High humidity causes headaches for many homeowners, which is why dehumidifiers are fast becoming a popular appliance for Australian homes.
So, do you need a dehumidifier? And what do they do?
As the name suggests, a dehumidifier reduces the level of humidity in the air.
Dealing with your home’s humidity issues can improve your health, prevent mould and make your home environment more comfortable.
6 Reasons Why You Need A Dehumidifier
1. Your home has a musty odour
Many homes, particularly older ones, develop a damp smell over time. This can happen if the house has been closed up for an extended period, has high levels of humidity or if there is mould or mildew in the walls.
Mould has a low odour threshold, which means that there only needs to be a small amount of mould for a smell to be emitted.
By reducing moisture and humidity, a dehumidifier can inhibit mildew and condensation, which is often the reason for those unpleasant, musty odours.
These units act fast (provided you have the right sized model for your room) and can ensure a comfortable and pleasant smelling home environment.
2. Someone suffers from asthma
As they reduce humidity levels, dehumidifiers make your home less of an appealing environment for mould and bacteria to thrive. Larger mould infestations spurt harmful mould spores, which can trigger respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
Look for a model or company whose products are approved by the National Asthma Council Australia Sensitive Choice Program.
A dehumidifier is also ideal for improving your general health. Having mould in your home can cause a range of health problems including itchy eyes, runny nose, respiratory issues and overall general fatigue.
Mould needs humidity to grow so using your dehumidifier regularly can definitely have mould minimising benefits.
3. You live in a high humidity area
Living in an area of Australia with high humidity? During warmer months, high humidity can make your indoor environment extremely uncomfortable.
The ideal relative humidity for human comfort is in the 40–60% range; a good quality dehumidifier should be able to test your current humidity levels and then regulate them for your comfort.
It will help keep your home cool and comfortable, particularly during those warm, sticky days.
A dehumidifier may also improve energy efficiency. With humidity reduced in your home, your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to reach your desired temperature during warm days. It is easier to cool or heat dry air.
4. You have concerns about mould
As mentioned before, a dehumidifier is a handy device to have if you're worried about mould, or have difficulty ventilating your home or apartment (lack of windows, poor performing or no exhaust system).
Whether you are regularly encountering smaller infestations around the home, or you’re eager to keep the mould monster away, a dehumidifier is a helpful way to remove the moisture that mould needs in order to thrive.
Have a larger mould infestation? More severe cases may require professional remediation. Contact our qualified mould removal specialists for more information.
5. You have a pest problem
You may want to control an existing pest problem or keep your home free of these nuisances. High humidity provides the ideal environment for cockroaches, ants and other bugs to breed and thrive.
You may have noticed your pest problems get considerably worse during warmer weather - their love of humidity is the reason why.
Low humidity will also deter dust mites, whose excrement contains mycotoxins, known to cause allergic or respiratory reactions.
Another great reason to have a dehumidifier at home!
6. For when you need to dry clothes indoors
As an added bonus, you can use a dehumidifier to help dry your clothes. It may take a little longer than a dryer, but hanging your clothes a safe distance from the dehumidifier will draw the moisture out effectively.
As a general rule, you should never dry clothes inside unless you have an appliance like a dehumidifier, which can combat the humid conditions that warm, wet washing inside can create.
Using a dehumidifier to dry clothes means you don’t have to run your hot clothes dryer in your small laundry, which may cause high levels of condensation and contribute to mould growth.
What is the difference between a dehumidifier and air purifier?
Dehumidifier Benefits
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Alleviating asthma symptoms
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Keeping mould at bay
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Deterring dust mites
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Alleviating the symptoms of hay fever
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Getting rid of condensation
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Getting rid of dampness
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Controlling humidity
Air Purifier Benefits
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Alleviating asthma symptoms
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Keeping mould at bay
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Deterring dust mites
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Alleviating the symptoms of hay fever
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Keeping your home free of pollen and dust
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Keeping home odour and smoke-free
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Filter out bacteria and viruses
Air Purifier vs Humidifier - Which One Suits You
It can get confusing, so hopefully our explanation below helps.
An air purifier will treat your air, targeting smoke odours, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are emitted from certain household products, pet hair and dander, and a range of viruses and bacteria.
A dehumidifier will dry out your home environment, reducing the humidity and moisture that contributes to creating an unhealthy home.
You can check out our product page for more information. We sell a range of dehumidifiers of different sizes at affordable prices, so that you can find the right option for your home.
