How to save money on dehumidifier costs

With the new energy prices rising, a 54% increase in electricity and gas bills*, we understand the frustration of having to pay extra for comfort in your home. That is why, unlike other manufacturers, we strive on being transparent with our customers in everything we do and provide the exact cost to run per hour for all our products. Our cost to run figures are monitored and adjusted according to the Energy Savings Trust, whose current national average price per pence/kWh of electricity is 34p (accurate as of October 2022).

‘For years we have led the industry in trying to provide the consumer with as much information as possible so that they can make an informed choice based on honest data. Whether that be how much water a dehumidifier will actually extract in their home, rather than an inflated tropical condition, or in this case, in terms of electricity costs.’ says Chris Michael, managing director of Meaco, ‘Energy prices are scary these days, and we have changed our pricing guides to reflect the steep increases that we are all suffering from. So whilst our competitors continue to refuse to answer the question “how much will this cost me to run?”, we continue to present our customers with honest answers and are proud to do so.’

How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier? 

Before comparing costs, it is important to note that our compressor dehumidifiers are different from our desiccant dehumidifiers (both found in our home dehumidifiers section). The desiccant dehumidifiers work more efficiently in different conditions than our compressor dehumidifiers. Using the wrong model in the wrong conditions will increase running costs. 

Putting running costs into context

Dehumidifiers are mostly used in the winter months when heat is required and dehumidifiers are very efficient in this context as the energy used to dry the air is returned to the space as heat.  So you get the water you require in the dehumidifier and you get the bonus of adding heat to the space.

If you are using your dehumidifier to protect assets in a garage, a boat, a caravan or furniture in the home then you will be saving money by protecting those things that are important to you.

Dehumidifiers also save you money by stopping the growth of mould and reducing the amount of redecoration that will be required.  As well as maintaining your families health by reducing mould allergens and dust mites.

So when you look at the running costs, weigh these up against all of the benefits that your dehumidifier will bring to you.

Compressor dehumidifiers need to be colder than the air within the room. They work as a cold surface forming condensation when warm, damp air is absorbed through it, then collecting water. Below 15°C a compressor dehumidifier is programmed to spend the majority of its time defrosting itself instead of dehumidifying. For colder spaces our Arete One 20 and 25 litre dehumidifiers have been specially designed to work efficiently down to 10°C, smaller compressor dehumidifiers like the 10 and 12 litre models are more suited for warm rooms – for instance a bedroom or living room.

Desiccant dehumidifiers function better in colder temperatures, below 10°C, absorbing any excess moisture from the air, and then releasing it back into the space as warm, dry air. They are ideal for use in spaces in the home that could benefit from some extra warmth (conservatories spring to mind), and unheated spaces like garages, utility rooms and boats for example.

Unlike compressor dehumidifiers with a desiccant dehumidifier you can actually choose how much electricity they use and as a consequence how much water is collected.  This is controlled via the fan speed button, in single fan speed you use half as much electricity and extract half as much water, in fan speed too you use twice as much electricity and extract twice as much water.

With compressor dehumidifiers there is very little difference between the fan speeds.

Dehumidifiers are our winter products and the energy used is dispersed into the room as heat – ideal for this time of year. Not only does it reduce the humidity levels in your environment, but it will also save you on the cost of your heating bills, because the air will be dryer and easier to heat.

How much does it cost to run a Meaco dehumidifier?

The following costs are shown with the conditions of a normal room in a British household (with a temperature of 20°C and 60% relative humidity). For detailed technical data (for all our products, not just dehumidifiers), you can find it on each individual product page on our website (www.meaco.com) or in our instruction manuals.

Cost to run per hour for compressor dehumidifiers:

Product

Cost per hour based on 34p/kWh**

MeacoDry Arete 25L

9p/hour

MeacoDry Arete 20L

7p/hour

MeacoDry ABC 20L

8p/hour

MeacoDry ABC 12L

5p/hour

MeacoDry ABC 10L

5p/hour

Meaco 12L Low Energy

5p/hour

Meaco 20L Low Energy

7p/hour

Meaco 25L Ultra Low Energy

8p/hour

Cost to run per hour for desiccant dehumidifiers:

Product

Fan speed

Cost per hour based on 34p/kWh

Meaco DD8L Zambezi

1

11p/hour

Meaco DD8L Zambezi

2

22p/hour

Meaco DD8L Zambezi

3

22p/hour

Meaco DD8L

1

11p/hour

Meaco DD8L

or laundry mode

22p/hour

Meaco DD8L Junior 

1

11p/hour

Meaco DD8L Junior 

or laundry mode

22p/hour

5 extra tips to reduce the costs of running your dehumidifier:

 

  • Reduce your moisture level. 

We release moisture in our environment in a variety of ways, from using the shower, cooking, washing dishes to drying our clothes. By monitoring these activities and finding ways to reduce your humidity levels in your room (e.g. using a ventilation system when showering, opening a window when washing dishes), your dehumidifier will not have to do as much work, which will reduce its running costs.

 

  • Improve circulation and ventilation in your space.

Increasing ventilation and air circulation in your home will also dramatically decrease your humidity levels. You can install an extractor fan in your bathroom, or open your windows to encourage ventilation. The less humidity and more comfortable you are in your room, the less you will have to run the dehumidifier.  In winter though if you leave windows open for too long you will be introducing a lot of cold air which will push your heating bills up and will make people feel uncomfortable.  Leaving windows open for 20 minutes or so after a bath or a shower (or cooking) is enough.

 

  • Look after your dehumidifier. 

To keep your running costs low, it is important to make sure your dehumidifier works as efficiently as possible. In order to do this, you should check certain components. Does your air filter need cleaning? Are the air vents clear? Are you emptying the tank regularly enough? Is there a build up of ice on its coils? Have a look at our instruction manuals here for help on looking after your dehumidifier.

 

  • Keep your dehumidifier in a suitable place. 

Make sure that you keep your dehumidifier on a flat surface 15-30cm away from furniture or other objects (unless you have an Arete dehumidifier which does not require extra space around it), and keep it on a flat surface.

 

  • Don’t over run your dehumidifier

Set your humidistat on your dehumidifier to 50 or 55%rh, when the relative humidity reaches these levels it will turn off and you will not be using more than 0.5 watts of electricity.  There is no need to be running the dehumidifier to 40 or 45%rh unless you are drying a space out with serious damp problems.

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15 Responses

  1. Hello
    Just bought the 88 Junior….I understand that on fan 1 is the cheapest running cost..but how does having the rain drop on 1, 2 or 3 affect the running cost?

    Very pleased with my purchase.

    1. Alan,

      Thank you for your enquiry. Selecting a higher fan power means making the unit work harder, using more watts this means you would be using more energy.

      Approximate Electricity Cost are as follows:
      9p / hour based on 28.62p / kWh on fan speed 1
      19p / hour based on 28.62p / kWh on fan speed 2 and laundry mode

      I hope that helps.
      Omar.

  2. How much does my Meaco Arete one 12L Dehumidifier cost to run on night mode at current electricity prices please

    Many thanks

    1. Thank you for your question, this varies on factors such as room conditions, what the temperature is and the humidity levels. For example at at 20 °C and 60 % RH the unit will consume 151 watts with approximate electricity costs being 4p / hour based on 27.35p / kWh. Please take a look at the extraction rate data on the product page for more helpful information: https://www.meaco.com/products/meacodryarete1-12l

      I hope this helps.

      Omar@Meaco

  3. Hello,
    I have recently purchased a Meaco 12l arete dehumidifier and set it running. I have also purchased a Thermopro hygrometer to measure rh in various rooms.
    When running the dehumidifier in a room and placing the hygrometer next to it, they give me different readings, up to 12 points difference.
    I would have expected them to show readings that are much closer than that.
    I did read a review on a site whereby someone did the same test, same products and was able to get both readings almost exactly the same 🤔.
    I look forward to your comment(s)

    1. Richard

      Thank you for your purchase, humidity sensors read to plus or minus 5%rh, so if one says 50 that it means that the humidity is between 45 and 55%rh. That is the range that you have to accept.

      The dehumidifier also has a huge advantage that it has a fan to draw the air over the sensor, this makes it a lot more reactive and accurate.

      Chris

  4. Hi have just bought my DD8L may sound dumb but how do I set my DD8L to run at 50 or 50% rh . I have it running on fan speed 1 and on the thumbs up. Thanks Lesley

  5. Can’t quite get my head around the Marco platinum low energy humidryers 25litres claims that it uses less energy on higher power ? Does that mean that it’s more efficient to run it at laundry mode on full power ? That’s certainly what it seems to be portraying as, this would be the motors highest demands ! If so are the lesser settings just for noise preferences ? Thanks

    1. Mark,

      This is because it is a DC inverter motor and it is more efficient the faster it goes, a bit like riding a bike, everything becomes easier and requires less energy the faster you go.

      Chris

  6. Hi I just bought a meaco low energy 20l dehumidifier/air purifier for my mum flat
    I just wanted to know a couple of things what the best room to use in and also how long do I need to use it for can I leave it on all day and all night or do I only use it for a certain amount of time thanks again Andrew Smith

    1. Andrew,

      Thank you for your purchase. Place it somewhere central fairly close to where the moisture is being generated. Set it to 55%rh as a target and then just leave it on all the time.

      Chris

  7. My name is Liz norberg I bought a dehumidifier from you and it was the best purchase I every made I would highly recommend buying one to everyone especially with the damp weather coming in I promise you you will never regret it

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