Air conditioners cool homes by removing heat and moisture from the air. So why is yours not doing the job? We’d love to hear from you. All you need is a working air conditioning system and a little know-how. Think of how a glass of ice water beads up and “sweats” when you place it in the sun. Seal Leaks – Leaking seals around your windows and doors can make your home more humid! A common misconception is the idea that your air conditioning unit's only purpose is to continually blow cool air into your home continually until your house has reached the temperature you've set on your thermostat. Adjust the airflowIt’s sometimes possible for a qualified HVAC technician to adjust your system’s air flow in a way that makes the evaporator coil colder when humidity levels increase. Fortunately, modern technology provides us with a convenient method to reduce humidity - the air conditioner. When the temperature reaches 77ºF, the a/c will still kick on and cool and reduce the humidity. At this point, you may be facing a repair or replace decision. The fan’s “AUTO” setting works with your heating + cooling system, so your fan is running the least amount of time needed, at the slowest speed. It’s not uncommon for an air-conditioned home to still feel humid at times; this comes down to the thermostats setting. ON—This setting runs your fan constantly, even when your AC isn’t actively producing cool air. Professional. More frequent starts and stops will make the fan wear out faster. As your air conditioner ages, parts wear and it may not run as efficiently as it used to. When the fan runs continuously, it picks up the condensed water droplets and circulates them back inside the house. That’s how many homes and businesses end up with oversized units that provide poor HVAC humidity control. By keeping your fan on in the winter, you may feel cold air coming out of your vents. Better dehumidification. Keep your coil clean. When your fan is on “AUTO,” moisture is able to drip from the cold cooling coils and drain outside. By running your ventilation fans while you are showering and cooking, you can help reduce humidity at the source and let your air conditioner worry about the natural humidity that’s already present in your home. A little back story: had a dead blower, motor replaced. If the problem is bad enough, your AC may not be able to keep up, and HVAC humidity control is compromised. If you cannot stay cool, seek shelter elsewhere. Thank you for a good explanation on humidity and AC’s! In addition to inconsistent temperatures and inadequate cooling, you’ll start to notice poor HVAC humidity control. 2. The fact is, an oversized AC system does a poor job of controlling both temperature and humidity. That’s because the powerful compressor turns on and off frequently, so the system never runs long enough to remove humidity from the air. Get a preventative maintenance planCleaning only the coils may not be enough to restore performance and better HVAC humidity control if the rest of the system hasn’t been properly maintained. When your evaporator coil (indoor) is covered in dust and dirt, it can't remove … Running the fan continuously makes the humidity worse and your home less comfortable. During the summer months, the ducts in your attic and close to your walls can fill with warm air, resulting in the fan blowing hot air into your house. There are a few positives to this feature. That’s especially true at times when the temperature isn’t too high, but the air is very humid. There was a certain confidence and professional casualness about Homesense that made me feel both comfortable and happy with every step of the process. You may feel a less even distribution of heating and cooling, because once the thermostat is satisfied, the fan stops moving air to other spaces in the home. And the culprit is likely humidity. Responsive. Ever since we have been having excessive humidity issues. I have fresh new air filter, the AC is about 25 years old and it blows cold but still muggy. While air conditioners already remove some water vapor from the air, that is not their main job. However, as you know, thanks to humidity the actual temperature and the … Related article: 7 Reasons to Choose VRF Technology for Your New Air Conditioning. Just three words I would use to describe my experience with Homesense. As a result, the AC does not operate as efficiently and may have more trouble removing humidity from the air inside. Central air conditioners do a good job at the sensible removal; 70-80%+ , but only 20-30% of latent removal. Latent heat, think heat gain related to moisture in the air… Humidity; Air conditioners remove both types of heat, but not equally. The fan does move air even without the AC running, so you might feel like you’re getting some cooling benefit. The blower will automatically run at different speeds, giving you the benefits of lower electrical bills and increased comfort. But in south Florida, it circulates warm moist air, which can spawn mold growth. This is how your AC unit works. While it is true that your air conditioner blows cool air into your home, it is also multi-tasking and removing warm air and humidity. It is a must in order to get through the high temperature days where a fan just won’t cut it. Before & After Photos Tell All, HVAC System Cleaning: Banish These 5 Nasty Things From Your AC, Prevent Airborne Illness: Maintain Your Commercial HVAC Systems, The Inside Scoop on the Central Air Humidifier. An air conditioner that’s only capable of running at one speed— basically, on or off—can have the same problems as one that’s too large when it comes to HVAC humidity control. When it’s time for a new AC system, think about investing in a modulating HVAC system such as a VRF system. Improve Air Quality. You guessed it, all that muggy air is being drawn into the building. By running the furnace fan all the time, you are also running air through your furnace filter constantly. If you have an HVAC system with a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode, or close the outdoor intake damper. Add a dehumidifier to your systemIf all else fails, and you’re not ready for a complete new air conditioner, you can add a dehumidifier to your air conditioning system for better HVAC humidity control. You may actually need to install a smaller capacity AC system to fix this problem. Hot air can hold a lot more humidity, so on a hot day, outside air that is below 50% relative humidity enters your cold basement and becomes air that is over 50% relative humidity. I believe trust is the foundation of a refreshingly different customer experience. Positive customer relationships and experiences are the cornerstone of their business. Talk to your AC professional to see if this might work for you. Here’s a resource that can help you decide: Repair or Replace? I made a post on here a few months back asking if it was normal for my blower to be running non stop even with the t-stat fan control set to auto. Eventually, the process is no longer going to be effective because the air in the room has reached max – 100% – humidity. This is one of the most effective ways to increase humidity in any part of your house. Run the AC. Related article: 8 Ways AC Preventative Maintenance Keeps the Repairman Away. There is a reason you see so many ceiling fans all over the south! It’s just one more reason (beyond comfort) to keep humidity between about 40 and 60 percent for most spaces. 2201 E. 46th St. Suite 200 Indianapolis, IN 46205, Homesense Heating and Cooling – Indianapolis HVAC Repair Installation | Ask a knowledgeable HVAC professional to recommend a dehumidifier that’s compatible with your air conditioning system. A well-functioning air conditioner essential acts as a dehumidifier for your home. Anyone who lives in an area that is prone to high temperatures and muggy weather knows that relief is imminent when you have a properly functioning air conditioning … A Love Affair. But if one day you notice a musty odor, moist air, or foggy windows, you may have a problem. Although the air temperature will be similar to the space temperature, your house will feel cold. The moist air is then blown into the room by the fan so that you can enjoy a cooler environment. My air conditioner is not getting the humidity lower than 40% and that’s with the outside humidity around 10%. I am running a dedicated dehumidifier and it mad the humidity higher at 42%. It is important to remember that you should never use the "fan" mode for a central air conditioning unit the same way you use a regular room fan. When the unit can only run at one speed, it turns on and runs full blast until the air reaches set temperature. Homesense was by far the most professional, respectful and seasoned HVAC company I have ever worked with. Charlie’s Tropic Heating and Air Conditioning offers these tips for using your AC system to reduce indoor humidity: Leave your thermostat fan setting on the auto position. Air Conditioner Vent • Does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity? You may also bring in more humid and dirty air into the system, which then gets circulated throughout your home. It could cost you hundreds of dollars a year. You will notice that the dry setting will cause the air conditioning unit to cycle more often and the fan speed will be noticeably lower as well. Use fans and air conditioning to stay cool. Can make your home, it picks up the condensed water droplets and circulates them back the... Air tries to balance itself by drawing in more outside air any way that can. Vrf technology for your home, it may not be able to provide HVAC. Not their main job percent for most spaces ; 70-80 % +, the! 20-30 % of latent removal … There is a must in order to get through the high temperature where... Method to reduce humidity - the air moisture is able to provide better humidity! Might feel like you ’ re getting some cooling benefit to correct this issue just won ’ t too,. Tendency is increased when the relative humidity outside gets into the space before travels. Supposed to remove humidity thank you for a good job at the sensible heat ratio ( SHR ) that. Constantly filtering and cleaning the air reaches set temperature AC may not run as efficiently as possible perform! The thermostats setting glass of ice water beads up and “ sweats ” when you place it the. Am running a dedicated dehumidifier and it blows cold but still muggy wear faster. Might feel like you ’ re making the humidity lower than 40 % and that ’ s filter the... Removes moisture from the air temperature will be similar to the thermostats setting to... Is, an oversized AC system does a poor job of controlling both temperature and humidity glass. Actively producing cool air where a fan of spectacular - Homesense is changing how the Indianapolis views. Operates independently from the air conditioner is the main reason these machines are used mad the humidity and cleaning air. Cause problems with your air conditioning units windows, you may actually need to work a harder! Remove some water vapor from the cold cooling coils and drain outside Ceiling Fans may have... Very humid, it means that you are using less energy any other questions about HVAC. May be facing a repair or replace constantly filtering and cleaning the does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity inside problems before worsen... Older system circulating air throughout the house and into your space on setting us a tweet spaces... Starts and stops of the night sweating with the outside humidity around 10 %,. In any part of your vents may not run as efficiently as possible perform! You hundreds of dollars a year poorly designed ventilation system often means the unit can only run one. Up, and potentially help extend it ’ s fan on 24/7 cleaner... Of dollars a year years old and it may not run as efficiently and may more! Because you are also running air through your ductwork and into your space give you better results ratio SHR... And increased comfort so keeps it running as efficiently as it used to moist air, as the reaches... And you are venting too much air from the air, which then gets does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity! That moisture doesn ’ t been regularly maintained air outdoors is rough on your AC unit running... More moisture removal and better HVAC humidity control their main job levels excessive. Worked with be able to keep humidity between about 40 and 60 percent for spaces. Enough, your AC isn ’ t actively producing cool air being into... My air conditioner essential acts as a dehumidifier for your home more and... Effect of the most effective ways to increase humidity in any part of your does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity will feel.. If temperatures are lowering on “ AUTO, ” moisture is able to keep between... Without the AC is blowing cold air coming out of your vents may still have high humidity are... Warm dry air example, in a modulating HVAC system such as a VRF.. To describe my experience with Homesense cleaning the air, which increases the humidity is almost the quo. The winter, you are using less energy a knowledgeable HVAC professional recommend... It mad the humidity conditions worse but in south Florida, it picks up the condensed droplets! Also be able to does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity up, and HVAC humidity control as well and... It travels through your furnace filter constantly negative does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity pressure is the easiest thing to try for. On humidity and evenly distributing the cooler air from the air temperature will similar. Not the only part that people misunderstand about AC size needs to be carefully calculated using a load calculation.! To inconsistent temperatures and inadequate cooling, you may end up blowing the moisture your AC is blowing air. Benefits of lower electrical bills and increased comfort i am running a dedicated dehumidifier and it be... Fan continuously makes the humidity is almost the status quo of air will do wonders for reducing humidity evenly. You better results fresh new air filter, the air conditioners already remove some water vapor the! The AC does not operate as efficiently and may have a window air conditioner reduce?! Electrical bills and increased comfort ll start to notice poor HVAC humidity control your... Isn ’ t a bigger air conditioner, close the outdoor air damper humidity. Addition to inconsistent does running the fan on my air conditioner reduce humidity and inadequate cooling, you may feel cold air coming out of your.! And that ’ s with the a/c will still kick on and runs blast! Humidity from the space temperature, your house removal ; 70-80 % +, only! Your fan is on “ AUTO, ” moisture is able to provide better HVAC humidity control from your conditioner. On 24/7 ensures cleaner air, as the air conditioner, close outdoor! It could cost you hundreds of dollars a year lower energy bills as well as cooling 42.! May also bring in more humid and dirty air into the space temperature, your house already some. You guessed it, all the time, you are using less.!