Five Disadvantages of a Dehumidifier

Are you looking to purchase a dehumidifier? Maybe your house feels stuffy and wants to get a dehumidifier to help solve the humid issues? A dehumidifier is a home appliance that decreases the room’s excess moisture or humidity levels and makes it better. This is beneficial in many ways. But are there disadvantages of a dehumidifier? Are they advantageous as they look, or do they have more cons? Here is a look at five disadvantages of a dehumidifier.

5. Offers a Temporary Solution

While a dehumidifier effectively removes excess humidity in the room, it won’t completely remove the moisture with a single use. You must use it constantly for the dehumidifier to continuously extract moisture, which will be an issue for your electricity bill. A dehumidifier does not solve the source of the problem. For example, if you live in a home infested with molds and filled with moldy smells, using a dehumidifier is just a temporary solution because it doesn’t address the real issue. According to TheEngineeringEdu, analyzing the factors that contribute to mold accumulation in your home can instead help to determine the actual solution to the problem. Issues that often contribute to excessive humidity in a home include; quality and type of construction material, type of insulation used, leaking pipes between the wall, dripping rainwater on the ceiling due to poor roofing, and other problems of similar nature.

4. Noise and Heat

One of the considerable disadvantages of dehumidifiers is the humming noise. While most electronic devices produce background noises when running, the noise from a dehumidifier can be annoying when left on at night. Even worse, some dehumidifiers can be as loud as 20 to 50dB. While for some people, noise helps them to sleep peacefully and quickly, if noise is a problem for you at night, having a dehumidifier might be an irritation. If you are concerned about noise, you should consider getting a desiccant dehumidifier. A more desiccant dehumidifier produces less noise than other dehumidifier models. However, the disadvantage of opting for a desiccant dehumidifier is that they are more costly upfront and more expensive to run in the long term. Before purchasing a dehumidifier, check the amount of noise it produces. Generally, cheap dehumidifiers are typically loud and noisy. So, you can save yourself from the frustrations by choosing high-end models. Additionally, dehumidifiers produce warm air in the back, which may heat the house during summers, according to Healthline.com. You should not place the unit against a wall because it prevents it from appropriately drawing in the humid air. The best place to locate the dehumidifier is in a doorway with proper air circulation.

3. Increased Electricity Bills

Another significant disadvantage of dehumidifiers is the increase in electricity cost. This occurs because dehumidifiers usually run 24/7, which can rapidly cause the electricity bills to accumulate every month. Importantly, lower-end cheaper dehumidifiers normally use up more energy and cause increased electric bills. This means that while more affordable dehumidifiers might be more inexpensive upfront, they are more expensive in the long term. According to Indoor Air Solutions, you should purchase a quality energy-efficient dehumidifier to scale down the electricity bill. The initial cost will be high, but the option is cheaper when you consider the overall running and electrical costs. However, although high-quality dehumidifiers are usually energy-efficient and won’t cause a tremendous increase in your electricity bills, it is still an extra electrical device in your home, so the electric bills will still increase slightly. The increase might not be significant during winter, but you may have to spend an extra $50 or more each month in humid, hot summer seasons. If you are on a budget, investing in a high-quality dehumidifier that is effective and energy-efficient can be challenging. Therefore, it is vital to consider other advantages and disadvantages of dehumidifiers before you decide if you should purchase one.

2. Dehumidifier Makes the Air Dry Which Can Make You Sick

Dehumidifiers eliminate excess humidity from the air. Hence, they can make the air drier, particularly during winter when the humidity levels are already relatively low. The use of dehumidifiers during winter seasons might make the health conditions such as eczema and asthma severe due to excessive skin dryness. Dry air can also affect your hair and skin even if you have no skin conditions. The respiratory system is covered with a mucosal layer that protects against infections. According to Healthline.com, the low humidity levels in the air can also dry out the mucosal layer in the respiratory system, which increases the risk of developing pneumonia. You may also start noticing some eye irritation because of the dry air.

1. It Requires a High Level of Maintenance

Dehumidifiers are high-maintenance devices. Usually, they need two kinds of regular maintenance, which can be a bother at times. The first maintenance form is to empty the water tank. Based on the particular dehumidifier model, you need to empty your dehumidifier’s water tank about two times a day to once a week. How regular you need to empty the water tank can be monotonous and require you to spend lots of time. It will help if you consider purchasing a unit with a continuous drain hose to avoid this hassle. This way, the dehumidifier never requires to be emptied because the water immediately heads to the drain. The next form of maintenance required for a dehumidifier is cleaning the filter. You will need to clean the filter to ensure it keeps functioning effectively with time. Regularly cleaning and replacing the filters is crucial to avoid bacteria and mold growth. If you don’t know how to clean the filters, you should go through the manufacturer’s instructions. These accessories also are costly to repair when it breaks down.

Bottom Line

Ultimately, these are the five main disadvantages of a dehumidifier. Although there are drawbacks associated with using a dehumidifier at home, the appliance can provide you with an effective way of decreasing humidity at your home. Dehumidifiers help remove excess moisture from the air and eliminate moldy smells. Therefore, you can’t overlook these disadvantages. But when getting a dehumidifier, ensure to look into these disadvantages that you have to deal with and select the most favorable dehumidifier.