The science of air moisture and why it matters for summer sluggishness

One of the most misunderstood parts of indoor comfort is humidity.

I've had customers tell me, The thermostat says 72°F, so why do I still feel exhausted and uncomfortable?

The answer is often somewhere in the air moisture.

When summer humidity is high, sweat doesn't evaporate as efficiently. Your body has a harder time releasing heat, and a room can feel warmer and heavier than its temperature reading suggests.

But there's another side to it. Extremely dry air isn't necessarily comfortable either. That's why I always tell people not to chase a single humidity number without considering the entire room.

The AC plays an important role because it can remove moisture while cooling the air. However, an oversized system may cool the room quickly and shut off before it has enough runtime to remove as much moisture as you'd want.

That's one reason I look at system sizing, cycling, airflow, and humidity together when troubleshooting summer comfort.

After years in this trade, I've learned that temperature is only one piece of the comfort puzzle.

Sometimes the room doesn't need to be colder. It needs to be less humid and better balanced.