You probably hear the term “humidity” from your local weatherman a lot if you live near the equator or a seaside area.
But regardless of where you are, you have undoubtedly felt it: that heavy, humid sensation that permeates the air, often when it is wet, foggy, or hot outdoors.
It may appear to dampen everything, including your mood, and cause your hair to become frizzy.
Most of the time, when individuals complain about humidity, they are referring about relative humidity.
A specific quantity of water vapor may be held in air depending on temperature; relative humidity is the proportion of real vapor to this fixed amount.
For instance, one cubic meter (35 cubic feet) of air can store around 18 grams (.6 ounces) of water at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).
This would be a saturation condition, often known as a relative humidity of 100%.
That much language is used to explain a humidity level that may be quite unpleasant for many individuals.
Your house may feel stuffy and even begin to smell musty if this humidity penetrates inside.
Beyond these minor drawbacks, excessive humidity might also have some more substantial ones.
A house with excessive humidity risks losing its structural integrity, attracting centipedes and other pests, and even putting you at risk of illness.
The best relative humidity range for a residence with an average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit is between 30 and 50 percent.
A dehumidifier can be useful if you’re having trouble getting to that range.
Dehumidifiers reduce excess moisture in the air, enhancing indoor comfort and safety.
You’ll discover what kinds of dehumidifiers are available in this article, along with tips on how to make the most of the one you already own.
But before, continue reading on the next page to learn precisely how a dehumidifier works.
Basics of Dehumidifiers
Just picture yourself sipping a drink on a hot day.
You could notice that the can is damp when you pick it up since the exterior is covered with moisture.
How come? As heat is lost from the air, so does its capacity to hold moisture; the cooler surface draws and gathers moisture from the warmer air, resulting in condensation.
Your dehumidifier does much the same task.
The majority of dehumidifiers have five basic parts:
- FanCompressor: This cools the dehumidifier’s coils by compressing and expanding a refrigerant gas, such as freon. (A more thorough description of this cycle may be found in How Air Conditioners Work.)
- Reheater: This device gathers and holds the heat produced by the cooling process.
- Coils For Cooling Compressors
- Reservoir
How do these components function as a whole to draw moisture from the air? It’s quite easy to do yet highly powerful:
- Air from the surroundings is drawn into the dehumidifier by a fan.
- The cooled coils of the dehumidifier are in touch with the air as it flows through. Condensation is used by these coils to draw moisture out of the air. The accumulated moisture drops into the dehumidifier’s reservoir from the coils and stays there.
- The air is reheated by the dehumidifier before being exhausted back into the space.
A dehumidifier often features a detachable plastic bucket that serves as a reservoir.
Most of these buckets have a spot where a hose may be connected, allowing the water to be collected to flow directly into a floor drain or pump.
You no longer need to remember to empty the water, thanks to this.
The majority of dehumidifiers also include an automated shut-off, so you shouldn’t worry too much about the reservoir overflowing.
However, if you need to use a dehumidifier constantly or in particularly humid environments, you should choose a model with an integrated condensate pump.
This pump continuously removes water from the unit’s reservoir rather than letting gravity empty it like a hose would.
A humidistat, which is a feature found on many dehumidifiers, enables you to adjust the appropriate relative humidity level.
A sensor element and a relay amplifier make up a humidistat.
Changes in relative humidity will result in electrical resistance between the sensor element’s two alternative metal conductors.
This resistance is measured by the relay amplifier, which then transmits a signal to the dehumidifier to turn it on or off.
These fundamental parts combine to create a gadget that might significantly improve the atmosphere in your house.
It’s time to study about various dehumidifier types now that you are familiar with the fundamentals of dehumidifier technology.
Which option could be ideal for you? Find out by reading on.
What is the distinction?
Could your air conditioner also aid in lowering the humidity in your house? If you have air conditioning, it works like a dehumidifier by drawing warm air in and allowing it to circulate over cool coils.
It keeps your room cold by not reheating the air before expelling it; this is the difference.
Furthermore, because your air conditioner has no humidistat, it can only measure temperature and cannot measure relative humidity.
It could cease operating after your house is cooled to the temperature you find comfortable.
This might cause the humidity to rise once again, giving the impression that it is hotter inside your home than it really is.
Dehumidifier Types
Desiccant dehumidifiers also work effectively to keep a place dry, while refrigerative dehumidifiers may be the most well-known.
These dehumidifiers, as their name suggests, draw in air and pass it through a desiccant substance like silica gel.
Because desiccants naturally absorb moisture, you’ll sometimes discover little sachets of silica gel in brand-new footwear or electronics.
Desiccant dehumidifiers are really the best technology for sub-zero temperatures since they don’t need to chill the air before dehumidifying it.
Dehumidifiers primarily differ in size and power since the technology that powers them is so straightforward and efficient.
The sort of portable dehumidifiers you often see in the home improvement section are frequently made of plastic, are reasonably priced, and are quite portable.
They are made to be most useful in compact rooms, such a bedroom or kitchen.
Heavy-duty, tough devices, restoration humidifiers are often employed to restore extensive water damage brought on by hurricanes or other natural catastrophes.
Whole-house dehumidifiers, which are the biggest versions available, often supplement an existing HVAC system in a house.
To install one of them, you’ll need to employ an expert.
Additionally, some manufacturers have developed powerful dehumidifiers that are aimed at the high humidity produced by certain indoor pools and spas as well as crawlspace dehumidifiers that are precisely designed to combat the dampness in storage places.
Whichever kind of dehumidifier you choose, it might contribute to a little bit greener living in your house.
Find out how by reading on.
Considerable Alternatives
If you don’t have a dehumidifier and need to dry up a very tiny area (like a closet or small crawlspace), try using some silica gel.
Frequently found at pet supply shops and home improvement stores, this moisture-absorbing material.
You may reuse it by simply heating the crystals in the sun or an oven.
Even some silica gel products have the ability to change color, letting you know when they need further heating.
A Dehumidifier’s Use
A portable dehumidifier may use up to 160 kWh per month, which is more than what your refrigerator uses.
In contrast to the typical air conditioner, which consumes roughly 300 kWh per month, it does use less energy.
Additionally, keeping your house dryer may encourage you to use the thermostat less, which might contribute to reduced total energy usage, since high relative humidity distorts our perception of temperature.
Work on improving your dehumidifier’s efficiency if you want to cut your energy costs and environmental impact.
Keep your doors and windows closed while it runs, don’t leave it on all day, and set the humidistat to a sensible setting (50 percent rather than 30 percent).
If your dehumidifier does not have a top-mounted discharge, make sure it is located far enough away from walls and furniture to allow for unrestricted air flow.
Most dehumidifiers release air from the top of the machine.
Keep it away from areas where there is a lot of dust or dirt since this may easily clog the machine.
Additionally, to keep your dehumidifier running as effectively as possible, be sure to frequently inspect and clean the filter.
You may be able to recycle the water that your dehumidifier gathers in addition to conserving electricity.
Greywater is the water that collects in the dehumidifier’s bucket.
Because it is less saline than tap water, it may be ideal for watering houseplants and flowers even if it is not safe for human consumption.
To find out whether there are any limitations on utilizing greywater in your location, you should first inquire.
Although owning a dehumidifier has numerous advantages, there are also some possible drawbacks.
One factor that can be a problem is expense.
Or maybe you just don’t like having a pail of water lying around your house.
Whatever your concerns, it’s important to consider if you really need a dehumidifier before making the purchase.
The following advice might assist you in making that choice.
Would A Dehumidifier Be Useful?
Start out by looking around your house.
The most obvious signs of too much humidity can include damp spots on your walls and ceilings, weakened and decaying wood, mildew and fungus, condensation on your windows, wallpaper that is peeling or paint that is blistering, and a general musty, stuffy smell.
There are other less visible indications of humidity in addition to those, so keep an eye out for them as well.
For instance, if your doors, cabinets, or windows are sticking or if your floors are extremely creaky, you may want to consider buying a dehumidifier.
Wood expands as a result of moisture absorption.
This weakens your home’s structural integrity by separating joints, loosing screws and nails, and generally.
Even though your creaky stairs may just be a minor annoyance right now, if dampness is the root of the problem, things can become worse.
Dehumidifiers may also lessen the impact of common allergies to mold, fungus, and dust mites since these allergens can thrive in homes with excessive moisture.
Even if you don’t have allergies, you should think about obtaining a dehumidifier since it will stop mold from growing in your home.
Mold may establish itself in your house as soon as one of its airborne spores comes into contact with a surface that is sufficiently wet to support its growth.
Your home’s mold issue might lead to catastrophic sickness.
Mold is difficult to get rid of once it appears, and it may permanently harm or taint anything it choose to reside on.
The simplest approach is to just prevent it from appearing at all.
A dehumidifier may also be used to prevent insects from relocating into your home.
A damp atmosphere is ideal for centipedes, silverfish, roaches, spiders, and spider webs.
You may evict those undesirable renters by maintaining a somewhat dry atmosphere within your property.
Additionally, utilizing a dehumidifier may help you breathe easier and get a better night’s sleep if you have a cold or a really nasty, clogged cough.
As you can see, there are a lot of justifications for utilizing a dehumidifier.
The links on the following page will take you to further information on these devices and related subjects.
Taking Precautions
There are certain things you can take to prevent humidity from harming your home even if you don’t have a dehumidifier.
Patch foundation cracks in your house immediately, fix leaking faucets and plumbing, and make an effort to keep your gutters clear.
By doing this, moisture intrusion into your house may be avoided.
Try turning on an exhaust fan or opening a window in places like the kitchen or bathroom, which are notoriously high-humidity rooms, before you cook or take a shower.
