How to Tell if Your AC is Controlling Indoor Humidity Levels

- Published by
Overheated couple sitting in their home that has imbalanced indoor humidity levels.

Hot, sweltering, sticky air is typical for Central Florida summers, but what happens when the outdoor heat and humidity seep in? When not properly controlled, indoor humidity can be extremely uncomfortable and cause a major strain on your AC unit! If indoor humidity levels are making your home feel more like a house – or a sauna – it may be time for an AC inspection! Check out these signs that your AC is failing at indoor humidity control.

Signs of Low and High Indoor Humidity Levels

Imbalanced humidity levels can mean either having too much or too little humidity in your indoor environment. Both of these scenarios have serious consequences for your health and home. So what’s an ideal indoor humidity level?

Energy Star ranks a safe and comfortable indoor humidity level, or ideal relative humidity, between 30% – 50%.

However, this can change depending on the season. In colder weather, when the heater is in use, humidity levels should range from 30% – 40% to reduce condensation.

Most modern AC systems and humidifiers have a built-in humidity monitor that enables you to quickly check your humidity levels. But even without a newer AC unit, there are also some pretty obvious – and sometimes painful – ways of knowing whether or not your AC is properly controlling your indoor humidity.

Effects of High Indoor Humidity Levels

High indoor humidity levels can cause new or make pre-existing health problems worse. It can also damage your furniture and even cause structural damage to your home! The common signs of high indoor humidity include:

  • Constant sweating.
  • Difficulty breathing even for healthy people, and worse symptoms for people living with asthma and other pulmonary conditions.
  • Poor sleep quality, tossing and turning almost every night as your body struggles to stay cool.
  • Frequent allergy triggers due to mold, fungi, and dust mites that thrive in high humidity.
  • Moisture damage on walls, floors, and ceilings. This could appear as peeling paint or crumbling molding.
  • Foggy windows.
  • Mildew or mold forming around windows or doors – or even on walls.
  • Warped furniture.

 

Foggy windows and mildew which indicates high indoor humidity levels.

Effects of Low Indoor Humidity Levels

When indoor humidity levels are too low, your health and home can also suffer. Not only can your eyes, skin, and nasal passages dry out, but your home furnishings like wood floors, door frames, or furniture can warp. Cupping and crowning are two telltale signs that your indoor humidity levels are out of line. Some signs of low humidity levels are:

  • Cold, dry, and chapped skin.
  • Itchy, dry eyes.
  • Frequent headaches due to decreased circulation in the home.
  • Cracked or shrinking door frames and molding.
  • Creaking wooden floors as they dry out due to low humidity.

How To Check If Your AC Is Working Properly

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms of imbalanced indoor humidity levels, it’s time to check your AC. Before you decide whether you should repair or replace your AC unit, take these simple steps:

  1. Check the air filter, which is usually inside your AC unit near the thermostat. Either refer to your AC manual on how to clean or replace your air filter, or contact an HVAC professional to have them perform an AC inspection.
  2. Check the thermostat’s batteries. There should be a low battery indicator to alert you when it is time for a change.
  3. Use another high-quality thermometer to cross-reference the accuracy of your AC’s thermostat. If the thermometer registers a lower or higher temperature than you expect, it may be time for maintenance or a new AC unit.
  4. Check for pools of water around the AC. This may indicate a blockage in the unit’s drainage system, causing the unit to run hotter than usual.
  5. Check for other factors like insulation, air leakage around doors and windows, and seals around your ductwork. All of these could contribute to higher indoor humidity.

Tips For Managing Humidity Levels in Your Home

  1. Use a system with a humidity monitor.
  2. Add a vent fan in your bathrooms and kitchen to clear out the excess moisture in these spaces.
  3. Make use of your ceiling fans to improve airflow between humid and drier rooms.
  4. Improve the drainage around the foundation of your home.
  5. Ensure that clothes dryers are vented to an outdoor area.
  6. For low indoor humidity levels, consult a professional as to whether or not you may benefit from a humidifier.
  7. Let an expert conduct regular maintenance checks on your AC and ductwork to catch the early signs that you may need a new AC unit.

Conclusion

Indoor humidity can cause problems if not properly controlled – and your AC should be working to maintain a healthy and safe atmosphere. There are ways to increase or decrease home humidity, but the first step is identifying the issue.

If you spot the signs that your AC is not cooling correctly, it is time to call in an expert. A thorough assessment from Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning will ensure that your AC unit is in great shape – or that it may be time to invest in a new AC unit. Get in touch today.

  
 

Scott’s Heating & Air Conditioning is a full-service heating and air conditioning company and a Bryant® Factory Authorized Dealer in Central Florida. Whether you need repair, maintenance, or installation of a new heating or cooling system, we provide efficient, cost-effective, and professional service. When it’s hot, call Scott!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Categorised in: , ,

AC Service Testimonials

Excellent job getting my new system installed. Friendly and professional staff. Would recommend this company to anyone who needs ac work done.
Michael Imlay
Michael Imlay
1686157131
My a/c went out on a Sunday during a holiday weekend. I called and they had someone out there within a couple of hours to repair it! Great service
Susan
Susan
1685582464
All are very responsive and professional! Great job!
Diane Layton
Diane Layton
1682546738
Scott’s saved the day for us this evening. Our A/C stopped working and it got hot inside quickly, which was more complicated because I’m 36 weeks pregnant. Scott’s was responsive to our call and within two hours someone had come and fixed our unit!
Kaley Gilford
Kaley Gilford
1681601593
20 out of 10 this place is amazing. The techs are always awesome. Super knowledgeable, friendly, polite and quick. They are prompt about appointments and always show up within the time frame. They always keep me cool and I cannot appreciate you guys enough!
Emily Koller
Emily Koller
1680904342
Scott’s Heating and Air Conditioning installed our new Bryant unit in 2019. I am very happy with my purchase. Every year I call Michelle and schedule our annual maintenance, and I always request Cliff. Cliff is a great AC Technician. He always explains everything thoroughly, and does a great job. Both Michelle and Cliff are professional, friendly, and they get the job done!! I highly recommend Scott’s Heating and Air Conditioning, it is an excellent company.
Lois Lane
Lois Lane
1679865728
What a great team! Reliable, trustworthy, would never go anywhere else for my AC.
John Phillips
John Phillips
1678574691
We had 2 very old water cooled A/C units that needed to be replaced. The scope of our project was above that of a typical A/C install, but Scott's made the process easy and painless! After our first encounter with Daniel I knew we were in the right hands. Everyone on the install team was amazing! I would recommend Scott's to anyone!
Carrier/Bryant equipment and the whole install team make me feel like a genius selecting Scott's. I shopped hard, did plenty of research and got the selection down to 3 companies. The other two were companies I knew and trusted so were tough competition. In the end, recommendations by neighbors, reviews, great choices of equipment, fair price/good warranty and Daniel the sales guy explaining EVERYTHING, won the deal. The install team are simply fantastic and I'm already seeing the huge improvement over my older equipment in true and honest comfort differences in my home. Well done Scott's! UPDATE: had some problems with the equipment, not Scott's. THEY WERE AMAZING trying to solve them.
Scott Koenig
Scott Koenig
1673625158
I've flipped over 150 homes and I've been through plenty of AC contractors. These are the guys I use at my personal residence and have for years. They were a BIG relief to find! They are responsive, fair-priced, prompt, professional, HONEST, and dependable.AC guys are programmed to sell you to a new system... not these guys. They are programmed to tell the truth! I kid you not!
Greg Schmid
Greg Schmid
1673560168
Fast reliable response, Great prices with a honest approach. Owner Scott is very attentive and hospitable. Thanks, A++++++ Also, Thanks for your service.
Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
1673026944
Loved Scott’s, great price /great product/great service!Dan, Boris and Jonathan were professional, knowledgeable, and friendly.
Vicky Lawry
Vicky Lawry
1673011222
They did a great job installing our new A/C and Heating System. Daniel and Jose were friendly and professional.
Susan Sullivan
Susan Sullivan
1671715021
Hey I just wanted to say thank you and you’re guys for the best service that I have ever had.The guys went above and beyond my expectations.Everything is perfect.These guys are top notch!
Rad -1
Rad -1
1668702707
They acted so professional, honest and fast.I would recommend them for sure
pani ahmadi
pani ahmadi
1668188374
Pleasant, speedy and informative service. I'd recommend them highly if you find yourself needing help Pronto and want a quality option.
Cole Nave
Cole Nave
1668118183
The technician Santiago arrived to resolve an issue with our central air not turning on. He was honest, helpful, and professional. In a short time, he got our unit running again. After his diagnosis, he even provided us with helpful information for updating our unit in the future since our current model is over 20 years old. Overall experience was great; I highly recommend this small business over the competition.
Nick Murphy
Nick Murphy
1664636239
Urgent call. He was here in an hr, fixed the issues and i was satisfied with it all
Responded within a couple hours Over the weekend with no questions asked and was able to fix the problem at a very reasonable place
js_loader

Recent Posts