The Benefits of a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier helps control dampness and the problems it causes in your home. These machines help you reduce mold, dust mites and other triggers that aggravate allergies and asthma.
Most dehumidifiers have a reservoir you need to empty regularly, and some let you hook up a hose so the water drains directly into a floor drain or sink. Look for the amount of water removed per day and the wattage consumed when shopping for a model.
Reduces Humidity
A dehumidifier helps to keep humidity in check, which can prevent damage to wood, wallpaper, paint and even furniture. Too much humidity in a room can lead to rot, mildew and mould growth as well as condensation on windows. The moisture in the air also promotes the growth of dust mites, which can trigger asthma and other breathing issues.
When you use a dehumidifier, it pulls water out of the air and deposits it in a bucket or tray at the bottom of the unit. The collected water is called greywater and can be used to water houseplants and flowers or can be recycled back into the system. dehumidifier You should keep the dehumidifier away from sources of excessive dust or dirt, as it will quickly clog and will not function properly.
You can also reduce the amount of moisture in your home by prompting repair of leaky plumbing and faucets, patching cracks in walls and ceilings and by ensuring that gutters are free of debris. Keeping humidity in check will prevent moisture from settling in dark corners, where mold and mildew can grow.
You may notice signs of excess moisture in your home, such as wet stains on walls or ceilings, peeling wallpaper and blistering paint, rotting and weakened wood, musty smells and condensation on windows. A dehumidifier can help to eliminate these problems and restore your home’s comfort level.
Prevents Mold Growth
Mold growth is a problem for homes and businesses alike. Not only does it damage structures by causing wood to rot, but it also poses a health risk and can lead to respiratory distress. If you have a humidity problem, a dehumidifier can be a lifesaver by helping to prevent the spread of mold in your home.
Mold spores are always present in the air, but they only become problematic when they find a hospitable environment where they can grow and thrive. This is why areas that are often damp or have high moisture levels like basements, bathrooms and kitchens are prime spots for unwanted growth. The spores can even travel throughout your house, latching onto clothing or shoes and then entering through open doors, windows and vents.
Mold can be a tough opponent to combat, as it requires three essential components to thrive – warmth, food and water. A dehumidifier helps to keep the moisture level in your home below the optimal threshold for preventing mold, as it removes excess moisture from the air and prevents condensation. This helps to halt mold and mildew growth in its tracks before it has the chance to cause serious problems. While a dehumidifier won’t solve the dehumidifier vendors root cause of the moisture problem, such as a leaky pipe or poor rainwater drainage, it can help to mitigate the damage and prevent future problems while you seek a permanent fix.
Reduces Allergens
Allergies are unpleasant enough, but they can become dangerous if the triggering allergens like mold, mildew, and dust mites are allowed to thrive in your home. The good news is that a dehumidifier can prevent these allergens from growing by removing excess moisture from the air.
Mold, mildew, and dust mites all love humid environments. They can grow and release spores that trigger allergic reactions in people. Fortunately, these microscopic organisms cannot survive well in dry climates. This makes dehumidification an allergy sufferer’s secret weapon.
When relative humidity is in the range of 30-50%, these allergens are unable to grow. However, dehumidifiers can help to keep this level constant throughout your house by removing excess moisture from the air. You can monitor the air’s moisture content with a device called a hygrometer, which is available at hardware stores and online.
A dehumidifier can make it easy to keep indoor humidity levels below 50%, which inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and dust mites. It is also a good level to achieve for allergy relief because it prevents excessively dry air, which can also irritate nasal passages and exacerbate allergy symptoms. If you’re suffering from chronic allergies in Philadelphia or surrounding areas of Bryn Mawr, Conshohocken, Jenkintown, Kensington, Havertown, or Ardmore, contact Penn Medicine Becker ENT & Allergy to learn more about how an air dehumidifier can improve your life.
Frees Up Your Breathing
Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air and decrease the environment in which mold can thrive. Mold spores are one of the most common triggers for asthma, and dehumidifiers can help reduce them.
Humid air can also wreak havoc on many household items. For instance, vinyl records, often kept as collector’s items, can be ruined by humidity, rendering them unusable and reducing their value for resale. In addition, clothes and other fabrics may suffer from excessive moisture, resulting in mildew and a musty smell. By removing excess moisture, a dehumidifier can prevent these problems and keep your home looking better and smelling fresher.
While some people with asthma are afraid of dehumidifiers because they can cause the air to become too dry, experts say that this is unlikely. An aerosol scientist and faculty member at Harvard University, David Edwards, explains that while high humidity may aggravate asthma symptoms, dry air is actually more problematic.
Dehumidifiers can also improve the efficiency of your air conditioner by reducing the amount of moisture in the air. This makes the AC work less hard to cool your home, extending its life and helping you save money on energy bills. In addition, a dehumidifier can reduce the amount of dust in your home, making it easier to clean and lowering the risk of respiratory illnesses.
