Here’s a common question we see in Florida: “My air conditioner is working fine, but my home is so humid! What’s the problem?”
It’s a sticky issue, especially as humid as it gets here in Florida.
This could be caused by a number of things, but the main cause is usually an oversized air conditioner.
An “oversized” air conditioner means that it’s too big for your home, and therefore cools down your home too quickly and short cycles (turns on and off frequently).
So, what’s that got to do with high humidity at home?
Well, your air conditioner not only lowers your home’s temperature, but it also helps dehumidify your home.
Here’s how.
The inside AC unit has a cold evaporator coil to cool down the air. When running, the coil’s temperature is below the dew point, meaning that it’s at a temperature where water will leave the air and condense. In this case, the water condenses on the evaporator coil (which is why your AC has a condensate drain line.)
So as your AC runs, it’s pulling moisture/humidity from your air!
But it needs several minutes to do that, meaning the AC needs longer run times to properly dehumidify your home. If you have an oversized AC, it has short run times, so your home isn’t being dehumidified properly.
Your AC may be oversized if it only runs 10-15 minutes per cycle on a hot day.
So, if you have an oversized air conditioner, what can you do? You have 2 options.
1) If your AC is only a few years old (or still has several years left before it kicks the bucket), consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier in your home.
Learn the differences between portable and whole-home dehumidifiers.
2) If you need a new air conditioner soon, make sure you have a professional AC contractor perform the right calculations to find the right size of AC for your home. You can go a step further and invest in a two-stage central AC.
Basically, a two-stage air conditioner has a special compressor that allows it to run on a “low” setting on mildly hot days. That means the AC can run longer while using less energy.
Remember: Longer run times=less humidity=more comfort for you.
Living in a home with high humidity stinks (literally). So, make sure your family is getting the comfort they deserve.
If you have any questions about this problem, dehumidifiers, or two-stage AC, ask our home cooling experts for help.
Cool Today provides professional air conditioning service to communities across Florida with locations in Sarasota, Tampa, Dunedin, Orlando, and Naples.