Learn how to use a dehumidifier to tackle damp and excess moisture in the home.
By Homebase- 1 year ago
- 6min read
Well on their way to becoming a household essential, a dehumidifier is a great way to prevent damp, mildew and mould and can even be used to help dry your laundry indoors. Follow our handy guide on how to use a dehumidifier to get the most out of your appliance and keep excess moisture in the home to a minimum.
Tips for Using a Dehumidifier
With a little guidance, learning how to use a dehumidifier effectively won't take long at all. Depending on what you want to use your dehumidifier for, we have a few top tips on how to achieve the best results.
1. Placement and Surroundings
Indoor moisture control is perhaps the most common reason for using these handy devices. When it comes to where to place a dehumidifier, position it as centrally as possible in a room and make sure that it isn't obstructed by walls or furniture. This will ensure better air flow around the appliance, helping it to work more effectively.
Hanging wet laundry indoors during the winter months is a common cause of damp. Moisture from the drying clothes evaporates into the surrounding air, condensing on walls and windows on impact. Luckily, using a dehumidifier not only combats mould-causing condensation, but can actually help your clothes to dry more quickly.
If you place a dehumidifier near your clothes horse, the air circulation from the fan alone will help to speed up the drying process. By removing excess moisture from the air, using a dehumidifier also means that your clothes are less likely to have that off-putting damp smell that can linger when they don't dry properly.
Should I Close the Door When Using a Dehumidifier?
Whether you're drying laundry or tackling damp, always remember to close any windows and external doors. Otherwise, your dehumidifier will be trying to remove moisture from a constant flow of outside air is an impossible task that will waste both electricity and money!
2. Operation and Settings
Many dehumidifiers have a built-in humidistat that gives you the relative humidity of your room on a scale of 1%-100%. A high relative humidity could indicate the presence of damp, as any excess moisture in the air will start to condense on walls and windows. Most guides suggest that the optimum relative humidity for a home is anywhere between 30%-60%.
Rather than worrying over how long to leave your dehumidifier on, you will see better results if you leave it running until the humidistat drops down into the optimum range. Typically, this will take between one and three hours, depending on the level of moisture in the air.
If your home is damp, we'd recommend using your dehumidifier on a daily basis. As well as helping to prevent the growth of mould and mildew, dehumidifiers can help to reduce the severity of an existing problem.
If you want to know how to use a dehumidifier to dry clothes, making a few adjustments to your settings will help to ensure success. New dehumidifier models often have a dedicated laundry setting. Usually, this sets the fan at a higher speed to help bring the humidity down at a faster rate. However, if your dehumidifier doesnít have a laundry setting, there are still plenty of benefits to reap from placing it near your drying clothes and clothes rack.
Top Tip: If your home has a pervasive damp smell, placing disposable moisture absorbers in smaller spaces, like cupboards and wardrobes, can help to remove excess moisture from these hard-to-reach spots.
Is It Safe to Leave a Dehumidifier on When Not Home?
We always recommend switching off all electric appliances before you leave the house, just to be on the safe side.
3. Cleaning and Maintenance
To keep it working efficiently, itís also important to know how to clean a dehumidifier. Empty and clean the water tank regularly to prevent mould or mildew from growing. You can use a damp microfibre cloth and a small squeeze of washing up liquid if needed.
Your dehumidifier will also have a removable filter that should be cleaned whenever you notice dust and lint starting to build up on it.
It's also a good idea to keep the space around your dehumidifier clean by vacuuming regularly. Otherwise, your dehumidifier can unsettle dust on the surface of carpets and furniture which may trigger allergies in those who suffer from them.
