7 reasons you’re hot and humid

If the AC isn’t making your home as cool and comfortable as you want, the system has a problem.

Sometimes you can solve it yourself and sometimes you need a professional technician.

Easy fixes

Let’s start with the simple solutions:

• Check the filter for dirt and debris. Does it need cleaning or replacing? A sluggish AC unit doesn’t just mean warmer air; it also means more humidity, which hurts indoor air quality and creates conditions that can create bacteria, mildew and mold.

• Check the outside unit to see if debris or nearby bushes have clogged the airflow.

• Will a humidifier help the AC system get rid of that clammy feeling?

Tougher fixes

These are cases where you should call a pro.

• Your system is low on refrigerant. You need a technician trained to handle refrigerant, a toxic substance.

• The coils and other parts may need cleaning, an important preventive service that any experienced technician provides as part of a periodic maintenance agreement.

• The ducts are leaky or dirty. Leaking ducts let air escape without cooling your home; dirty ducts make the system labor to do its job. Technicians have tools that help them examine your ducts thoroughly and clean or repair any damage.

• The AC system is becoming obsolete and no longer up to the task of properly cooling and dehumidifying your home or business. AC systems tend to begin losing some of their efficiency after 10-12 years, depending on usage and maintenance.

A new AC system is costly, but you may be eligible for significant tax breaks that will make the price less painful. With a modern AC system, you also will get the benefit of new technology that improves your efficiency, lowers power bills and has less impact on the environment.

Do not buy a new system without calling a veteran AC professional to help you calculate the best size for your property.

Sometimes people assume bigger is better, but an overly large AC system uses more energy and causes more humidity. And a too-small system won’t cool your business or home properly.

Lighthouse technicians maintain and install commercial and residential AC equipment.