Corbett Cooling

08/08/2026

08/07/2026

Setting your air conditioner too cold raises relative humidity and chills indoor surfaces. This creates a moist environment that feeds mold and causes musty smells, even though the house feels colder.Why Colder Air Holds More Relative MoistureLower capacity: Cold air holds less water v***r than warm air.Higher humidity: Cooling room air from 77°F to 72°F pushes relative humidity from 50% to roughly 59%.Surface chill: Cold walls and vents create localized damp spots where mold grows.How AC Systems Control HumidityRun time: Systems need long cycles to pull water from the air.Airflow: Proper setup ensures the cooling coils stay cold enough to collect condensation.System size: Correct sizing matters more than a low thermostat setting.

08/07/2026

Why Setting Your AC Too Cold Can Make Your Home Feel Damp or Musty
It seems logical that setting an air conditioner to 72°F instead of 77°F should make the house drier. But comfort and moisture control are more complicated than temperature alone. Southwest Florida homes, are designed for 77⁰ at 50% relative humidity. That is the center of the comfort zone. At that combination, the air feels cool because perspiration ev***rates readily, while the indoor environment remains dry enough to discourage musty odors and microbial growth.
Here's the important part: relative humidity depends on temperature.
Suppose the air in your home is 77°F at 50% relative humidity. If you cool that same air to 72°F , its relative humidity rises to roughly 59%. The amount of water in the air hasn't increased—the colder air simply has less capacity to hold water v***r.
That puts the house much closer to the humidity range where problems can develop.
In addition, colder thermostat settings make surfaces colder. Supply registers, ductwork, walls near diffusers, closets, furniture and other surfaces can approach temperatures where their surface relative humidity becomes very high, even though the thermostat may show a lower whole-house temperature reading.
That's where the familiar Florida musty smell can begin.
Mold doesn't simply respond to the thermostat temperature. It responds strongly to moisture available at the surface where it's growing. Sustained indoor relative humidity above about 60%, and especially high surface humidity, substantially increases the opportunity for mold and mildew growth. Especially inside ducts and in walls.
There's another HVAC issue involved. An air conditioner removes moisture most effectively when it has the correct airflow, sufficiently long cooling cycles and an appropriately sized system. Simply turning the thermostat colder isn't the same thing as controlling humidity. Depending on the equipment, airflow, cycling and outdoor conditions, you can end up with a colder house that has a moisture problem.
The goal isn't the coldest house. It's the right temperature AND humidity.
77°F / ~50% RH = cool, comfortable and dry
72°F / same moisture content ≈ 59% RH = colder, but considerably more humid relative to the air temperature
That's why we tell customers to pay attention to humidity as well as temperature. In Southwest Florida, controlling moisture is every bit as important as making cold air.
Comfort isn't just a temperature.

08/01/2026

Does installing your air conditioner under the shade help cool your house faster? HVAC pros say it’s not worth the hassle.