So, how long should a dehumidifier run per day? You can safely run your dehumidifier for 12 hours a day. If it is working correctly it should extract the moisture to around 50% to 55% RH.
Most of you already know what dehumidifiers are, yet in case there is any confusion when it comes to functionality, the main goal of a dehumidifier is to get rid of the excess moisture and reduce the RH or relative humidity in your space.
Relative Humidity or RH – What Should You Know about It?
There are various ways on how to measure humidity. The most common is relative humidity or RH.
Relative humidity and humidity are two different terms.
Humidity is vaporized water that is contained in the air while relative humidity is the total amount of vaporized water and current temperature.
One of the most essential factors that you must consider when determining a home’s indoor air quality is relative humidity.
Generally, it is measured as a percentage and to be comfortable, it should be between twenty and sixty percent.
You’ll experience good indoor air quality once the level of RH is kept below fifty percent during summer time and during winter, it should be thirty to forty percent.
Maintaining the numbers will prevent some environmental problems including VOCs or volatile organic compounds, dust mite infestations, mold, mildew, bacteria, and condensation.
If you don’t have a clue what levels of RH are in your home, you may use a hygrometer, which is commonly referred to as damp meter, to get a precise reading of RH levels that may vary from one room to another.
For instance, the areas like your kitchen would have higher RH reading because of the appliances in it such as stove, kettle, and dishwasher than the bathroom.
Read Also: How Do I Know If My Dehumidifier Is Working Properly
Dehumidifier – How Does It Work?
Dehumidifiers are basically classified as household appliances, which are engineered to get rid of excess moisture from the surrounding air, which result in the living conditions that don’t encourage mold and some allergenic organisms.
It also works through sucking in hot air via air intake vent, getting rid of the moisture, and blowing it out again through another outlet of air.
The moisture removed during the process drips into the onsite capture tank that you need to empty once filled.
Some of the finest dehumidifiers were appointed with LED display, which shows both the current relative humidity level and temperature. This will help you avoid buying one separately.
Given that the dampness and size differ across the rooms, there’s no set period of time you must run your unit for, yet there are some guidelines that you should follow.
More often than not, a new home would display higher RH reading.
That is why it only makes sense to run a humidifier in every room continuously until the level of RH is below the mark of 50%.
Once the level of RH is already normal, you may experiment with various settings during several times of the day until you have found out how long you must leave your unit running daily.
Since the majority of modern dehumidifiers come with auto-shut off function, you can leave your unit running around the clock.
Then, you can get back to it once its water reservoir is already full. However, it may result in high energy costs.
There are times that it totals to more than the dehumidifier’s initial price.
If you are worried about any surge in your energy bills, you might want to consider a dehumidifier that enables you to set your preferred level of humidity and automatically shuts off when that level was reached.
Controlling Dehumidifier’s Runtime
Running dehumidifiers 24/7 when it isn’t required would put an extra burden on the components like the compressor that would result in shorter service life.
Once you find that the appliance will go overtime frequently, it’s highly recommended that you take care of the main cause of excess humidity.
Size the Unit for Your Space
Small dehumidifiers will need to work harder to get rid of the moisture if it’s sized very small for rooms.
Bigger units would pass more air across the cooling coil. More air dehumidified in a short period of time means less energy usage. Bigger units would also cycle less frequently if there’s enough airflow across the dehumidifier.
Get Rid of Any Source of Moisture
Make sure that the outdoor environment is properly sealed from coming inside. Close every door and window whenever dehumidifiers are under operation.
Apply door and window seals to the openings to block the intrusion of the moist outside air.
See to it that the clothes dryer is vented appropriately outside, so warm moist air isn’t vented in your home.
Use and install bathroom vent fans to exhaust moisture hair during hot showers and baths.
If your dehumidifier is installed in your basement, seal, and caulk every vent and pipe opening though they exit underground.
Outdoor air may find any little open space and will come inside.
Preventive Measures
Check the settings on the dehumidifier’s control knob for moisture percentage. Keep air vents and coils free of any debris or dirt particles.
You might need to use your vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment to keep the vents clean always.
Replace the older dehumidifier units with new energy-efficient models.
The units used in the basement areas should be rated for basement use.
The temperatures in an underground space tend to be lower.
To top it all, there aren’t really ground rules on how long you should run your dehumidifier daily.
Depending on the level of moisture in your space, you can run it non-stop. The choice is actually yours.
But, always follow the recommended guidelines on your dehumidifier’s user manual to avoid any possible problems in the long run.
Also, it would be best to contact the unit’s manufacturer itself to make sure that you are doing the right thing.
So, in conclusion, you should run your dehumidifier for at least 12 hours per day.
