How Indianapolis’ Humid Climate Affects Your AC & Steps You Can Take

Indianapolis tends to have high humidity in the summer, which directly influences the way our bodies sense temperature.

High indoor humidity also impacts the efficiency of your air conditioning and the cost of cooling your house.

How Humidity Impacts Your AC’s Performance

Air conditioning systems work by absorbing heat from the air inside the house and then dispersing the heat outside.

When an AC is running in a humid indoor environment, it can’t absorb heat as effectively as it can when the air inside the house is drier. This is the main reason why homeowners in humid places like Indianapolis typically have higher air conditioning costs compared to people who live in a dry climate.

These are just some of the effects humidity can have on your AC system and your home:

• High temperatures: An AC system can struggle to keep the house sufficiently cool when the indoor humidity level is too high.
• Poor efficiency and increased electricity consumption: High humidity can negatively affect an AC system’s energy efficiency, resulting in long cooling cycles and increased electricity usage.
• Increased repair needs and shortened lifespan: AC systems also experience more wear and tear because they are not working as effectively in humid conditions, potentially leading to more frequent breakdowns and a shorter system lifespan.

Signs of High Indoor Humidity

Humidity often leads to issues that require AC repair. If you notice any of these signs, don’t hesitate to schedule cooling repair:

• Your house feels hot and muggy: The most obvious sign that your house is too humid is if it feels muggy even when your AC is on.
• You notice condensation on windows: Condensation on windows happens because humid air meets cooler glass, another indication that your house is too humid.
• You suspect mold and mildew growth or smell musty odors: Visible mold and mildew growth or musty odors are common occurrences when a house is so humid that condensation forms in different places.

Causes of Ineffective AC Humidity Control

Air conditioning helps with humidity control due to moisture condensing on the AC evaporator coil and getting removed from the air. However, air conditioning alone sometimes isn’t enough to prevent humidity issues, especially if the system isn’t working effectively.

AC systems are designed to run for only a short time before shutting off, which also limits how much moisture they can remove. If your AC won’t stop running, it indicates a performance issue that may be further contributing to your house’s humid condition.

Some common AC issues that can contribute to poor performance and increased humidity include the following:

• Dirty air filters restrict the incoming air in an AC system, resulting in it not cooling nearly as effectively.
• Short-cycling is when an AC runs for less than 10 minutes at a time, resulting in the system failing to remove moisture from the air before it shuts off.
• Dirty or frozen evaporator coils limit or entirely prevent additional moisture from condensing.

How to Address High Indoor Humidity

Addressing humidity issues is important for improving AC performance and comfort and maintaining good indoor air quality in your home.

All the following solutions are effective for ensuring that your AC works properly and your home stays less humid:

• Whole-home dehumidifier installation is the best option for drying the air out and keeping your home from getting too humid.
• Annual air conditioning maintenance makes a major difference in how well an AC works by helping to prevent the most common issues.
• Install the right size and type of AC for your home and our climate for effective cooling performance and humidity control.

Request Service with Northern Comfort Systems

Northern Comfort Solutions provides top-quality residential and commercial air conditioning services to customers throughout Indianapolis. We’ve been in business since 2001 and have earned numerous awards as recognition for our excellent workmanship and customer service, including eight straight Angi Super Service Awards.

Call us today to schedule an AC repair or dehumidifier installation in Indianapolis.