What Does Dehumidifier Do: Health Benefits and Side Effects
Excess humidity attracts mold which thrives on damp walls, clothes, and bedding. This is a good reason for you to run that dehumidifier in your room and keep the humidity level in check.
But what does a dehumidifier actually do? And what can you benefit from using this product? Read along to know the list of a few health benefits and side effects of using a dehumidifier to help you decide if it’s something you need or not.
What Does a Dehumidifier Do?
A dehumidifier is a mechanical tool that allows air to maintain humidity levels. These appliances were purchased by many households to reduce odor and protect the growth of mildew and mold.
If someone has allergies or lives at the humidity level in a moist home a dehumidifier could provide a more healthy life.
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How Do Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers Improve My Health
Water can carry small microbes in the air which you’re breathing. The tiny intestine particles are irritant to our sinuses when we suffer allergies or asthma.
Dust mites and molds flourish also in the moist place. When you remove any moisture you can keep spores and dust mites at bay.
Dehumidifier Health Benefits
The biggest health benefit of dehumidifiers is that allergies and irritants are reduced in wet parts of your home.
Here are also the other major health benefits you’ll get from having a dehumidifier in your living space.
Creates a Healthier Environment
By removing mold from your house, you also eradicate pests such as ticks and ants. Low humidity and reduced body mass are important for those suffering from mild COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
If you live in a traditionally moist climate a dehumidifier can cool you off and lower the energy consumption on the (AC) air conditioner.
Dehumidifiers Keep Dry Foods Like Bread and Cereals Dry
When dry fruits and vegetables get too moist they can start to mold or get worse. It is possible that these foods could develop mottling, crystallization, and stickiness. If you don’t like dry foods then put them in a dehumidifier in the pantry or kitchen.
Excess moisture from the air is removed and humidity controls prevent mold on all surfaces of food. Dry food like bread and cereals can develop mold in closets or pantry cabinets where the closet can lock in the moisture. Moldy food can become poisons that poison the body.
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Purifies Air in Your Home
Dehumidifier air purifier combinations are good financially as they are good at combining the work of two parts in one convenient machine.
For those with breathing conditions, the new system eliminates any necessary need for multiple cleaning materials. Dehumidifier filters airborne allergens, detecting the air quality and adjusting it so you have a high humidity room.
In addition, some dehumidifiers moisture a 3000 sq ft. area and can reduce dust in the air circulation and allergen.
Helps With Allergies
Many allergens and allergy triggers like dust mites, mold, and mildew prefer humid environments.
Rooms where water is injected or that lacks proper airflow have a high risk for allergies or irritants to contaminate them like baths, laundry rooms, and basements.
Dehumidifiers can decrease the humidity that supports allergen growth. Air quality also improves and helps to stop some types of viruses and bacteria growth.
Related Article: Dehumidifiers for Allergies
How Allergies Thrive in Humidity?
Anything above 50% humidity can provide an excellent environment to thrive for these allergens. The crawl space can contain a higher humidity than other rooms on the floor in the house.
Mold allergies play a major role in childhood asthma which can be a debilitating and costly disease for children diagnosed at a younger age. Small living spaces with limited ventilation such as bathrooms or kitchens in a small apartment or cellar apartment are frequent places where moisture accumulates, even in drier climates.
How Dehumidifiers Help Reduce Allergy Symptoms?
Dust mites particularly need a relative humidity of 67% to survive and procreate. This is a normal level of moisture in the air that can be controlled well with dehumidifiers.
Dehumidifying air thereby inhibits mold growth in our homes, especially in the basement apartments.
Helps Control Asthma
When moisture is present it makes air thicker and often harder to breathe. A dehumidifier makes breathing easier for your lungs. Mugginess vanishes and it is cooler, comfortable.
How Do Dehumidifiers Prevent Asthma Attacks?
Asthma infections are typically due to mold, dust mites, central heating, and VOCs. Even the most efficient dehumidifiers in use alongside air filters and humidifiers can effectively eliminate these triggers for ventilation and other problems.
In a compressed airway, the dehumidifier is much more effective if they are in conjunction with air purifiers or humidifiers. Mold, dust mites, and volatile organic substances can trigger asthma attacks. They can be also removed with dehumidifiers so long as they are employed with air purifiers.
Prevents Gastrointestinal Issues
If you consume or eat mold, you’ll likely have some gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea, nausea vomiting, stomach bleeding, and candidiasis. To avoid such problems you can throw away foods that are not fresh, wash your hands often, and use a dehumidifier to get rid of mold.
To avoid ingesting mold you need to remove the mold from your living spaces or home. The use of dehumidifiers in these areas reduces mold formation and growth. Some people who eat or touch food that has reached the blood pressure system are attracted by mold.
Help Prevent Nosebleeds and Sinus Congestion
Humidifiers can keep nose cavities hydrated and prevent frequent nosebleeds. Bacteria or bacterial particles can’t go up to and through your nose in moist environments.
Keeping a good water temperature can help you avoid sickening and help ease the strain. Humidifiers also help improve your nasal passages and keep you hydrated.
Protects Your Voice
When you wake up with a cracking voice, your vocal cords are exposed to dry air. In the case of sleep, humidifiers are used for restoring water and regaining hydration. It helps us to get the voice back that has been ruined and helps us keep our voice safe.
Soothes Skin
Dry air removes moisture from the skin and causes a number of skin issues. Some may include dullness, wrinkle, and flaking. In recent years there has been a 20 percent increase in the prevalence of eczema. Symptoms include severe itching, inflammation, and an infection.
Many women experience pimples when the sun is up or around their noses. It was recommended to keep your house below a humidity level of 70 by using a dehumidifier.
Other Benefits of Owning a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a valuable tool for a home, but there may be more to it aside from its health benefits. So if you’re looking to purchase a dehumidifier for your home, then chances are that you’ve identified the benefits of a dehumidifier and would like to take advantage of them.
There may be many reasons why buying a dehumidifier will benefit you including:
Convenience
You are welcome to place your dehumidifier at a specific location in your home or workplace. The unit looks like a large, upright box and may feature a handle for convenience.
Portable humidifiers can also be convenient in a home as you can easily put them in other rooms with caster wheels or a handle on them.
There are also some models that run only when the bucket is inserted into them while others automatically shut off when it rains or your humidity level reaches a certain point. You will find that there are many styles from which you can choose, including small units to fit on your desk at work or larger models to meet your needs.
Energy Efficient
Allergy symptoms can be reduced by reducing the humidity in your home, but you’ll want to make sure that it is energy efficient. A dehumidifier does help reduce symptoms of allergies, asthma, and respiratory problems which improve your symptoms when you run an air purifier at night before bed.
You will find that the unit will quickly pay for itself by reducing your heating and cooling costs while you sleep, but if possible it is best to make sure that it is Energy Star rated.
Reduces Odors
Use a dehumidifier as it can help stop mold and smells from creeping into my home. Moisture stimulates the growth of microbes, preventing odors. Inhaling bacteria’s toxins in the air can cause lung and intestinal infections.
Dehumidifiers remove moisture that causes a buildup of mildew. This prevents air from reaching your home. This smell is possible from carpeting and furniture, walls and sinks among others in your house.
Related Article: Get Rid of Musty Odors: Can You Set To Use a Dehumidifier?
Controls Moisture and Humidity Levels
Condensation can build up, causing mold and mildew besides warping and deteriorating. Even furniture may be damaged from long-term humidity and high moisture. Ironically, houses well sealed to ensure energy efficiency sometimes have one of the worst problems.
Mold and mildew spores travel through ventilation channels and build up within walls of offices and apartment buildings. Even though your house or apartment building is clean, allergens can grow and thrive in the humid air.
Small areas lacking ventilation like basement properties can often be susceptible to moisture even if in dry climates. But dehumidifiers can help to keep moisture out of the home and prevent mold or odors in the home from moldy molasses.
Related Article: Moisture in Basement
Removes Dampness From the Air in Your Home
When inside an airtight house is moist, everything outside will be moist. This should be avoided as wet or cold air in this way can cause damage to all types of things from tv to carpet to lamps. All things can react when there is excess heat in the room.
Dehumidifiers are able to remove moisture from the air and keep your house adequately dry by keeping all the objects in it safe. They are good at keeping things wet, such as ceiling fans, shelves, and all other items in your home dry.
Related Article: Dampness in Your Basement
Protects Your Furniture
Excess moisture on your home can eventually cause your furniture and upholstery to contain mold and mildew. With dehumidifiers, you are less likely to have mold growth on your sofas or other furniture. If you own wood and antique furniture make your air dry and it might cause warping and bursting.
In humid conditions, electrical, hydraulic, and vehicle equipment may rust. It could occur that objects that have been left out of use aren’t working as normal. Dehumidifiers help remove air moisture which is kept from developing rust.
Some items like rugs or wallpapers of your residence that are not completely dry may encourage mold growth inside your home. With added humidity in the air, you will ensure that all these things stay healthy and do not fall apart.
Dehumidifiers Keep Insects Out
Dehumidifiers in basements or mini-stacks may be best suited for keeping insects in such areas. When an air space is dry, it is impossible for insect-eating creatures to crawl through the carpet. Many are very vulnerable to insect dander which is very often dissolved and dead fast if not removed by some method.
Dehumidifiers Inhibit the Growth of Dust Mites
Dust mites thrive in hot, humid environments. Bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpeting provide ideal environments for these bugs. Dust mites eat stale and damp air so they can’t escape if you leave them out. Dust mites are relatively small because they don’t fit in a microscope easily and that a microscope isn’t necessary.
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Disadvantages of Dehumidifiers
You might use bleach if you want to kill any mold or bacteria that build up when you run the unit. When you didn’t clean the unit it could cycle back the mold spores into the air in your home’s atmosphere.
You need to read the manual of the dehumidifier before starting use. Make sure that the humidity is in a well-ventilated room. The removal process should start right after unpacking and installing your machine. Make sure to set up the dehumidifier in a well-ventilated area because moisture can affect its performance adversely if it gets wet inside it.
You also need to keep an eye on the water level indicator, which is present in most models, and make sure that you keep refilling it before it drops too low. If the dehumidifier’s power cord is long enough, you can place it close to a drain where collected water can be poured out without moving the device.
Signs You Need a Dehumidifier
You need a dehumidifier if you live in hot, moist climates. Your home may have damp walls or floors of the house. The humidity level is above 60 percent on your moisture meter for more than 10 days of the year. You are at risk of developing mold in places like crawl spaces or basements because they are often wet. You must keep the humidity level below 60 percent.
If you also live in the South, then it’s almost impossible to remove all humidity with air conditioning alone. You must also use a dehumidifier to cut down the amount of humidity in your home so mold does not develop.
Related Article: How Do I Know I Need a Dehumidifier?
Considerations When Choosing the Right Dehumidifier
You should carefully consider numerous reasons behind purchasing a dehumidifier. You need to examine the size and ease of the product as well as what functions it might provide. It’s not enough if we understand the basic types of dehumidifiers available.
For a more specific and unique need consider using a dehumidifier with special features such as a large room, basement, or apartment. Here’s what you must look into before buying a dehumidifier:
Dehumidifier Size
For small rooms, dehumidifiers are available which can accommodate less than 70 liters (or less). For large rooms and suites such as the basement or full-sized apartments, large capacity versions can be also ordered. You can even choose a house-to-home model that would be wise for those living in humid areas or those that suffer severe allergies.
Larger models such as those for industrial businesses should have bigger capabilities such as over 70 pints of capacity. Furthermore, small dehumidifiers and portable models are ideal for home dehumidification.
Type of Dehumidifier
For small rooms like bathrooms, boats, and RV’s, mini dehumidifiers are available. Industrial dehumidifiers are big enough for fitting in industrial areas like factories or construction sites.
Pump-dehumidifiers are designed for the adsorption of water at a temperature up to 220 degrees Celsius. They are capable of re-collection 562 liters of water daily.
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Dehumidifier Health Benefits FAQs
Are dehumidifiers considered medical equipment or supply in general or when you need them because of mold allergies?
Dehumidifiers are ordinary products that can help control the humidity in a room. They don’t require a prescription from a doctor, and you can easily buy them from most hardware stores. If the machine is used correctly it doesn’t release any harmful chemicals into the air or food/drink items that people might eat or drink.
How can a dehumidifier help relieve the symptoms of asthma?
A dehumidifier can help reduce the number of dust particles in the air, which are irritants to asthmatic people. It also reduces mold levels in the air that might be triggering your asthma symptoms.
Can you kill dust mites by running a dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier can help you kill dust mites since it reduces the humidity level in the room. Dust mites are weak creatures that can’t survive in dry climates.
