Dehumidifiers for Allergies: Benefits, Side Effects, & How to Use

Who is not familiar with allergies? This condition that people have to struggle with all year round is not just confined to the common cold, hay fever, and asthma. In recent times, allergy sufferers’ lists have grown longer.

One way to counter the effects of allergies is through the use of a home dehumidifier. This powerful machine works to keep humidity control inside your homes. If you have kids, you’ll certainly find this new use for your machine quite helpful.

Living With Allergies

Signs in Your House: Humidity, Dust Mites, and Mold

You may not even realize that the air in your home is full of them if you’re not aware or have never seen any. But you can see some of the signs around if you know what to look for.

The first thing you should do is find out how much moisture content your home’s air quality has. To know this, you can take your measurements to determine the humidity level in your home.

You may be wondering why you’re more susceptible to the side effects of allergies if the climate in your home is warm and humid. Experts believe this has something to do with mold, a dust mite, and other types of spores that thrive under these conditions. They tend to become a lot more active and alert during the summer months.

How to Use Dehumidifiers for Allergies?

A dehumidifier can help by further lowering the level of humidity in your home. Humidity levels should ideally fall below 50 percent for optimum living conditions without allergic reactions.

You have to make sure that you’re using your home dehumidifier properly to make full use of these features. Here are some tips on how and when to do this:

To get the most out of your home’s moisture control, set your machine to start working the moment humidity reaches a high level inside your home. This is something you can do by setting the timer and humidity control settings on your machine to begin working as soon as it reaches 100 percent relative humidity.

You also need to make sure that you clean your dehumidifier at least once every two weeks. By doing this, you will not only prevent the growth of mold but can also extend your machine’s life span.

You should keep these machines off the ground and in a well-ventilated area. Placing them on the floor may cause moisture to condense and damage the unit. If you must, place it as high up as possible from where the air comes inside your house.

When using a dehumidifier, remember to keep the door of your machine closed at all times. If you don’t, air can easily escape and this will make it difficult for your unit to work properly.

As always when using a new appliance in your home, be sure to read the instructions and safety tips that come with it. The manual is your guide for the proper use and maintenance of your machine. Be sure to follow it at all times.

Dehumidifiers are not just a great way to control allergens in your home but also help keep your kids safe as they play on the floor. If you have been looking for ways to improve the comfort levels inside your house, this is worth the investment.

Dehumidifiers as Allergy Relief

Benefits of Dehumidifiers Against Allergies

One way this works for allergy sufferers is by lowering the humidity levels inside your house. If there is less moisture in the air, mold won’t be able to grow.

The following are the benefits to lessen the allergy symptoms by using a dehumidifier:

1. Stop Mold Growth

You can’t see them, but mold spores are all over your home. During the summer months, they tend to grow fast and produce some serious health conditions such as colds, asthma attacks, headaches, and allergies.

If you have a mild allergy or asthma condition already, the growth of mold inside your house will make it worse. This is why it’s important to invest in a dehumidifier if you want your home to be more comfortable and healthy.

You need to find a dehumidifier that can boost the moisture levels inside your home below 50%. This way, it is likely that you will be able to reduce allergens and stop molds from growing.

If you want to utilize your dehumidifier as an effective tool against mold, you may want to consider purchasing one with an auto-defrost feature. This will ensure that your machine will not become clogged and it can give you better results in removing mold from your home.

Related Article: Does a Dehumidifier Help With Mold? (Mildew)

2. Eliminate Dust Mites

Dust mites are small, microscopic insects that feed on the dead skin cells of humans, dogs, cats, and other animals. The problem is they love humid environments and can thrive in your home especially when it’s warm outside.

Mold and dust mites both trigger allergies because they release airborne particles when they’re alive and “feeling” it. If you want to keep your allergies under control, dehumidifiers can help by reducing the number of dust mites inside your air ducts and walls.

To help eliminate dust mites from your home, it is a good idea that you purchase a dehumidifier with a HEPA filtration system. This type of filter can trap the allergens in the air and prevent them from circulating inside your home.

If you have a large home, you must find a size dehumidifier with more capacity. This way, your machine can work efficiently and eliminate dust mites within 24 hours.

3. Crawl Space With an Allergen-Free Home

Crawl spaces are humid places that have no ventilation at all. When you set your dehumidifier in this area, the air will become drier and cleaner because of its advanced technology.

You need to pick a dehumidifier with adjustable airflow. This is important so that you can target areas that have higher humidity levels and moisture.

If you want to utilize a dehumidifier inside your bedroom, it is recommended that you pick one with a quiet fan so it does not disturb your sleep.

If you plan on using a dehumidifier in the laundry room, it is recommended that you purchase one with a washable filter so the machine will not need to be cleaned every week.

If you plan on using a dehumidifier to help eliminate pollutants from your home, it is recommended that you select one with an anti-bacterial function. This will not only clean the air in your house but can also prevent germs and bacteria from multiplying inside your machine.

Since it deals with allergens, dust, mold spores, and other airborne particles, a dehumidifier will give you total comfort inside your home.

How Does a Dehumidifier Help with Allergies?

A dehumidifier works on the same principle as an air conditioner. But instead of making the air colder, it eliminates moisture from the air by turning it into water.

To do this, it has air filters or air purifiers that collect dust mites and other allergens from the air before they enter the machine’s main chamber. Once in there, the moisture level inside is lowered so much that mold and other spores are unable to grow.

For best results, this machine should be placed in the bedroom or living room where humidity is more prominent. Place it near the air vents so that cooled air can get circulated to different rooms inside your home.

Side Effects of Dehumidifiers Against Allergies

Although dehumidifiers like basement dehumidifiers are known to have positive effects, there are also side effects associated with running one inside your house. For instance, it can lower the relative humidity too much for some people.

If you find yourself feeling a bit chilly in a room with a dehumidifier, you might want to turn it off for a while. If the symptoms persist, you might want to check if the dehumidifier is not releasing cold air as well. You may also want to consult your physician in case you experience headaches and shortness of breath.

Is Dehumidifier Better for Your Allergies?

Since the dehumidifier’s primary function is to remove moisture, they are the best choice for people living with allergies.

You might be surprised that there are already scientific studies backing up the benefits of using dehumidifiers for allergies like the study from the University of Texas Health Science Center (2002) that revealed an important link between humidity and mold growth.

If you live in a place where high humidity, mold, and dust mites are prevalent, investing in a dehumidifier or air conditioner may be one of the best choices you could ever make.

Dehumidifiers for Allergies FAQ

When are Dehumidifiers Useful for Allergies?

The main way that dehumidifiers help against allergies is by reducing the level of moisture and other allergens inside your home.

Regardless if you have mild or severe allergies, a dehumidifier will likely help improve your quality of life. It can reduce the allergy’s symptoms so you won’t need to take medication all year long.

Are Dehumidifiers Considered as a Medical Equipment Against Allergies?

While a dehumidifier can prevent or minimize allergens in your home, it is not considered as medical equipment by the FDA.

Even though there have been studies proving that using this machine for more than 20 hours per day can help significantly reduce allergy symptoms, the device is still used for reducing mold and mildew growth.

Do I Need a Dehumidifier to Help With My Seasonal Allergies When I Sleep?

Yes, the best time to use a dehumidifier for allergies is when you sleep at night. This is because the body’s defenses are at their lowest point.

You should also make sure that your bedroom has less humidity or you may just wake up in the middle of the night with itchy eyes and a runny nose.

Summary

Using dehumidifiers significantly helps in reducing allergen molecules and according to studies, this is the best way to get rid of them.

It is highly recommended to use these machines if you have allergies. The product can significantly reduce the symptoms of your condition by reducing allergens, mold, and bacteria in the air.

Like any other machine, you need to look for certain features in a dehumidifier. This way, it will provide all the tools needed to keep allergens out of your home while keeping you healthy at the same time.