Dehumidifier Uses and Health Benefits
2024-02-28
What Does a Dehumidifier Do?
A dehumidifier can help reduce allergens and ease breathing but could worsen conditions like pneumonia if the air is too dry. It can also cause skin and hair problems, as well as worsen a dry cough or stuffy nose.A dehumidifier is an appliance that takes moisture out of the air in your home.If you or your family members have asthma or allergies, a dehumidifier might help relieve symptoms and make breathing easier.This article will help you decide whether a dehumidifier is a worthwhile investment for your living space.
Dehumidifier uses and health benefits
You may remember the water cycle from elementary school science: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. What you might not realize is that the water cycle is always taking place in the air you’re breathing, even when you’re spending time inside.“Humidity” is a measure of water vapor in the air. Dehumidifiers remove or minimize this water vapor.Dehumidifiers help reduce allergy symptoms.Environmental allergens can cause symptoms like: wheezing sneezing chest pain eye irritation itching Common allergy triggers include: mold dust mites pollen animal dander Drying out the air in your home keeps triggers to a minimum. Dust mites, in particular, need a relative humidity level of 65 percentTrusted Source to survive and procreate. That’s a level that can be easily managed by using a dehumidifier.Dehumidifying the air also controls mold growth. Dehumidifiers may help control asthma When there’s moisture in the air, it becomes heavier and often more difficult to breathe. That’s why high-humidity environments can be difficult for people who have asthma.A dehumidifier can make the effort to breathe in and out easier on the lungs.
Mugginess disappears and the air is cooler and more comfortable.There’s little evidence to support the use of a dehumidifier as an actual treatment for chronic asthma, according to a 2013 study, but there’s also no evidence that trying a dehumidifier can have an adverse effect.Dehumidifiers can create a healthier environment. By eliminating mold and dust, you’re also eliminating invaders like silverfish, cockroaches, and spiders. Lower humidity levels may also benefit people who have COPD. If you live in a naturally humid climate, a dehumidifier can also cool off your home and reduce your air conditioner use. How a dehumidifier works A dehumidifier works by drawing warm air currents into its coils via a fan. The warm air contracts as it’s fed through the refrigerated coils of the machine, and condensation is left inside the dehumidifier.
As this condensation collects, one droplet of water at a time, it falls into a storage tank attached to the dehumidifier. Cooler, drier air is then released back into your home through the other side of the machine. Your dehumidifier should be able to bring the moisture in the air down to a relative humidity of 30 to 50 percent. Many dehumidifiers come with a meter that measures the relative humidity where it’s placed in your home, and you can set the humidity to the percentage you desire.