Why Your Air Conditioning Drops the Temperature but Not the Humidity

Humid air is like a sponge that's loaded down with water and simply can't absorb any more moisture. This means the body's natural "AC system" which relies on sweat evaporation for cooling stops working, which leaves you feeling hot and uncomfortable.

Humidity does other things besides cause discomfort. It promotes mold growth and increases the levels of dust mites in your home, which can adversely affect your health, especially if you have allergies or respiratory problems such as asthma. This is why your air conditioning system must remove humidity as well as lower the temperature. But what if you’re otherwise perfectly functioning AC lowers the temperature but not the humidity? Below are two possible reasons why you have a humidity problem with your AC system:

Your Air Conditioner Is Too Large

An oversized air conditioner can quickly cool down your home well before the temperature of its cooling coil (evaporator coil) gets cold enough to remove the humidity in the air. It normally takes 10 to 15 minutes of continuous running for the coil temperature to drop low enough to condense water vapor. An oversized AC never runs long enough for this to happen. Instead, it runs in short bursts. To find out if your AC is short-cycling, pull out a stop watch and time it. If your air conditioner has always run this way, it's probably oversized.

Your High-Efficiency AC Unit Can't Handle the High Humidity in Your Area

According to the Consumer Protection Division of the Comfort Institute, some of the high-efficiency air conditioners cut cooling bills by trading off the unit's ability to remove humidity. That is, they can drop the temperature but can't remove humidity like the old units could.

If you live in a dry area such as Arizona, then this won't affect you. However, consumers living in areas with high humidity will find that their air conditioners fail to remove enough of it. The humidity can get high enough to even promote mold growth. The manufacturers of these units failed to understand that there's more to comfort than air temperature. The consumer is also forced to buy a separate dehumidifying system which consumes the energy saved by these high efficiency air conditioners.

If the above doesn't apply to you, then your air conditioner in Danville, IL may have issues requiring adjustment or repair. If so, give Blackie's a call today!