Humidity is prevalent during the hot and summer months when the air contains more moisture. Some of the unwanted consequences could be fungus and mold developing on your wall surfaces, a genuinely awful musty odor, and an elevated chance of respiratory problems. Looking for a solution to resolve such a significant humidity problem in your home? Then you may want to consider investing in a dehumidifier! Some of the best ways to regulate humidity levels are by heating and ventilation, furthermore, humidifiers and dehumidifiers prevent the air from becoming too dry. Continue reading this article to know more about the benefits of putting a dehumidifier in your home.
There are a lot of factors that could hinder you to achieve a nice and comfortable atmosphere in your living space. One reason could be a humid problem, a soaring or enveloping moisture, which may result from cooking or drying laundry inside your home. Too much humidity has the possibility of damaging not only your and your loved ones’ health but also your home. Examples of these are water stains that are noticeable on the ceilings or walls, some rooms that could have developed a musty odor, black spots that can be observed on the walls, ceilings, or in the bathroom sink or bathtubs, and the windows that have condensation on them.
Here are the signs that you need to improve the humidity level in your living space:
- You are having trouble breathing. High levels of humidity in the home can frequently trigger allergy or asthma symptoms such as difficulty breathing and coughing. Moreover, too little humidity can also cause a variety of respiratory illnesses.
- You are not getting enough sleep. Consider your air quality if you have observed yourself repeatedly turning and tossing during your bedtime. According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, either too much or not enough humidity level in your bedroom can disrupt your sleep. When the air is too humid, your body must exert extra effort to dry up moisture from the air in order to refresh itself. As a consequence, you may find it difficult to fall and sleep through the night. Inhaling in dry air can aggravate your throat and cause wheezing or coughing.
- You cannot seem to stop perspiring inside your living space. When you’re unceasingly moist and drenched in sweat, it can be grueling. While you cannot regulate the humidity levels outdoors, you can control the humidity levels inside your living space.
What is a dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier is a device that extracts water from the air to mitigate moisture levels and improve air quality. Attempting to control indoor humidity is critical for your well-being as well as that of your house structure. Even as humidity levels can change significantly due to different weather conditions, seasons, power use, airflow, and other circumstances, most studies show that maintaining a relative humidity level between 30 and 50 percent is a wonderful benchmark, with 45 percent seeming to be ideal for both health and comfort considerations.
According to recent findings, humidity levels above 50% can promote dust mites, mildew, and mold growth, causing allergy symptoms and other health issues. Because dark areas, such as your storage room, do not have exposure to sunlight or natural air from outside, it is critical to keep humidity levels in these areas below 50%.
How do dehumidifiers work?
Dehumidifiers operate in either of two distinct ways:
1. Refrigeration
A dehumidifier functions by using a fan to attract warm air currents into its coils. Warm air contracts as it passes through the machine’s refrigerated coils, leaving condensation inside the dehumidifier.
As condensation forms, one droplet of water at a time, it falls into a storage tank connected to the dehumidifier. A chiller, drier air is then launched into your household through the other side of this device.
- Hot, moist air is drawn into the machine through a grille on one side.
- An electric fan pulls air in on itself.
- The warm air flows over the freezing cold pipes that carry a coolant. As the air cools, the moisture it incorporates turns back into water vapor and seeps straight down off the piping systems.
- Now that the air is free of moisture, it transmits over through the hot condenser or compressor unit and heats up to its original temperature.
- One other grille blows hot, dry air into the room once again.
- The moisture in the air initially seeps down into a collecting dish located at the bottom of the device.
- As the collecting dish or bucket fills up, a plastic float in the device emerges.
- Once the tray is full, the float trips an electric switch, which turns off the fan and illuminates an indicator light, denoting that the device has to be emptied.
2. Absorption/adsorption
It’s not like all dehumidifiers operate through refrigeration. Some remove water from the air by “hoovering” it with a water-holding material and then “straining” it away. Hoovering involves either absorption, where water is soaked into a device, or adsorption, where the water is gotten from the surface of a certain tool.
- Through a duct, moist air is pushed into the room.
- The air is forced through a large propeller formed of water-absorbing material, that absorbs humidity.
- A fan, fueled by an electric motor, pulls in the air.
- The room is refilled with dry air.
- An electronically controlled heating element keeps an air duct beneath warm.
- The moisture-absorbing propeller spins through the warm air space and is dried by blowing hot air past it.
- A fan and an electric motor draw in the air.
- The warm, wet air is expelled via an exhaust duct
What are the benefits of a dehumidifier?
1. Regulate indoor moisture levels
Are you aware that condensation can cause problems in your home? Condensation or liquid droplets forming around your window frames can indicate that there is too much moisture in the air throughout your home. If excess moisture in your home is confined, it can cause your house structure to gradually deteriorate. This is due to the fact that wood can absorb water, causing mold and decaying or softening and a decrease in strength. One significant benefit to owning a dehumidifier is that it can help regulate moisture and condensation, thereby preserving the structural integrity of your living space.
2. Reduce costs of energy
Operating a dehumidifier in your home can also help you save money on energy! You do not have to use your air conditioner more often because dehumidifiers function to decrease the humidity of your indoor air. Furthermore, your cooling devices will no longer require more power to keep the desired thermal environment in your home.
3. Prevent mold and mildew build-up
Rapidly increasing fungus in your home can result in health problems such as nasal congestion, breathing difficulties, itchiness, and more! Mold and mildew are quickly transmitted and are precipitated by too much moisture in the air. Mold can infiltrate and thrive underneath the surfaces of your home furnishings, whereas mildew can be detected increasing on the surfaces of your belongings. They are capable of growing on pipelines, ceiling panels, wood, paper, window frames, and carpet. Mold and mildew can be extremely difficult to remove, so it is critical to prevent their growth by minimizing humidity in the air. A dehumidifier is intended to lower the moisture level of the air by removing extra moisture. Mold removal procedures can be both hazardous to one’s health and costly, as such mold and mildew growth should be prevented as much as possible. Dehumidifiers can aid in stopping the growth of mold and mildew while also improving the air quality inside your living space.
Read also: How to Prevent Moisture Build up and Mold Growth During the Cold Weather?
4. Eliminate damped and musty smells
Have you ever entered a room in your house and smelled a strange odor? That could indicate that mold or mildew is developing in your living space. Condensation and musty odors can occur when humid air is exposed to cold surfaces anywhere around your household. This damp odor is frequently triggered by the formation of mold and mildew. These odors and bad smells may also cause allergy symptoms. Although, air purifiers are generally a fine decision in the occurrence of odors or bad smells, if you wish to achieve the best results, take into account using a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers decrease the level of excess moisture present in the air and can help you breathe good quality indoor air.
In addition, another significant benefit of a dehumidifier is that it can minimize or inhibit bad smells by removing excess water from the air and preserving humidity levels. It is possible to maintain a pleasant and breathable environment by keeping an appropriate level of indoor humidity.
Read also: How to Get Rid of Bad Smell from the Fridge?
5. Minimize pest-related challenges
Pests may be drawn to your household for a variety of factors. Experts found out that overabundance of moisture content or humidity is one of the most main sources of pest infestations. You may have observed that more pests are discovered in wet environments or damp surroundings such as your bathroom. This is due to the fact that pests and termites draw water from their environment in order to stay alive. By munching through damp wood, bugs, pests, and other insects can smoothly break into your home. Just small quantities of water from the air can help support these pests in surviving for extended periods of time. A dehumidifier can help regulate pests by removing excess moisture from the air and producing a more pleasant atmosphere.
6. Significantly decrease allergy symptoms
Pests like spiders and roaches are not the only things that prefer moist environments. Allergens also thrive and enjoy humid surroundings. Mold and mildew, pollen, animal or pet dander, and dust mites are common causes of allergy symptoms. Mold and mildew thrive in humid environments and can cause itchiness in your eyes, nose, or throat, nasal congestion, runny nose, dehydration, and even eye or skin irritation. Using a dehumidifier to mitigate humidity in the air can significantly minimize dirt particles and other factors that may result in allergy symptoms. This produces clean indoor air in your living space.
7. Help boost respiratory health
It can be challenging to breathe when there is an excessive amount of moisture in the air. High humidity also increases the prevalence of dust mites and mildew growth, which can cause additional respiratory problems. Using a dehumidifier to reduce indoor humidity can make the air in your living space more pleasant to inhale. Your household members who are suffering from asthma attacks can also benefit from dehumidifiers.
8. Keep your household belongings safe
One other significant benefit of a dehumidifier is its ability to safeguard your treasured possessions such as musical instruments, photographs, books, and other objects. A dehumidifier in your living space can aid in mitigating humidity in the air by restricting mildew, fungus, decay, dust particles, and other damage caused by excessive moisture. This device is designed to keep, preserve, and extend the life of your valuable possession in your household.
9. Prevent unwanted damage to your electronic gadgets
We’ve all learned that electronics and water don’t mash up. Rust takes place when metal components are exposed to moisture for an extended period of time. If there is excessive moisture in your home, your PS4, cellphones laptops, and all of your electronics are in increased danger. By simply using a dehumidifier, you are reducing the risk of rusting your expensive electronics.
10. Increase ease and comfort in your living space
A humid environment can be extremely unpleasant to reside in, notably when the heat becomes moist and disgusting. When a dehumidifier reduces excess humidity, the air in your home becomes cold and more pleasant. If you live in a hot and muggy or humid climate such as the Philippines, a dehumidifier may be required to maintain balanced indoor air quality within your living space.
Read also: 10 Ways to Keep Your House Cool without Air-conditioning
Overall, a dehumidifier seems to have a lot of proven health and home benefits. The main advantage is that allergens and fungi are reduced in moist areas within the enclosed and dark rooms of your living space. There is also evidence that a dehumidifier can help preserve your personal valuable belongings. If you or a loved one has respiratory problems or resides in a tropical country with a humid climate, a dehumidifier can enable you to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Dehumidifiers are widely available and inexpensive. Giving one a shot might end up making a change in the level of pleasure and comfort you have at your Bria property!
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Written by MC Sanchez