Common Questions About DehumidifiersPublished: July 21, 2023

Installing a dehumidifier in your home or business is an excellent way to reap two benefits from one easy installation. Dehumidifiers not only help to improve the air quality in your home but they also help lower the humidity which can make it feel cooler and help you avoid troubling damage to your home. Read on to learn more about dehumidifiers to see how one could potentially be a good fit for your space.

Common questions about dehumidifiers

Although many people are familiar with small plug in dehumidifiers, you might find yourself wondering what a more permanent unit can really do for your home. Here are answers to common questions that should help you see the usefulness of these devices.

Will a dehumidifier help with mold?

While air conditioners alone are capable of lowering the humidity in the air, they aren’t as effective as a device designed with the sole purpose of doing so. If you find yourself with mold or mildew growing inside, a dehumidifier can help pull the extra moisture from the air and prevent the mold from continuing to grow. Mold needs a moist environment to thrive, so if enough moisture is removed from the air, it should stop it in its tracks.

Will a dehumidifier help cool my house?

Yes. But the actual reasoning for it is a bit interesting. Whether you’re inside or outside, the more humid it is, the hotter you’ll feel. The reason for this is that our bodies aren’t able to properly get rid of the sweat on our skin. Since the moisture stays on our skin longer, it makes us feel hotter. Contrastingly, in the winter, higher humidity makes us feel colder. So a dehumidifier can help you feel warmer in the winter too!

Will a dehumidifier help with allergies?

Yes. As mentioned above, when the air inside a home is too humid, it’s the perfect breeding ground for things like mold and mildew to grow. These contaminants are known irritants for people with allergies and asthma. They can make symptoms much worse and trigger harmful asthma attacks. 

In severe cases, some people have had to leave their homes due to mold or mildew buildup because they led to such strong reactions. The best thing you can do is take preventive measures by installing a dehumidifier before you have mold or mildew problems to prevent them from becoming an issue in the future. 

Can a dehumidifier clean the air?

Not quite. While it does help the air clean in a sense by ensuring mold and mildew aren’t a problem, it doesn’t actually remove any contaminants from the air like a filter does. 

Will a dehumidifier help dry a carpet?

Yes. Having one can come in handy if you find yourself in a pinch and need to dry a carpet out. They can help you dry a carpet much faster than it would on its own. Just make sure you don’t have any windows open as this can lessen the effectiveness of the dehumidifier and make the process take longer.

Will dehumidifiers help with a musty smell?

The short answer is it’s possible but there are also multiple different reasons why your home may smell this way.  Musty smells are most often caused by mold and mildew, so if this is your issue then a dehumidifier should be able to fix the problem. But if mold and mildew have been in your home for a while, then the smell may have permeated your carpets, curtains, and other upholstery. They may need a deep cleaning or even a replacement to help fully get rid of the smell.

A musty smell can also be caused by standing water. If you have a flooded basement or a sump pump that doesn’t properly drain, that could be the cause of the issue too. Investigating to find the cause and getting it addressed promptly is the best way to get your air smelling fresh and clean again. 

What should I do when dehumidifiers ice up?

Some units, if left unmaintained, have the tendency to build up ice on the outside. This could be due to the temperature of the room, restricted airflow that could be caused by a blockage or a buildup of debris, or from an overall lack of maintenance, including filter issues. 

If your dehumidifier ices up, call for help so you can get it repaired. Keeping up with regular maintenance should help keep this issue from occurring.

Are dehumidifiers safe?

Yes. The biggest concern with dehumidifiers is running one too often which can result in the opposite problem—too little moisture in the air. But this is often only a problem with single-room dehumidifiers that might not have sensors to gauge when they should turn on/off.

Whole-house S dehumidifiers are not only much more powerful and energy efficient, but they also operate automatically and shouldn’t require much maintenance or worrying on your part.

Dehumidifier service in Buffalo, NY

Dehumidifiers are certainly useful in the Buffalo, NY area as humidity can often get quite high. As mentioned throughout this article, they serve many different purposes from keeping your home free from mold and mildew to helping you feel cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter. If you’d like to learn more about dehumidifiers and see how one would fit into your home, please don’t hesitate to contact us today!