Can I leave the dehumidifier running at night? Yes, we recommend using a dehumidifier 24hrs, however, be aware that there will always be a noise generated from the machine when it is operating.
An average unit in your space, if it was operating correctly, should extract the moisture to around 50 to 55% Relative Humidity. With this assumption, you can safely run your dehumidifier for about 12 hours a day.
It's clear that you can leave your dehumidifier on overnight without any repercussions. However, you'll need to make sure that your unit has at least some of the above features so as not to inconvenience you at night. Otherwise, you'll be waking up to a flooded room with incredibly dry air.
However, it's important to know when to turn the unit off. Once temperatures drop to around 65 degrees, it's best to turn the dehumidifier off. Doing so will help prevent moisture from freezing on the dehumidifier's coils, which could damage your unit.
Even if it's after a recent flood or the weather has been rainy for a few days, you shouldn't keep your dehumidifier running constantly. It may seem like you need to but try to give your dehumidifier a break for a few hours during the day to balance out the humidity levels in your house.
Can you dehumidify too much? There is a chance of dehumidifying your home too much with a dehumidifier, especially if you are leaving your dehumidifier running for several hours on a timer unattended. Over-dehumidifying your home can lead to an increased chance of respiratory illnesses and dry and cracked skin.
The size of the room, the humidity level, and the extent of the water damage are some of the variables that affect how long a dehumidifier takes to dry out a room. A dehumidifier typically needs between 24 and 72 hours to completely dry out a room.
If you are running your dehumidifier too often — for example, when the humidity levels are already acceptable — this may have a harmful impact on the environment. The unit may make humidity levels too low, which can result in medical issues such as dry and itchy skin or unproductive coughing.
Get Your Dehumidifier Settings Right: Between 30-50%!
So what is the best humidity setting for a dehumidifier? According to Energy Star, the optimal level of relative humidity in your home should be between 30% and 50%.
A dehumidifier should collect around 10-20 pints a day. However, factors such as relative humidity levels, size of the appliance, location, and temperature can affect how much it collects.
While your dehumidifier is certainly beneficial, it could be a fire danger. Over the past 5 years, 5.6 million dehumidifiers have been put onto the recall list. They have caused over 500 fires and over $20 million in damages to living spaces around the United States.
Ideally, your dehumidifier will be running while you're sleeping to control air quality when you're spending the most amount of time in the bedroom. Beyond that, depending on your climate, you may want to run the dehumidifier in seasons of increased precipitation to keep humidity down when you need it most.
Dehumidifiers are engineered to run constantly. That means they can very well run them 24/7 for weeks on end. Dehumidifier is a well-engineered HVAC device that can run uninterrupted for days or even weeks. The key goal you want to achieve by running a dehumidifier is to bring the moisture levels below 50% RH.
If your dehumidifier's water basin is filling up too quickly, you probably have extra water in the air due to an issue like a cracked pipe, water leak or open crawl space. If you're hardly getting any water in the basin, you may need to simply turn the control to a drier setting.
How often you should use a dehumidifier will depend on your home, climate and other factors. To achieve the highest energy efficiency, run a dehumidifier for at least 12 hours a day. This will allow you to remove moisture from the air without racking up the energy costs.
Depending on the size of the dehumidifier, some can cost as little as 8p an hour to run, according to Chris Michael, managing director of Meaco.
The basement humidity level should vary between 30% in winter and 50% in summer. 25% is too low and can cause skin conditions and peeling paint. Over 60% is considered too high and can lead to breathing problems, mildew, and fungal growth.
Dehumidifiers work by removing moisture from the air. This can help to reduce condensation on walls and prevent mould and mildew growth. However, dehumidifiers will not necessarily dry out damp walls. If your walls are damp, you may need to use a combination of a dehumidifier and a fan to help dry them out.
Ordinarily, a dehumidifier will not operate satisfactorily at temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit or under extremely low humidity conditions. At temperatures below 41 degrees the evaporator coils may freeze. This could make it necessary to defrost the coils as often as once per hour.
If your entire home is prone to high moisture levels, you may need to invest in a whole-house dehumidifier. These can be installed in the basement and will help dehumidify the upstairs, and the entire house. Whole-house dehumidifiers are more expensive and much larger than their portable counterparts.
A comfortable basement should maintain a humidity level of 30 to 50 percent — however, those may differ depending on your climate.
Prevents Structural Damage
Depending on the capacity of the dehumidifier, this device can remove tons of moisture from your basement per day. An energy-efficient model, for example, can remove almost 100 pints of water per day. Over time, that moisture can wreak havoc on your home's structure.
A dehumidifier makes the external conditions less welcoming to mold; by removing moisture, they reduce the chances of mold growth. An air purifier, however, removes mold spores from the air, making it harder for mold and mildew to create new colonies. HEPA filters are one of the most important tools for removing mold.
It should be positioned in proximity to a sump pump or drain and the hose should be placed outside of walkways to avoid a tripping hazard. Most dehumidifiers will remove between 30 and 70 pints of water per day.
The bottom line
Running your dehumidifier can help you feel cooler. However, this is because it lowers your room's relative humidity level, not because it changes the room temperature.