11 Uses For A Dehumidifier You Might Not Know

Dehumidifiers are becoming a more common household appliance, especially as they are now found in nearly every home improvement store. They are also fairly affordable, and finding one for less than $100 is quite easy. Nearly everyone knows that a dehumidifier is a great way to remove moisture from your home, but there are a lot of uses for your dehumidifier you might not know about.

A dehumidifier helps remove allergens and makes the air safer for those with asthma. This appliance is also great at removing dust mites as well as making your home less desirable for pests like silverfish, cockroaches, and centipedes. They can help purify the air and are great at helping your laundry dry faster. You can even use your dehumidifier to protect your expensive electronics, interior paint, and wood furnishings.

If you have a dehumidifier or are on the fence about whether or not you need one, then this article is for you. A dehumidifier is essential if you live somewhere with lots of humidity, but there are many other reasons you might want to purchase one. To know if a dehumidifier is an appliance you need, keep reading. Below is our list of all the top uses for a dehumidifier, and many of them might come as a surprise.

11 Great Uses For A Dehumidifier You Might Not Know About

1. Dries Your Hanging Clothes Quicker

If you are someone who handwashes clothing at home, then a dehumidifier might be a great asset. Drying clothes on an outdoor clothesline is ideal, but it isn’t always possible. If you don’t have a yard, or the weather isn’t conducive to drying, then you need to dry clothes indoors.

Using a dehumidifier in the same room where you hang your clothes will significantly reduce the drying time. It won’t be as fast as using a dryer, but it will use less energy, and it is also much better for your clothing.

2. Can Be An Effective Tool For Pest Control

Did you know that a dehumidifier can be highly effective at keeping some of the most undesirable pests away? That’s right, these humidity-lowering devices are great at keeping silverfish, centipedes, cockroaches, and even termites away.

The reason for this is that these insects like damp spaces, and some in particular like wet wood. A dehumidifier helps remove this desirable living condition, and these pests are likely to go somewhere with higher humidity.

3. Helps Protect Your Valuable Wooden Furniture

If you have a home with lots of wood, or even just a few valuable pieces of wooden furniture, then purchasing a dehumidifier is a very smart idea. Moisture can damage many materials, but it is particularly harsh on wood. This is because wood is often porous, and water can seep in.

Humidity can turn wood soft, make it moldy, or even make it warp and crack.

If you place a dehumidifier in an area near your wooden furniture, you will keep the rooms in a healthy humidity range for the wood. This will remove the risk of damaging your precious wooden pieces.

4. Great To Use In Basements After Heavy Rain

If you have a basement that floods now and then, or even gets a little damp after a heavy rain, then it can benefit from a dehumidifier. Wet basements can cause tons of unwanted issues.

Mold, rot, bad smells, and so many other issues result from a wet basement. Keeping a dehumidifier in your basement will help mitigate, and possibly eliminate, these problems.

5. Helps Your Interior Paint Jobs Last Longer

Painting the inside of your home is a home improvement project you want to endure as few times as possible. If painting your interior walls is one of your least favorite tasks, you will be thrilled to learn that a dehumidifier is a great way to help the paint on your walls last longer.

Constant high humidity and significant and frequent humidity fluctuations can weaken the paint and cause it to chip and crack. Keeping your home at a moderate to lower humidity will help your paint stay pristine, and help it last as long as possible.

6. Keeps Dust Mites Away

Dust mites are tiny creatures that you can’t see, but can cause all sorts of irritations. You can be itchy, and sneezy, have a runny nose, and so many other negative reactions to dust mites. One great way to help remove these microscopic pests from your home is with a dehumidifier.

Dust mites grow in climates with humidity above 55%, so if you can control the humidity, you can control a dust mite problem.

7. Great At Removing Smells

Another great use for a dehumidifier is to remove many funky smells in your home. Some of the most common strange odors in the home are caused by humidity and water damage. Musty smells, mildew, mold, and rot all involve humidity.

If you use a dehumidifier, then you can help remove the root cause of many of these smells. In fact, dehumidifiers remove humidity and wet areas even when you can’t locate them. This will help keep your home free of strange and unidentifiable smells.

8. Can Help Lower Your Energy Bill

If you are looking for ways to lower your home’s electric bill, you might not need to look further than a dehumidifier. Sure, dehumidifiers use electricity, but they also help to do the job of appliances that use significantly more electricity.

Air conditioners and HVAC systems both need to work hard to remove humidity before they control the temperature in your home. If you have a dehumidifier, you can easily remove this humidity using a smaller device that uses less energy. This way you don’t have to use your energy-guzzling devices as often.

9. Reduces Mold In The Home

Mold is something you never want to have in your home. Not only can it spread rapidly, but it can be very harmful to both your home and your health. Mold grows easily in high humidity, especially in bathrooms and basements, but it can pop up anywhere with high humidity and poor circulation.

Using a dehumidifier to consistently regulate humidity will help prevent a mold outbreak. This is especially important for those who live in wet climates. It will keep you and your home free of this fast-spreading nuisance.

10. Removes Dust And Allergens From The Air

In addition to reducing the risk of mold, dehumidifiers are also great at removing dust and other allergens like pet dander from the air. If you or someone in your home suffers from allergies, then a dehumidifier can be a great tool to add to your allergy-fighting arsenal. Additionally, a dehumidifier also keeps the air dry, so those who suffer from asthma are less likely to have symptoms.

Keep in mind, however, that not all dehumidifiers are great at removing impurities from the air. Some are much better than others. If you want a dehumidifier that removes impurities from the air, search for a machine with a HEPA filter.

11. Helps Keep Expensive Electronics Safe And Operating

Electronics are often some of the most expensive items in a home. They are also almost always susceptible to damage from moisture. The more frequently these devices are exposed to moisture, especially inside their wiring, the quicker they are likely to deteriorate. A dehumidifier is a great appliance to place in a room with lots of technology. This is especially true if this room is exposed to the elements, or tends to have a high humidity for one reason or another.

Summing Up Uses For Dehumidifiers You Might Not Know About

As its name implies, a dehumidifier is a device that helps remove excess humidity from the air. Many think that this is its main and sole purpose. There are, however, many different ways you can use a dehumidifier in your home. A dehumidifier is an excellent appliance for protecting your electronics, valuable wood furnishings, and even the paint on the walls. This home appliance can also reduce the risk of mold, dust mites, and other unwanted pests.

Related Guides:

• How To Decrease Humidity In The Home Without A Dehumidifier
• Should You Run A Dehumidifier In The Winter?
• How Long Does It Take For A Dehumidifier To Work?