Brevard County runs 60% to 80% relative humidity for half the year. That's not just uncomfortable — it has real effects on the air inside your home.
What high indoor humidity actually does:
- Encourages mold growth on bathroom walls, behind furniture, inside ductwork, and around windows - Feeds dust mites, which thrive above 50% relative humidity (and trigger allergies and asthma) - Makes the air feel hotter than it is, so you push the AC harder than necessary - Causes condensation on cold surfaces (toilet tanks, single-pane windows, exposed ducts) - Slows down drying of just about everything — wet floors, laundry, recently-cleaned upholstery
The first thing to check: your AC's job is half cooling, half dehumidifying.
A properly-sized and well-maintained AC pulls a surprising amount of water out of the air. If your AC is running and the indoor humidity is still above 60%, one of these is usually true:
- The system is oversized for your home and short-cycles (cools fast, never pulls enough moisture) - The evaporator coil or condenser coil is dirty enough that the system can't dehumidify effectively - The ductwork has leaks in unconditioned spaces (attic), pulling humid air into the supply - The blower fan is set to "on" instead of "auto," recirculating moisture from the coil back into the home
Things you can fix yourself:
- Switch the fan setting from "on" to "auto" - Replace the air filter monthly during humid months - Run bathroom exhaust fans during showers and for 15 minutes after - Run kitchen range hood during cooking - Don't dry laundry indoors
Things a cleaning service can fix:
- Dirty outdoor condenser coil (we clean these) - Dirty registers and grilles trapping moisture - Mold or biological growth visible in ducts or registers - Lint-clogged dryer vent dumping humid air back into the laundry room
Things that need a licensed HVAC contractor:
- Refrigerant charge problems - Oversized or undersized AC - Internal evaporator coil cleaning - New equipment
Where a dehumidifier helps:
For homes where the AC is doing its job correctly but indoor humidity is still high, a whole-home dehumidifier (separate from the AC) is the cleanest fix. They tie into your existing ductwork and run independently of the cooling cycle. Cost ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 installed, which is HVAC-contractor work.
Where to start if you're not sure:
Buy a $15 humidity meter (hygrometer) and put it in your most-lived-in room. Check it for a week. If it consistently reads above 60% with the AC running, you have one of the problems above and it's worth chasing down.