Are Dehumidifiers Safe?

Are dehumidifiers safe?

It’s a really important and obvious question, but something that most of us think at some point.dehumidifier inventor 12l

We have explored the safety of a whole range of dehumidifiers.

Here is our research and findings about the safety aspects.

 

Leaving dehumidifiers running for long periods of time

Leaving running dehumidifiers take quite a long time to do the job effectively.

Such as drying washing – this can take 2 to 4 hours.

You may need to leave the dehumidifier on a low setting for a large number of hours to maintain the air-quality and moisture levels in your house.

If this is the case, you may be worried about the safety of leaving a dehumidifier running for this amount of time.

A dehumidifier uses a minimal amount of electricity and comes with safety features built in to protect you, incase of it overheating or tipping up.

They are also designed to be used for extended periods of time – when the water tank becomes full there is an automatic switch off.

This stops the dehumidifier from working or from using any electricity until the water tank is emptied.

Dehumidifiers also come with a tilt safety feature, which means if the dehumidifier tilts or is not over it will stop it self from operating keeping you safe.

There is also protection from overheating – if the motor becomes overheated the dehumidifier will turn itself off until it is safe to begin working again.

 

Is the air safe that dehumidifiers blow out?

Dehumidifiers have a built in filter operation system which helps to purify and clean your air.

As the air is sucked into the machine and filtered for moisture, the air is filtered and blown out cleaner.

As long as you take care of the filter and clean it regularly you will always have safe and clean air being blown back into your home.

When you first buy the dehumidifier many brands have a filter which is coated in an antibacterial layer or solution.

You can even buy new filters which have antibacterial properties and help with the air-quality.

This antibacterial property wears off over time, but you can achieve it again by replacing the filter.

It is best not to ever wash this filter with water as this could reduce the antibacterial properties of the filter.

Instead it is best to lightly dust the filter with a clean cloth or lightly hoover the filter to remove dust.

Regular use of a dehumidifier will help to keep the moisture levels of your home at a safe level.

Anything above 60% humidity is a breeding ground for bacteria and mould – which will form quickly.

However, by purifying and reducing the humidity levels to a percentage below 60% you will be living in a much safer environment – for adults, children and even pets.

 

Overusing a dehumidifier and switching rooms.

It is important to rotate the use of the dehumidifier into different rooms of the home and to not leave the dehumidifier running in one room at all times.

If the dehumidifier is allowed to run all day every day in one room this could lead to levels of moisture that are too low – which in turn could cause problems for you.

Including dry itchy eyes and respiratory problems and dry cracked skin.

Having moisture levels that are to low in a home is also a bad thing for health – as bacteria also thrive in very low humidity environments.

When using a dehumidifier in the home it is good to be aware of when and how often do you are using it and ensure that there is always added ventilation from outside through the windows or doors to help bring in fresh air to the house.

If old air is recirculated continuously, there will always be problems with bacteria and mold eventually.

 

Cleaning and maintaining the dehumidifier to keep it safe.

Always keep the water tank empty when not in use for longer periods.

Whilst it is not necessary to take apart the machine completely to clean it, it is good practice to keep the dehumidifier clean as on the outside as much as you can.

And to ensure that the water tank is kept clean at all times. (There is rarely a build up of anything in the water tank, as the water that is extracted is clean.)

However you should just keep an eye on the water tank as over time, bacteria or mold could develop into a larger problem if left undealt with.

If you are storing the dehumidifier away for a long period of time, (such as going on holiday) and not using it, you should empty the water tank completely as any moisture left in the machine will most likely start to develop mold after a period of time.