Can a Dehumidifier Dehydrate You?
Dehumidifiers are incredibly popular these days as people want to have every comfort possible at an arm’s length in their homes. Yet, just like any other invention, it might very well have its own disadvantages.
One of the logical questions that you might ask yourself is, ‘’can a dehumidifier dehydrate you?’’. Throughout this article, we’ll explore this possibility in-depth in order to not just find an answer but convince you completely with it as well.
Simple Answer
The simplest answer to this dilemma is no! A humidifier cannot in any shape or form dehydrate you.
Even if you’re running it all day long, through the night, or in multiple rooms of your house, the worst thing that a dehumidifier can do to you is cause a temporary sore throat or some chapped lips, but certainly not dehydration.
Why is it Impossible for a Dehumidifier to Dehydrate You?
The logical question that must pop into your mind after reading the previous paragraph will have to be why? A dehumidifier‘s job is to remove excess moisture; nevertheless, you must finish the sentence.
Dehumidifiers are meant to remove excess moisture from the air and not from human bodies. The lowest humidity percentage will be around 20%, and that is a level that no dehumidifier can ever reach.
The average humidity should be anywhere between 30% and 50%. So, as long as you’re setting your device somewhere between that, you’ll be good to go.
Always keep in mind that the only two reasons for dehydration are not drinking enough water and exposing yourself to too much heat and sunlight.
What are the Possible Negative Effects that a Dehumidifier Can Cause?
Still, just like any electrical device, abusing it will produce a negative effect on you.
- If you don’t set it right and sleep with your mouth open, then you might wake up with a sore throat and chapped lips.
- If you don’t properly clean your dehumidifier, especially the filters, you’ll end up circulating all of the dust mites and dead skin all around the room. That can cause allergies, cough, and mild sickness.
Other reasons include unwise placement of the dehumidifier.
- If the wire is unprotected, then it might cause deadly electric accidents, or a child can trip over it and knock over the dehumidifier.
Contraindications of a Dehumidifier
As we said before, a dehumidifier takes out the excess moisture from the air. Therefore it makes it dryer and lighter to breathe.
Nonetheless, if you already live in a climate that’s on the dryer side, such as Nevada or Arizona, a dehumidifier will only make the airway too dry for the human respiratory system to deal with comfortably.
Furthermore, people who suffer from eczema cannot be too friendly with dry environments as they cause consistent flare-ups to irrupt in several locations of their bodies.
Lastly, if you’re suffering from allergies, dry cough, or a stuffy nose, then dry air will be even harder to breathe as it’ll be rougher on your already bruised internal membranes.
How to Pick the Optimal Dehumidifier?
The general guideline you need to follow in order to choose a dehumidifier that is most suitable for you is to know yourself and your location.
Primarily, you’ll need to know the state of the weather in your state. If it’s too dry, as we’ve mentioned before, then there’s no need for a dehumidifier. But, if you live in an area that’s incredibly humid, then go for it.
Next, you’ll have to measure your intended room and make sure to choose a dehumidifier that can cover it generously.
When you measure the room, ensure that it has a few obstructions to the flow of the dehumidifier. That way, the dehumidifier can reach the entire room easily.
Last but certainly not least, try to go with a dehumidifier that sports as many features and qualities as possible. Make sure that you know the reasoning behind each and every feature so that you’re confident that they will benefit you.
Features to Look for in a Dehumidifier
We just mentioned that you should go for a dehumidifier with a ton of built-ins. Now, let’s talk about them a bit.
Humidistat
First of all, you have to go with a dehumidifier that comes with a humidistat to easily monitor the humidity levels at all times, and quickly adjust them if they go off track.
Timer
Next on our list is a timer which is essential in a dehumidifier. Just like ACs and TVs, you might need them to fall asleep, but not after that. A dehumidifier with a timer will allow you to set a time and go to sleep without any worries.
Overheating Alarm
Dehumidifiers certainly use a lot of electricity, even with all of the efforts put into energy saving through advanced technologies. That’s exactly where this function comes into play. Just like any other electrical device, dehumidifiers are prone to overheating issues, which can be incredibly dangerous.
With this option, a dehumidifier will give out an alarm whenever it reaches a certain level of internal heat. Some dehumidifiers are even programmed to automatically shut-off to prevent fires and other disasters.
Overfilling Alarm
Now that we all know the mechanism of a dehumidifier, we must surmise that the humidity extracted from the air must land somewhere, and that is the function of the inner tank of a dehumidifier.
At some point, this thing will be full, and the user must empty it. What if the user has forgotten to empty the tank, and there’s no longer any empty space for extra water?! The tank will start to spill over, which can end up in a fire pretty easily.
That’s why the overfilling alarm is an incredibly handy feature that notifies the user to empty out their tank. Plus, just like the previous function, some dehumidifiers are programmed to automatically shut-off when the tank is full.
Final Thoughts
So, can a dehumidifier dehydrate you? Absolutely not, and we have explored all of the aspects surrounding this question as thoroughly as possible.
As long as you think carefully before you purchase a dehumidifier, and actually manage to get your hands on one that is suitable for yourself, your pets, and your available space, then with continuous, consistent maintenance, you’ll be able to dodge any problems that come your way.
Don’t forget that the key here is for you to be comfortable. If you’re not, then there’s something wrong, and you will have to go and check the display of your device.
