How do dehumidifiers work, and what are the benefits?

How do dehumidifiers work? It’s a critical question if you’re thinking of buying one. Usually, people choose to have a dehumidifier to remove water from air – either at home or in the office. Excess moisture causes condensation, which in turn can turn into damp problems. Damp brings more than just unsightly patches on the walls – the dust mite thrives in damp conditions, which can affect people with asthma or allergy problem. And of course damp causes mould, which can be difficult to get rid of.

Choosing to buy a dehumidifier to help remove moisture from the air is a great way to improve conditions in your home. It will start working hard for you as soon as you get it, and users notice a marked difference – dry air instead of wet air, a warmer home because the dehumidifier removes moisture, and a better, healthier environment. So, how do dehumidifiers work, and which type is best for you?

How dehumidifiers work

The air in your home contains moisture. And you can add to this moisture by the things you do at home – cooking, showering, drying washing. All of these things increase the moisture in the air and, when warmer moist air hits colder air, the moisture condenses into water. That’s when you start to notice damp and mould – sometimes on walls and windows and sometimes – more worryingly – on soft furnishings and even your clothes.

A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air – excess moisture that you don’t want to condense and hang around your home. It helps to ease damp problems, gives you healthier air to breath and can even make your energy use more efficient.

Types of dehumidifier and how they work

There are two main types of dehumidifier – the desiccant dehumidifier and the compressor dehumidifier. At Meaco, we design and sell both types, so you just need to know the difference and then you can decide on which type of best for your home. That means that you’ll buy a dehumidifier that’s right for your needs.

Desiccant dehumidifiers – this type of dehumidifier is great for areas that are colder. A lot of desiccant units are used in garages, sheds and store rooms where there is no heating, and they are really effective in these environments. Essentially, the air is drawn in over a filter and passed over an absorbent material called Zeolite.  When the material is saturated, a heater in the dehumidifier blows warm dry air across the Zeolite and the moisture condenses into water which is then dropped into a collection tank. The warm air is then passed back out of the dehumidifier at a higher temperature than the air that was taken in, so this dehumidifier can also act as a gentle heater.

Compressor dehumidifiers – this type of dehumidifier draws in the air but instead of using the absorbent Zeolite, compressors have a cold-coils system, like a fridge. This is why these types of dehumidifiers are often also referred to as ‘refrigeration dehumidifiers’. As the air passes over the coils, the heat exchange condenses the moisture in the air and it is collected in a tank. This helps to create the dry air needed to combat condensation, mould and damp problems.

How to decide on the right dehumidifier

The dehumidifier you choose will depend on several things. First, the environment you want to change. If you have a large room, you’ll need a dehumidifier with a bigger capacity and larger collection tank, whereas smaller rooms or office spaces can manage with a smaller unit. You may also want to look for a unit that offers air conditioner options or air purification, helping to keep the air in your home healthy as well as dry. Or you might want to investigate the desiccant option, which can also provide some heat to your space.

If you’re unsure, you can always contact our team and we will help you work out what’s best for you.

Common dehumidifier questions

As well as wanting to know how do dehumidifiers work, customers also often ask us the following:

What are the benefits of a dehumidifier? A dehumidifier is probably the quickest way to dry the air in your home. As soon as you get it, you can plug it in and set the humidity level you want. You may be surprised by how high the current humidity level is, and you will definitely notice a difference once it starts to work. Dehumidifiers are affordable to run, and can even help to reduce your energy bills because dry air is warmer air, so your heating won’t have to work so hard to keep your home warm.

How much water should a dehumidifier collect in a day? This really depends on how much excess moisture is in the air. Initially, your dehumidifier may collect a lot of water as it works hard to reduce the relative humidity in your home. You may have to keep an eye on the collection tank so that you can empty it when you need to. Once you have got into the habit of using your dehumidifier, and you are taking other measures to reduce the condensation in your home, you can reduce its use and it will collect less water, because there will be less moisture in the air.

Visit our dehumidifier shop to see our complete range today.