How long does it take for a dehumidifier to start collecting water? When first using your dehumidifier it will start collecting water as soon as you turn it on. It will take take around 6-7 hours or less to fill up a 67 oz (2 liter) water tank.
Dehumidifiers typically have varied settings for different relative humidity levels.
Thus, it is good practice to have your dehumidifier running continuously until relative humidity falls lower than the 60% mark.
Does damp climb up the walls of your home that leaves you frustrated and annoyed? Well, there are only just a few things that can make your house an unpleasant space.
It doesn’t matter if the moisture comes from drying laundry indoors or cooking or you have an existing damping issue with your home, the result is mold growth on walls and even your clothes, a horrible musty smell, and higher risks of respiratory illnesses.
Since it takes time to sort out major damp issues, one solution you can use for the meantime is investing in a dehumidifier.
How Dehumidifiers Work
A dehumidifier is designed to keep the humidity levels in a room in check in order for the air to remain more comfortable. This appliance helps reduce physical signs of air dampness including window condensation or mold growth on walls.
The best dehumidifier is easy to use, will not cost you that much to run, and does a wonderful job in pulling water from air. Dehumidifiers can work in colder conditions or at normal room temperature.
A dehumidifier draws excess moisture from air to help combat condensation, reduce dampness on walls, and prevent mold growth.
You can choose from two primary types of dehumidifier, namely desiccant and refrigerant or also called compressor. They work differently and are meant to be better suited to specific environments.
A desiccant dehumidifier uses an adsorbent material for extracting water from air. The material will be heated up for the moisture to drip to the water tank.
A desiccant dehumidifier has been designed to work in a more effective manner in lower temperatures, the kind of environment that can you can expect in a typical conservatory or garage.
It is usually claimed that a desiccant dehumidifier tends to use up more energy compared to refrigerant dehumidifiers due to the way that they use heat for warming the adsorbent material.
On the other hand, a refrigerant or compressor dehumidifier drains in air through the filter then over the cold coils. The water will then condense on the coils before dripping to the water tank.
It is usually claimed that these dehumidifiers work much better at higher humidity and higher temperatures that makes them the better option for many occupied homes.
When Should You Use a Dehumidifier?
It is advisable to use a dehumidifier the moment you notice any signs of damp like condensation on windows. However, this should be your last resort to address excess moisture.
You can take the following simple steps to lower your reliance on using a dehumidifier:
- Wipe down the wet floors and walls in the bathroom after every use
- Open a window or use the extractor fan when you take a shower or bath.
- Use a sealant or caulk to seal wall cracks.
- Put wet clothes to dry near an open window or better yet, dry clothes outdoors.
- Use the extractor fan hood when cooking on the hob.
If you are experiencing more persistent issues with damp, the following tips can help or you can also enlist the services of a professional:
- Ensure that your tumble dryer is correctly vented outside.
- Check that your gutters are unclogged and that the downspouts are properly directing rainwater away from the house.
- Check for leaking appliances or pipes.
- There might be a need for a damp-proofing course to tackle structural rising damp.
Ideal Uses for Dehumidifier Water
Even though you cannot really see it, water that comes in gas form called vapor is everywhere around you. Humidity refers to the water vapor amount found in the air and a dehumidifier can help control your home’s humidity level.
If you turn on your dehumidifier in a damp room, this collects the excess water vapor to help protect your health and your furniture pieces.
But, did you know that instead of just throwing away the water collected by your dehumidifier, you can still use it for different purposes?
- For watering your plants – It is recommended to use your dehumidifier water for watering plants. Juts pour the water from the water collector of your unit into your watering can. Water your house plants with it or the plants in your garden or lawn outside. Since there could be trace elements of lead or other harmful elements in the water collector of your dehumidifier, avoid using the water on plants that you grow to eat. It can cause plants to absorb dangerous toxin levels that can get deposited on vegetables and fruits. This ensures that you will not ingest harmful contaminants found in the dehumidifier water in the same way that drinking this water is not safe.
- For cleaning purposes – You can use the dehumidifier water for cleaning things in your yard and around the house. Mix in cleaning products or soap with the dehumidifier water. This can kill the germs that have collected there to prevent the spread of microbes back your environment. Experts suggest using the mixture for washing your car, sink, or floors.
- For flushing toilets – One more way to use that extra water collected in the dehumidifier is for flushing your toilets. You can keep a bucket of dehumidifier water next to the toilet and pour this to the toilet tank until this is filled after flushing. It lets you use the waste water and not the clean water for flushing your waste.
- For ironing – Also an exciting way of using the leftover dehumidifier water is pouring this into the steam iron. As this collected water contains lesser minerals compared to tap water, using the water can prevent buildup of minerals in your iron that could get deposited on your clothes.
