Florida is notorious for its muggy subtropical climate, which can leave homeowners feeling sticky even when the AC is on full blast. Rising cooling costs make the humidity even less tolerable. When their investment in comfort doesn’t pay off, many homeowners wonder if they can improve their cooling system’s performance without a complete overhaul. These people often turn to smart thermostats as a solution.
Smart thermostats are essentially controllers that can improve cooling performance indirectly. They work by sensing the moisture concentration in the air, then adjust your AC or HVAC system to achieve your cooling preferences.
If you’ve been wondering whether a smart thermostat can actually help control indoor humidity, the answer is generally “yes,” if you get the right one. The improvement you experience will depend on the type of thermostat you choose and the capabilities of your AC or HVAC system. Below, we’ll discuss how you can use a smart thermostat to help reduce your indoor humidity levels and enhance your comfort at home.
Quick Takeaways
- Smart thermostats lower humidity indirectly by helping your HVAC system remove airborne moisture more effectively.
- Most modern smart thermostats that monitor indoor humidity levels will also automate humidity control.
- Smart thermostats work by adjusting your HVAC system’s cooling or fan settings to reduce moisture levels.
- Smart thermostats can also work with whole home dehumidifiers to optimize moisture control.
- High humidity often points to AC performance issues that may require repair.
- Professional thermostat installation helps maximize comfort, energy efficiency, and effective humidity reduction.
The Short Answer: Yes, But Indirectly
Smart thermostats help lower humidity, but they can’t do it alone. These devices can’t extract moisture from the air, but they can use sensors, algorithms, and signals to help your AC, HVAC system, or dehumidifier do the job more effectively. This is why we say that smart thermostats provide indirect moisture control.
During their cooling cycle, ACs and HVAC systems automatically pull moisture out of the air as their evaporator coils capture moisture. Smart thermostats use sensors to continuously monitor humidity levels, then tell your system how to respond. This makes humidity control more exact, so you get lasting comfort.
If the air is too humid, the thermostat ensures the cooling cycle continues until the system achieves the target moisture level, even if it makes the room a few degrees colder. This allows more moisture to condense out of the air and drain away. In a similar manner, smart thermostats can also integrate with whole-home dehumidifiers to control moisture.
How Smart Thermostats Help Control Humidity
Did you know that smart thermostats help control humidity by acting as the “brain” of your HVAC system? Here’s how they do the job:
They Monitor Indoor Humidity Levels
Smart thermostats have built-in humidity sensors called hygrometers that measure relative humidity (RH), a ratio of moisture to temperature, in real time. These capacitive or resistive electric sensors constantly test the air to track moisture levels. Usually, the actual and target moisture levels get displayed on a screen, and the thermostat automatically adjusts your HVAC system to keep humidity levels on target.
They Adjust Cooling Cycles More Efficiently
If you try to keep your humidity low without a smart thermostat, chances are that your AC or HVAC system will burn up a lot of energy trying to keep up. If you use a smart thermostat to control humidity, it can adjust your cooling cycle automatically to run longer and improve dehumidification.
When your AC or HVAC system runs a normal cycle, the compressor may shut off before the evaporator coil has removed an ideal amount of moisture from the air. If you use a conventional thermostat that registers temperature only, you will have to set the temperature colder than you normally would to keep the humidity low. This can waste energy and make your home uncomfortable.
If you run a normal cycle at your desired temperature, your system’s evaporator coils may be wet when the cycle ends. If the fan continues to blow, the moisture will end up back in the air through a process called re-evaporation and make the air feel damp.
Temperature-only thermostat settings don’t account for humidity levels, so if the air is mild but moist, it can feel clammy. Comfort settings account for both relative humidity and temperature, allowing the system to run longer to remove moisture at a “feels like” temperature that optimizes comfort and saves energy.
Frequently, “feels like” adjustments slow down the fan speed to keep evaporator coils cool enough to continuously extract moisture without lowering the temperature, while “cool to dehumidify” or “overcool” features work by lowering the temperature a few degrees to extend the cooling cycle.
They Work With Compatible HVAC Equipment
Smart thermostats are usually wired directly into the control board of your HVAC system or dehumidifier, although some may work using WiFi. To work, your smart thermostat must be able to communicate with your HVAC equipment by sending electric or wireless signals to your system. These signals automate dehumidification by adjusting the system’s fan or temperature settings to control the climate.
Homes with conventional ACs and HVAC systems that can’t monitor and control humidity and may experience temperature swings and higher energy bills. If you’re able to use a smart thermostat with a variable-speed system, you’ll likely use less energy to maintain your ideal state of comfort.
What Smart Thermostats Cannot Do
Smart thermostats make wonderful precision controllers for your HVAC system, but their capabilities are limited. These devices can’t remove moisture by themselves, and they can’t make a faulty AC or HVAC system better at dehumidification.
• If you have an oversized air conditioner that shuts off before it dehumidifies the air, extending its cooling cycle with a smart thermostat will likely not be enough to dry things out. Also, smart thermostats can’t fix airflow problems caused by clogged air filters, blocked vents, or leaky ductwork.
• If your system has too much or too little refrigerant, it will struggle to cool your home. Smart thermostats can’t dehumidify the air when your refrigerant levels are causing your system to underperform.
• When humidity levels stay high for weeks or months at a time, standard AC units may not be able to pull enough moisture out of the air. Instead, you may need to connect a smart thermostat to a dedicated whole-home dehumidifier to perform the extraction.
Signs Humidity Is Too High In Your Home
When the humidity is too high in your home, chances are you’ll know it right away. As soon as moisture levels climb above 50%, your skin may start to feel sticky or clammy, and the air might feel thick, swampy, and unusually warm. You may also notice a fog or little droplets of water condensing on your windows or metal window frames.
If high humidity persists, a stale, musty odor may develop in poorly ventilated spaces. Mold or mildew may also start growing in your bathroom or kitchen or along your walls or ceilings, where moisture can’t evaporate.
High humidity can aggravate your allergies, make it hard to cool down, and impair your breathing. This can lead to lack of focus and irritability in daytime and restless, poor sleep at night. For most people, maintaining a comfortable humidity level at home is key to enjoying a good quality of life.
Can Smart Thermostats Help Lower Humidity in Florida Homes?
Smart thermostats can help Florida homeowners actively manage humidity at home and enjoy comfort inside year-round. Florida’s long cooling season usually starts in April and ends in late October, lasting over six months. Temperatures frequently reach the low 90s, and tropical weather patterns keep the dew point high.
Since Niceville and the Florida Panhandle area are near the Gulf of Mexico, residents often experience oppressive humidity throughout the year. Relative humidity can easily climb above 60% and make staying inside unhealthy and uncomfortable.
When paired with a properly sized and functioning AC, HVAC system, or dehumidifier, smart thermostats can optimize moisture removal. A properly calibrated smart thermostat can help your system dehumidify your home without overcooling it or wasting energy. This means your home will stay consistently pleasant to be in, no matter the season.
When Humidity Problems Are Really AC Problems
As we mentioned, to work well at controlling humidity, smart thermostats must be paired with well-functioning HVAC equipment. If you’re still experiencing high humidity levels after installing a smart thermostat, these issues may be to blame:
Oversized AC systems: An oversized AC will cool the air quickly and shut off before it dehumidifies the air.- Dirty evaporator coils: Dirty coils will slow down heat transfer and prevent them cooling down enough to pull water vapor out of the air.
- Low refrigerant: If refrigerant levels drop, your evaporator coil will cool the air quickly but leave moisture behind, making the air cold and damp.
- Duct leaks: Leaky ducts can pull warm, moist outside air directly into your home, causing it to mix with conditioned air. In response, your AC or HVAC system may overwork and lose its cooling and dehumidifying capabilities.
- Restricted airflow: Clogged filters and blocked vents can trap moisture inside your home and make it more difficult for your system to dehumidify the air.
- Short cycling: If your AC or HVAC system shuts off too soon, it won’t extract moisture from the air effectively.
When high indoor humidity levels persist, homeowners often blame the thermostat when the AC or HVAC system is the real issue. Since the thermostat acts as the primary control interface, it’s easy to think it’s malfunctioning, even when the HVAC equipment is the root cause of the issue. If your AC can’t effectively pull moisture from the air, a thermostat will never be able to achieve your target humidity level.
Smart Thermostat Features That Help With Humidity Control
Smart thermostats are designed with a range of special features that enable them to effectively control your home’s moisture levels. These features include:
- Indoor humidity monitoring: Smart thermostats can use built-in sensors, called hygrometers, to constantly track relative humidity (RH) in your home in real time.
- Dehumidification settings: When indoor moisture levels exceed your preferred setpoint (usually 40%–50%), the thermostat will use an overcooling or comfort setting to dehumidify the air.
- Variable-speed equipment compatibility: Smart thermostats that integrate with variable-speed HVAC systems can control fan blower speeds. By slowing the fan down during a cooling cycle, the evaporator coil will stay cool and continue to remove water vapor from the air.
- Smart scheduling: Some smart thermostats let you schedule a range of humidity thresholds depending on the season or time of day. This can help prevent your system from overworking while maintaining a reasonable level of comfort in your home.
- Remote system adjustments: If you’re away from home, you can use an app to check on your humidity levels and adjust its settings manually, as needed.
- Energy usage reports: Dehumidifying the air often requires running longer cooling cycles. Energy usage reports can help you track your energy consumption and power optimize your system’s settings to increase efficiency.
Is A Smart Thermostat Worth It For Humidity Control?
For Florida homeowners who suffer from muggy indoor air, smart thermostats can be a worthwhile investment for humidity control. These tools are a lower-cost alternative to a residential dehumidifier, and they can also work with dehumidifiers to make them more effective.
By utilizing built-in sensors and algorithms, smart thermostats actively stabilize fluctuating indoor moisture levels to keep the space more comfortable. As a bonus, they can also improve energy efficiency, resulting in lower utility bills.
Homeowners who are upgrading their HVAC control systems may find that installing a smart thermostat is an easy, cost-effective way to improve their quality of life. However, it’s important to realize that this equipment is a helpful supplemental tool for better air quality, not a cure-all solution for high indoor humidity. A smart thermostat can’t remove moisture from air on its own, and it can’t compensate for deficiencies in your HVAC system, like improper sizing, poor airflow, or low refrigerant levels.
FAQ
Can a smart thermostat lower humidity in my house?
Yes, a smart thermostat can lower the humidity in your house indirectly by helping your HVAC system pull excess moisture out of the air. The thermostat uses built-in sensors to track indoor humidity levels, then adjusts your HVAC system’s cooling cycle or fan speed to enhance the moisture extraction process.
Do all smart thermostats monitor humidity?
While all smart thermostats are engineered to respond to temperature, they must also include specialized sensors and algorithms to effectively monitor humidity. Moisture sensors can vary by model; most smart thermostats use capacitive sensors to measure relative humidity (RH) in the air.
Others use less accurate resistive sensors to do the job. The thermostat works by comparing the sensor’s reading to your preferred settings, then directing your HVAC system to dehumidify the air as needed.
What indoor humidity level should my home be?
To maximize comfort and protect your health and property, the EPA recommends keeping your home’s indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50%. Maintaining this range suppresses the growth of biological pathogens like bacteria, viruses, dust mites, and spores. It also protects your home’s structure and furnishings from rot, warping, mold growth, and deterioration.
Can a smart thermostat replace a dehumidifier?
A smart thermostat uses your HVAC system to regulate humidity as a side effect of its cooling function. This means that if your air is already cool, but still humid, your air conditioner will have to overcool it to remove additional moisture. To extract moisture from the air when temperatures are mild, you’ll need a dedicated dehumidifier to dry the air without chilling it.
Why is my house humid even with a smart thermostat?
If you’re using a smart thermostat, but your house still feels humid, an underlying issue with your air conditioner could be to blame. If your AC is oversized, it could be cooling the air without running long enough to pull out moisture. Problems like low refrigerant levels, poor airflow, incorrect fan settings, re-evaporation, and leaky ductwork can also affect your system’s ability to dehumidify the air.
Enjoy Crisp, Cool Air At Home With a Smart Thermostat From Niceville One Hour
If you’re dealing with sticky house syndrome, you can restore comfort with the right HVAC setup. The pros at Niceville One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating provide professional smart thermostat and HVAC installation services throughout Niceville and the Florida Panhandle.
Our team can help you choose a thermostat that monitors humidity, manages moisture, and works seamlessly with your HVAC system to improve comfort in your home. We’re always on time or you don’t pay a dime, so call us for service today!