The Benefits of a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier may help if you have damp stains on your ceilings or walls or rooms that feel stuffy. It also decreases the moisture that supports allergens like dust mites, mold and mildew.
A dehumidifier pulls water molecules out of the air, which collects in a storage tank and cools down. The resulting greywater can be used to water plants or other household needs.
1. Reduces Moisture
The main purpose of a dehumidifier is to remove moisture from the air. These boxy appliances suck the air, running it over cold coils to cause condensation, which is then collected in a receptacle or directed outside via a hose. This reduces the humidity in the air, allowing you to control mold growth and other problems caused by excess moisture.
Generally speaking, humidity should stay below 50% – that’s the Goldilocks number that helps keep skin comfortable, prevents damage to walls and woodwork and keeps dust mites at bay. If your relative humidity is consistently above that mark, you should consider getting a dehumidifier.
There are many models of dehumidifiers to choose from, including those for single rooms, basements and entire homes. Some have a water tank, while others can drain away the water in the form of a continuous hose that runs to a designated spot outdoors or through your home’s plumbing system. You may also want to choose a model that can run on either hot or cold water, depending on your needs and your location’s climate.
Keeping the humidity in your home at the right level can help you avoid expensive repairs, stay healthier and save energy. You can get dehumidifiers at dehumidifier most appliance and home supply stores, as well as at many department and general retailers.
2. Reduces Allergens
A dehumidifier makes your home less hospitable to mold, mildew, and dust mites. These allergens thrive in humid environments, and they can trigger allergies, infections, and other problems. Dehumidifiers reduce a home’s humidity to the level that prevents these problems, making the environment less hospitable to allergens.
Mold requires moisture to grow, and it grows best on surfaces like drywall or grout. As it grows, mold releases spores into the air. When spores enter the respiratory system of someone who is sensitive to mold, they cause symptoms such as a runny nose and itchy eyes.
Mildew also thrives in damp climates and is a common cause of allergies. A dehumidifier can help control mildew by keeping the relative humidity of the home below 50 percent.
A dehumidifier can be used in conjunction with an air purifier to combat allergy symptoms and to make a room more comfortable. An air purifier circulates a home’s air through a filter to remove smoke, dust, pollen, and other irritants. Some are portable while others are built into a home’s HVAC system. Both types of units can be found at most home supply stores and other specialty retailers. They can cost anywhere from under $200 for a small, portable unit to $2,000 for a whole-home system that is built into a home’s HVAC system.
3. Reduces Insects
Many household pests, including centipedes, millipedes, silverfish, cockroaches and moisture ants, thrive in moist environments. Running a dehumidifier can help reduce their numbers by depriving them of the water they need to survive.
In addition, a dehumidifier removes moisture from the air, which reduces the risk of mold growth. This is important because many items in the home can be harmed by mold, such as vinyl records (which can become unplayable) and wool clothing. A dehumidifier can also help protect furniture, artwork and woodwork from damage by removing excess moisture.
A dehumidifier can also be helpful in controlling insect pests dehumidifier like springtails, camel crickets and psocids (commonly known as booklice). These insects are attracted to moist environments, and a dehumidifier can help control their populations by making the environment less favorable for them to live in.
A dehumidifier can be a great investment for any home, particularly in areas that tend to have high humidity levels, such as basements and bathrooms. However, if excess humidity is caused by a leaky roof or clogged gutters, these problems should be addressed before installing a dehumidifier. If you choose to use a dehumidifier, be sure to empty the bucket frequently as it may contain some greywater, which can be used to water houseplants and other plants around the home. A dehumidifier is a convenient way to reduce humidity in the home and can improve comfort for the entire family.
4. Reduces Damage
Dehumidifiers can prevent and mitigate water damage, which saves money in the long run. Water can cause a host of problems, including rotting wood, warped flooring and mold growth. These issues can be costly to repair and may require a professional to remediate. The longer a problem is allowed to continue, the more serious and costly it becomes. A dehumidifier can help nip a problem in the bud before it becomes too severe, especially when used in conjunction with other measures like using an extractor fan or opening windows when taking a shower.
A dehumidifier will draw moisture out of the air and deposit it into a collection bucket. Depending on the model you choose, the collected water can either be emptied into a sink or sent outside via a hose (there are units that do both). The collected moisture is considered greywater and is safe for landscaping or watering houseplants.
In addition to preventing the growth of mildew and mold, dehumidifiers can reduce allergens that contribute to allergies such as dust mites. These critters thrive in moist environments and can trigger asthma flare-ups and exacerbate other health conditions. The reduced humidity also makes it less likely that you’ll develop an odor issue in your home, as odors tend to spread throughout humid areas.
