Although we don’t experience much humidity in Washington, when it comes, it comes in full blast.
Your house may be one of the only places to give you comfort during these times, but only if the humidity levels inside are kept low. With drier air, the moisture in your skin can evaporate which will help in cooling you down. Right now you may be thinking, “well I have an AC I can use all day without having to worry about that!” However, while an AC can most definitely benefit you in bringing humidity down in your home, it must be used properly, or else it’ll have the opposite effect (and I don’t think you would be cool with that).
First, let’s discuss how exactly an AC cools your house down and lowers humidity levels. The system “inhales” the moisture and warmth in the air and “exhales” the condensation out of the unit through the condensate pan. This helps with extracting humidity from the indoor air and makes it more comfortable. Here are a few situations that could interfere with the AC properly completing its job:
- Keeping the fan on 24/7. While running the fan constantly may appear to help with cooling you down, it can actually blow the moisture that’s being extracted back into your home. It’s recommended to set the thermostat fan into an auto mode so the air will only blow while the cooling system is performing.
- The AC system is bigger than needed. Sometimes you may have an AC system that’s oversized for the home it’s providing for, which means the compressor may not stay on long enough to actually extract moisture. If you find the air a bit too heavy for your tastes, it might be a good idea to check if your system is the right fit for your home.
- Insufficient ventilation system. Your AC could be working perfectly fine, but if the ventilation system isn’t designed properly, then outside air could flow inside in order to balance the negative air pressure inside. If the weather is hot and humid, you do not want the outside air coming in. Inspecting your ventilation system can help you troubleshoot humidity issues.
If you’re having issues with your HVAC system, give us a call as humidly as possible at (425) 312-6767 to book an appointment with our HVAC specialist!