Your Air Conditioner Struggles With High Humidity Just as Much as You Do

Maintaining a comfortable temperature is the one job you require of your air conditioner, but high humidity can make you lose your cool — literally.

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Air conditioners don't work as effectively when the air outside is muggy. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to stay chill and comfy even on humid days.

Understanding Indoor Humidity

Humidity levels describe how much moisture is in the air, and ideal levels for home interiors are between 30% and 50%. High moisture levels can contribute to mold and mildew growth and lower indoor air quality, so keeping humidity under control is essential.

While your AC might struggle with high humidity, it also helps remove moisture from the air to combat excess humidity inside your home. If you live in a humid climate and your AC can't keep up, you might need to take extra measures to control indoor humidity.

How Does Humidity Affect How an Air Conditioner Works?

In a humid environment, your AC works harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. Humid air tends to feel warmer, so your air conditioner has to cycle on more frequently to provide the same amount of cooling power.

Does an Air Conditioner Work Better in Lower-Humidity Environments?

In low-humidity environments, the air naturally feels cooler and your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard. This can extend the lifespan of the unit and put less stress on internal components. Because humidity affects how warm the air feels, your AC unit uses less power to cool dry air.

Does an AC Help With Humidity?

Your air conditioner helps reduce indoor humidity by pulling moisture from the air. This moisture condenses on the evaporator coil and drips into a collecting pan. In general, your house shouldn't feel humid with the AC running.

Why Does My Air Conditioner Feel Like It Can't Keep Up With High Humidity?

If you notice a decrease in performance of your air conditioner in high humidity, there could be a problem with the unit. Clogged drain lines, leaky ducts and frozen or dirty evaporator coils can all prevent your AC from effectively cooling humid air. You may want to call a professional for a tune-up if your air conditioner isn't keeping up with high humidity.

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How Should You Maintain Your Air Conditioner in High-Humidity Conditions?

When it comes to regular maintenance of your air conditioner, high humidity presents a few challenges. The first step of AC maintenance in high-humidity environments is to clean or change the filters regularly. Anything that obstructs airflow can reduce AC efficiency, so clean filters help improve performance. Check the refrigerant levels if your air conditioner still seems to have trouble working properly in a high-humidity environment. Low refrigerant levels could hamper the AC's ability to wick water from the air.

If everything is clean and working properly, try running your AC on low speed or setting the fan to auto. This slows the airflow and gives the evaporator coils more time to extract moisture.

What Else Can You Do to Remove Humidity and Improve AC Performance?

Humidity levels inside the home are a direct result of outdoor humidity levels. Keeping doors and windows closed while your AC is running keeps the air inside cooler and drier. If your home has chronic high humidity, check for cracks in the walls or foundation, drafty windows or insufficient door seals. Excess condensation on pipes, plumbing leaks and pooled water in basements also impact humidity levels. Sometimes a simple home repair can keep moisture out and make it easier for your AC to run efficiently.

Older systems may have more trouble dealing with high levels of humidity. In some cases, you might want to invest in a new AC unit with modern features designed to tackle excessive humidity. Mini-split systems let you maintain different temperatures in different parts of your home, and units placed high on a wall may capture more warm, moist air than traditional central air conditioners.

If your air conditioner doesn't remove enough humidity to keep you comfortable, you may want to consider getting a dehumidifier. Whole-home dehumidifiers integrate with your existing HVAC unit to pull moisture out of the air as it flows through the system. Portable dehumidifiers decrease the humidity levels in a small space, such as a single room.