You can use your dehumidifier to collect water but is it safe to drink?
The answer may surprise you, but a qualified NO!
Not only is it not safe, but you may find that the water taste and smells like dirt or mold spores, especially if your dehumidifier has been sitting in a damp environment for any length of time.
Can You Drink Water from a Dehumidifier?
Is Dehumidifier Water Distilled?
Dehumidifier water is not distilled. It may seem as if it is distilled but the process of getting the water from a dehumidifier does not involve heat in the process.
Though the dehumidifier reduces humidity in the air, distilled water can't be produced by a machine. This is not how a dehumidifier works
Turning on the dehumidifier will not make any difference, as there is no boiling and condensation process in this case.
Thus, dehumidifiers work differently from distilleries. Dehumidifiers require electricity to operate, therefore they can't effectively remove dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Is Dehumidifier Water Safe to Drink?
Water from a dehumidifier might have biological contaminants like bacteria, minerals, and mold inhibitors. It may also contain traces of chemicals, that are used for cooling (cooling coils) within the dehumidifier's system.
Dehumidifiers can't produce liquid water you can drink regularly because the mineral content in them varies over time. And they also don't come with antimicrobial properties.
Therefore, it is not advisable to drink dehumidifier water. There have been reported cases where people have become ill from consuming distilled water from a dehumidifier.
As said earlier, the dehumidifier absorbs moisture in the air by condensing it. The produced water will contain some amount of humid air that can make you feel uncomfortable.
It should be noted that pure distilled water has a pH of zero. Therefore, you shouldn’t consume dehumidifier water if it has a pH of 7 or more since it is very acidic and can harm your health.
If you want fresh and clean water for drinking purposes regularly, you should use distilled or bottled water rather than using the water produced by a dehumidifier.
Read more: Can you use purified water in a dehumidifier?
Can My Pets Drink Dehumidifier Water?
Do not allow your pets to be drinking dehumidifier water that accumulates in a dehumidifier. You should know that the quality of drinking water for animals is no less than humans.
Therefore, you need to make sure that your pet’s drink is as clean as possible to avoid any health issues in the long run. Drinking impure water may give rise to health issues like minerals in the urine, and also it can cause skin irritation.
Is Water From a Dehumidifier Safe?
The water of the dehumidifier still contains all the toxic chemicals starting with its sources such as industrial fumes, odors heavy metals, and different microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
The thought of dehumidifier water drinkable may produce diseases that are deadly if eaten by its inhabitant. A dehumidifier is very good for water but not as an advantage for drinking water, that's not the one way to get around the world. There is water safe to use in some situations but not others.
What’s the Water Collected From the Dehumidifier Called?
Those parts of air that the dehumidifier extracts can be called condensed or water vapor. Unlike gray water, the process of water collection is very different. You can reuse it better than gray water.
Gray water contained all the pollutants while dehumidified water contains no solid or liquid, but in some cases, it may have very tiny traces of contaminants.
True Distillation Process vs. Water Collection Procedure of a Dehumidifier
You should understand the mechanism of a dehumidifier if you have to differentiate between true distillation and the water collection procedure of a dehumidifier.
The fundamental difference between the two methods is true distillation uses boiling while the dehumidifier method uses cooling.
True Distillation
In distilled water, all the impurities are removed by boiling water under normal atmospheric pressure. The resultant vapor will be condensed and collected as pure water in a separate container.
Water Collection of a Dehumidifier
Water is produced by letting moisture absorb inside a bucket or reservoir attached to the machine. It uses cooling coils as an alternative to boiling water.
Under normal atmospheric pressure, it cools down air and moisture contained in it which eventually results in condensation of vapor. The condensed vapor is used as water.
The water collected from your dehumidifier is quite similar to what you get from your tap water. Hence, you can't consider distilled water from a dehumidifier as pure.
How to Distinguish True Distilled Water?
It is not very easy to distinguish distilled water from one collected through a dehumidifier unless you know what the process of true distillation is.
You can see that boiled or heated water doesn't contain any impurities but your machine's water will contain traces of minerals or chemicals.
Try adding a few drops of iodine in the distilled water and if you don't see any color change, then it is true distilled water.
However, if the added iodine turns dark blue to blackish blue, then this indicates that impurities are present in your machine's water.
Other Uses of Dehumidifier Water
Though it is not distilled, dehumidifier water may still be used.
Cleaning
You can clean your wet laundry using this water. Dehumidifier water is safe for cleaning purposes although it is not distilled, it will do.
Deodorant
It is very useful to deodorize smelly socks, coats, and carpets. You can even mix dehumidifier water with baking soda or a preferred detergent then you'll get the best results in removing odors.
Appliances
Water from dehumidifiers can be used for filling small or large appliances. It will save your money because the machine's water is cheaper than any other bottled drinking water.
Watering Plants
If you have enough of it, then you should use machine water to fertilize the plants in your garden. If not, try mixing it with some water to refill your plants.
Flushing
Used in case of a toilet shortage, dehumidifier water can replace tank water or flush down. Using the machine's extracted water to flush your toilet will give you more privacy and help save on your water bill.
Painting
A dehumidifier can be used to paint any wall or furniture. Just make sure that you wash the water before applying it to your painting project.
Dissolving
It is very useful in dissolving glue, cleaning pads and brushes as well as washing oil cans and bottles with caps. Try mixing some warm water with the machine's extracted water and it will make the washing process easier.
Decor
The dehumidifier's water can be used for fish aquariums and potted plants. You can also use it to clean the floors or wipe down your windows. It is advisable to mix a detergent with the water first before using it for any decoration project.
Can You Drink Water From a Dehumidifier FAQ
What Happens if You Drink Water From a Dehumidifier?
It may cause you to feel cold and disrupt the pH level in your digestive tract. It can also cause nausea and vomiting.
Can You Drink Water From a Dehumidifier if You Boil It?
No. You can boil dehumidifier water to remove the mineral and chemical content. It will help you reduce contaminants but boiling may not be enough as it may contain harmful chemicals such as fluoride.
How Different Is Rain Water From the Water Collected by My Dehumidifier?
Dehumidifier water will still contain impurities that might not be safe to drink. Dehumidifiers can only extract moisture from the air and hence, they will not produce cleaner water like rain.
