Does Indoor Humidity Mean There's Something Wrong With Your AC?
Posted on: 24 March 2020
Is the humidity too high in your home? It could be a sign of trouble with your air conditioner. Here's what you need to know.
What's Wrong With High Humidity?
Besides just being uncomfortable, high indoor humidity can cause several problems. First, it can aggravate conditions such as asthma, while also allowing viruses and bacteria to grow more freely. Second, it can promote mold growth. Third, it can damage paint, drywall, wood, and other parts of your home.
What Are Signs of High Indoor Humidity?
Sometimes, it's easy to feel that the humidity inside is too high. Your home may be stuffy, hold odors longer, or leave you feeling sweatier because your sweat doesn't evaporate as quickly.
Other times, it's not easy to feel the humidity, but the humidity levels can still be high enough to cause problems. One of the most obvious signs of high humidity is when you get condensation on the inside of your windows when there are large temperature differences between inside and outside of your home. You may also notice things like mold spots appearing in your bathtub more quickly than normal.
What Does Your Air Conditioner Have to Do With Humidity?
Your air conditioner isn't a dehumidifier, but it is the main source of dehumidification in most homes. When your air conditioner pulls in warm air, it also draws in the humidity within the air. As the air passes over the cooling coils, the water condenses on the coils. It then flows out your air conditioner's drainpipe, and the cold air going back into your home is now dryer.
What Air Conditioner Problems Can Cause High Humidity?
There are a few air conditioner problems that can lead to high humidity. One is if you have reduced cooling capacity due to low refrigerant or other causes. If your air conditioner coils don't get cold enough, the humidity won't condense on them and will get recirculated into your home instead of being pumped out.
Your air conditioner being too cold due to a coolant overcharge or an incorrectly calibrated blower fan can also be a problem. An air conditioner that is too cold cycles on and off too quickly for it to be able to remove any humidity.
To learn more about why your air conditioner might be causing high indoor humidity or to schedule a repair, contact a local residential air conditioning repair company today.
Share