feel more humid than others
Looking for a way to better monitor your humidity indoors? A smart thermostat can measure indoor humidity to help you determine if you have a problem.
Why Is Your AC Not Controlling Indoor Humidity?
There are several HVAC and building-related problems that can prevent effective moisture removal. Read on to learn about the top five most common causes.
An Oversized Air Conditioner
An oversized AC will cool your home too quickly, causing the system to shut off before it has had long enough to remove the moisture from the air.
In humid climates like North Carolina, dehumidification will require longer run times to ensure humidity has time to condense. That’s why having a professional load calculation is critical when installing a new air conditioner.
Restricted Airflow or a Dirty Evaporator Coil
Proper airflow is essential not just for cooling, but also for moisture removal. Anything that interferes with this will negatively impact your system’s dehumidification.
The most common causes of restricted airflow are clogged filters, blocked vents, dirty coils, or blower problems. Luckily, many of these problems can be addressed proactively with routine HVAC maintenance.
A Clogged Condensate Drain
Over time, algae, dirt, and debris can block the drain that carries condensed moisture away from the system. This can cause leaks, water damage, system shutdowns, or inadequate moisture control.
Proper drainage not only allows water to leave the system, but also ensures that your system is offering effective dehumidification.
Aging Equipment or Mechanical Problems
As an air conditioner ages, its ability to effectively remove humidity can decrease due to common mechanical issues. This includes low refrigerant and damaged components that contribute to declining performance.
A noticeable increase in humidity often comes before a system loses significant cooling capacity. If you notice problems, schedule professional AC repair rather than assuming humidity alone is responsible.
Humid Outdoor Air Entering the Building
North Carolina’s humidity can overwhelm your AC system if the hot, moist air from outdoors makes it inside.
The following issues can introduce more moisture inside your property than the AC can manage:
- Leaky ductwork
- Crawlspace moisture
- Inadequate exhaust ventilation
- Gaps around doors and windows
- Frequently opening doors
What Can You Do About High Indoor Humidity?
Looking for ways to improve comfort and air conditioner efficiency?
We recommend the following to support effective dehumidification for any AC system:
- Replace dirty HVAC filters and keep supply and return vents unobstructed
- Use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans while showering or cooking
- Keep windows and exterior doors closed on humid days
- Seal leaks around doors and windows
- Schedule ductwork sealing
- Avoid setting the thermostat fan to “on,” which may return moisture from the coil to the indoor air
- Schedule preventive HVAC maintenance to check airflow, coils, refrigerant, drainage, and system performance
- Use a hygrometer or smart thermostat to track indoor humidity instead of judging conditions by temperature alone
When Does a Whole-Home Dehumidifier Make Sense?
Even a correctly sized, properly operating AC system may struggle to keep up with North Carolina’s humidity. In these cases, a whole-home dehumidifier may be the answer.
With whole-home dehumidifier installation, business owners and homeowners can get more consistent moisture control than with AC alone or with multiple portable units. Plus, the moisture balance support can reduce your cooling system’s workload.
Schedule Humidity and AC Service With Gentry Air
If you’re uncomfortable this summer, it may not just be the summer weather. Persistent humidity can indicate an airflow, drainage, sizing, or mechanical problem that prevents your AC from removing enough moisture from the air.
Residential and commercial property owners in Greensboro and the Triad can trust Gentry Air for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate humidity-control solutions.
Our locally operated team has served Greensboro and surrounding communities since 1982. Plus, we offer 24/7 emergency HVAC service to restore your comfort even outside of business hours.
Contact Gentry Air today to receive a professional assessment to determine whether your humidity problem requires AC repair, ductwork improvements, or supplemental dehumidification.