Why use a Dehumidifier?

This is a very good question.

Up until a few years ago I did not know that such a thing as a dehumidifier even existed.

Many people still don’t, and they are still unheard of by some families who rely on using tumble dryers for drying washing and laundry
Excess levels of moisture are usually maintained by opening windows and through using the central heating.

This is fine and has worked for many years for so many people.
But the relatively inexpensive purchase of a dehumidifier is a fantastic way to be able to control the moisture and humidity levels of your room and to monitor and maintain the air-quality of your house.

Air Quality

Dehumidifiers work by extracting excess moisture from the room by sucking it into the machine. The moisture is then extracted into a water tank below and the air passes through a filter and then gets blown back out into the room as clean pure air.
This is excellent for air circulation and for preventing mould spores from growing.

A humidity level in a room of 60% or higher is the perfect breeding ground for multiple types of mould spores and bacteria which can affect things like asthma and allergies.
It could also lead to a frustrating mould growing on your walls, skirting boards and windows.

The use of a dehumidifier can help to maintain a lower moisture level in a room – somewhere below 60% which makes the air much fresher and easier to breathe.
Dehumidifiers have more than just one use – not only are the fantastic for purifying the air in a room and reducing high moisture levels.

Drying Clothes Laundry & Washing

They are also excellent for drying washing and laundry.

Until a few years ago, I had relied purely on drying washing outside on the washing line in the summer months and then during the winter using an expensive and bulky tumble dryer to dry washing.
Whilst tumble dryers have their unique advantages they are also expensive to buy and to run.

In our house we have now switched to only using the dehumidifier to dry out washing throughout the year especially during the winter.
The advantages to using a dehumidifier to dry washing is that the water and moisture is kind of sucked out of the clothing and laundry.

As moisture from the washing evaporates into the air, the dehumidifier sucks it in and collects the water.
Using a dehumidifier with laundry helps to prolong the life of your fabrics as they are not put through the damaging process of being tumble dried on a high heat.

When the dehumidifier has been running for a while, it gives out warm air which is especially useful during the winter months as this provides some source of heating.
During the summer we usually dry washing outside however if the pollen count is very high – which could result in hayfever being particularly bad.

It is sometimes beneficial to dry washing using the dehumidifier indoors, even in the summer.
This way, your clean washing does not pick up allergens and pollen whilst outside and it remains clean pure and fresh from the washing machine.

Damp or old house?

One of the benefits of using a dehumidifier is if you live in a damp or old house.

You may have had difficulties with condensation and mould especially in the winter – if you can keep the dehumidifier running on a low setting in the winter it really helps to reduce the amount of condensation and mould that gathers and grows.

It also reduces the amount of condensation on the windows in the morning and reduces the amount of time you need to spend cleaning wet windows with a soaking towel, or even using a Karcher to suck the water off (which we always used to do.)

There are many benefits of using a dehumidifier.
The points that we have mentioned in this article are just a few of the benefits.
To find out more uses of a dehumidifier in the home, head to some of our other posts such as ‘using a dehumidifier to dry plaster’ or our ‘dehumidifier vs tumble dryer‘ posts.

Summary

Dehumidifiers are an excellent addition to any household. They are small, light, easy to manage and operate and they use a minimal amount of electricity to run.

Once you have bought the dehumidifier you don’t need to buy any other accessories or attachments.
You don’t need to buy refills either, unlike if you were using the Uni Bond Aero 360.

A good dehumidifier will last for years and can be used continuously and on varying speeds and power settings to suit your specific needs.

The result of using a dehumidifier is better air-quality in the home and less chance of mould growing, especially on exterior walls and in hidden places.

As the air that is circulated through the dehumidifier comes out clean and helps the room to be well ventilated – especially useful if you do not open many windows, perhaps if you live in a busy city or have pets that could climb out of windows and you can’t open them very often. A dehumidifier will certainly help you out too.