Why Invest in a Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier reduces humidity, making it easier to live comfortably. Humid conditions can cause metal to rust and wood to warp. Investing in a home dehumidifier is an affordable way to protect valuable items and prevent costly damage.
A dehumidifier can also help alleviate allergies and asthma symptoms. Mold, dust mites and other allergens thrive in humid environments.
Reduce Allergies
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air and makes it more difficult for mold, mildew, dust mites, and other allergens to thrive. They also help make breathing easier on irritated lungs.
According to Healthline, high humidity levels contribute to a number of allergy dehumidifier symptoms like sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny nose. It can even cause asthma symptoms such as difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing.
Dust mites, microscopic organisms that feed on dead skin cells and can trigger allergic reactions in people, thrive in humid environments. Dehumidifiers can minimize their population by maintaining lower humidity levels.
Many homeowners struggle with a musty basement. When these conditions are left untreated, they can lead to extensive and expensive mold growth. Mold spores are among the most potent and pervasive allergens that can aggravate respiratory allergies in people. Dehumidifiers can control the growth of mold, eliminating its unpleasant odor and preventing it from becoming a health risk.
Dehumidifiers also work well to eliminate dust mites, a common allergy-triggering pest that can be found in bedding and curtains. They thrive in warm, moist areas, which can be reduced by keeping the humidity level below 50 percent with a dehumidifier. This can help relieve a number of allergy symptoms including itchy eyes and nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and hives.
Prevent Mold Growth
Mold is not only gross to look at, but it can also eat away at your home’s interior, leading to structural problems. It thrives in damp environments, and if left unchecked, can spread quickly.
High humidity is one of the biggest factors contributing to mold growth, as it encourages mold spores to settle and grow. The dehumidifier reduces the moisture in your indoor air, inhibiting mold growth.
If you have a hygrometer, you can track the relative humidity levels in your home, which helps to avoid over-humidity and prevents mold from growing. The best dehumidifiers have a handy setting that helps to ensure your home’s humidity stays at a safe level, and many of them come with timer functions that allow you to set a schedule for them to work on.
Mold needs a lot of moisture to survive and grow, which is why it tends to thrive in steamy rooms such as bathrooms or kitchens. It can even grow in places that have puddles of water or damp materials, such as old basement foundations or leaky pipes. Mold spores are also able to pull moisture straight out of the air, and the dehumidifier removes that from your indoor air, taking away one of mold’s essential resources.
Reduce Condensation
Many household items can help reduce the build-up of condensation on windows and walls. These include things such as dehumidifiers that are placed in wardrobes to remove moisture from clothes, and small tubs of sachets that are placed in drawers or cupboards to absorb excess moisture. However, these are more of a temporary solution and do not stop condensation from occurring in the first place.
Condensation occurs when warm and humid air comes into contact with a cold surface, such as window glass or poorly insulated walls. This causes the dehumidifier wholesale water within the warm air to condense into droplets of moisture that appear as condensation. Dehumidifiers work by lowering the humidity in your home so that it’s below the saturation point. Then, the dehumidifiers pull the water away from the air so it can be drained or recycled and re-used.
Having a dehumidifier in your home can prevent condensation from happening, especially during the winter when outdoor temperatures plummet compared to the warmer indoor air. Dehumidifiers can also be useful in bathrooms where moisture problems are common. This is because steam from showers and baths can recirculate inside the home, and it can increase humidity levels.
A dehumidifier can lower humidity in a bathroom by cooling the air to below the dew point temperature. This causes the air to let go of its water content, and it is collected and drained away by the machine. It is important to note that condensation dehumidifiers are less effective and energy-efficient in cooler temperatures.
Cool Your Home
Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air, which makes it feel cool. The best models are Energy Star certified, which helps reduce operating costs. They consume less energy than most refrigerators and about the same as an air conditioner.
A dehumidifier also helps prevent allergens from breeding in humid environments. These allergens include dust mites, mildew and mold. These allergens often grow in damp areas such as bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements.
The humidity level in your home should be below 50 percent to help avoid allergies and other health problems. If it’s above this level, your home will be too damp for furniture and woodwork to stay in good condition. Dampness can also cause metals to rust and warp. This can be a problem in your garage where tools, bikes and vehicles are stored. A whole house dehumidifier can reduce humidity in your garage to keep these items safe and rust-free.
Most dehumidifiers are portable units that you can move from room to room. They have a water basin that you must empty periodically. Some have a hose you can attach to drain the water in a sink or outside (depending on the model). The best dehumidifiers in CR’s ratings have indicators that light when the tank is full, and they shut off automatically when it’s time to empty.
