Disadvantages Of A Dehumidifier: Things To Consider Before Buying
Dehumidifiers are an important aspect of our daily lives, not to mention how they allow the air to be cleaner, hence enabling us to breathe in the fresh air around us. But do the disadvantages outweigh the potential benefits it has to offer? Let’s read the article to find out how effective dehumidifiers are and what we should consider before we buy one!
Dehumidifiers are more like refrigerators! This means that they have a part of them that pulls in the air around them and then strains the dust and humidity in the air only to release the fresh air. It does help in removing the moisture in the air, but the process itself, along with the dehumidifier, may have certain disadvantages that we might not be able to ignore.
Potential disadvantages of Dehumidifiers:
Even if dehumidifiers have a lot of advantages to add that help our daily lives, they may contain some disadvantages that may not be worth ignoring. In fact, those disadvantages might be very important if you are considering using a dehumidifier in the long run. In that case, it is suggested to not avoid both sides of using a dehumidifier if necessary. In order to assist you in your time of need, we have researched the potential drawbacks of using a dehumidifier. The disadvantages are as follows:
- Electricity usage
- Noise pollution
- Heat problems
- Maintenance issues
Electricity Usage:
Dehumidifiers are known to use a high level of electricity on a day-to-day basis. Since they work on electricity, the more you keep the dehumidifiers turned on, the more electricity they will need in order to operate and clean the air. According to Eco Cost Savings, on average, dehumidifiers use 0.427 kWh of electricity per hour (10.24 kWh per day). This may increase your electricity bills or expenses by a large amount if considered on a monthly basis.
Similarly, according to Hunker, monthly average energy costs can be over $50, and an increase of $15 to $35 is more typical. Adding a dehumidifier to the list of household items may not be ideal if the costs are that high, and having to pay so much for one device may not be worth it.
Noise Pollution:
In addition to electricity costs, dehumidifiers are infamous for the noise they create when they function. If you keep a dehumidifier in your room, you will probably be unable to focus on your work because of the constant noise it creates, which can be very irritating at times.
Heat Problems:
One of the most common problems with dehumidifiers is the heat problem. Dehumidifiers function to take in the air and strain all the humidity it contains in order to release cleaner air. This can be very beneficial in winter as the warm heat it releases can be soothing. However, it may not be so beneficial when it comes to summertime. The warm air released can make your room warmer, hence backfiring the benefit of cleaner air.
Maintenance Issues:
Furthermore, just like any other device such as an air conditioner or even a refrigerator, your dehumidifier will require regular maintenance, which will increase your monthly expenses. The regular clearance of the water it stores from the process of sucking and releasing cleaner air may be a hassle for those who are extremely busy with work or studying and may not have sufficient time to do the regular check-ins of the dehumidifier.
Hence, we can assume that a regular dehumidifier can be very time-consuming and costly for those who use it and may not be ideal for those who are rather busy. Dehumidifiers are also not as climate-friendly as they are said to be. This means the extent to which they can take up energy and how expensive they can be. Climate enthusiasts often do not recommend buying one. According to Joe Schwarcz, dehumidifiers are “a hospitable medium for the growth of bacteria and molds”. Hence, your home may become not-so-pleasant bacteria and molds creating environmental problems for you.
What Should You Do Before Buying a Dehumidifier?
When buying any device, we should think about all the important parts and features it contains, from how much energy it takes to how convenient it is. Just like that, it is also very important that you check the areas listed below when buying a dehumidifier in order to gain the maximum benefit from it, outweighing the disadvantages seen above. Dehumidifier also has good advantages.
Given below are the areas that you should definitely check when buying a dehumidifier:
| Size | It is very important that we look for a medium to small-sized dehumidifier to fit the house perfectly. Large humidifiers can take up a huge space and can be a hassle. Hence you should look for the perfect size of the humidifier according to your apartment or house. |
| Heat issue | Also, we should thoroughly check the heating issue of the dehumidifier. This may involve how much-heated air it releases to how much temperature it can increase in the room during summer times. |
| Noise issue | In addition to focusing on the noise, the issue should be an important area to consider. Many dehumidifiers have noise reduction features that can be advantageous when buying a dehumidifier. |
| Maintenance | When buying a dehumidifier, checking whether it takes regular maintenance is crucial. Hence before you buy one, ensure with the seller if it requires maintenance once a year or monthly or once every six months. |
| Cost | Lastly, we should stick to our budget when it comes to purchasing a dehumidifier. This means, if your budget for a dehumidifier is around fifty dollars, then you should search for one that fits the cost. This may or may not include your maintenance costs, but that depends on your budget entirely. Also understanding how much electricity it takes up is vital as well. In this way, you can focus on buying the right dehumidifier that doesn’t take up a lot of energy. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. How do I figure out what size dehumidifier I’ll need?
The size of the dehumidifier depends on the room size you will be positioning it in. This means when you are purchasing one make sure to discuss with your seller what size of the dehumidifier he is selling to you. A medium-sized one is usually recommended by experts.
Q. What’s the optimum location for my dehumidifier?
It is usually suggested to put your dehumidifier in a corner of a room preferably near a window in order to help the heat released by it to escape easily during summer.
Q. Is it okay if I use the water in the bucket?
The water in the dehumidifier is not pure and may contain possible impureness hence we highly recommend not drinking it. But you can use it for other purposes such as washing dishes or watering plants.
Q. Is it worthwhile to invest in a dehumidifier?
While it is highly debatable whether to invest in a dehumidifier, we suggest that it is a good investment in the long run if it meets all the areas that are important (as listed above).
