Frequently Asked Dehumidifier Questions

What Is A Dehumidifier?

A dehumidifier is a device that is used to regulate moisture. It removes excess moisture from the atmosphere until it reaches the required relative humidity.

How does it work?

All dehumidifiers work using two primary working mechanisms. The working principles can either be through refrigeration or desiccation.

Refrigeration dehumidifiers use refrigerants for moisture removal. After sucking air into the system, it passes over connection pipes. The refrigerant cools the warm moist air below the dew point. As a result, the excess moisture condenses and then collects in the drain tank. Now, use heating elements to reheat the dry air and then release it back into the atmosphere.

On the other hand, desiccation dehumidifiers are designed with a rotor that is packed with a hydrophilic material (the desiccant). Often the material used for this purpose is silica gel. After sucking air into the system, silica gel has a high affinity for water, and it will absorb moisture in the atmosphere. As a result, the air leaving the device will have lower humidity.

What Is Relative Humidity?

The relative humidity is a ratio of the actual amount of moisture a given mass of air can hold and the maximum amount of moisture that the same air can hold when saturated. The air with a relative humidity of 100% has reached the dew point. At this point, condensation occurs if the air mass comes into contact with any surface.

Another term related to it is absolute humidity. It is a measure of the actual amount of moisture a given mass of air holds at any time.

While discussing a dehumidifier, relative humidity is a preferred measure. That is because it factors in environmental temperature, which affects the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold.

What Is The Ideal Indoor Humidity?

Many scientific studies have reported that relative humidity levels of 50% are ideal for maintaining indoor air quality and creating a comfortable environment. At this humidity level, your house will be free of mold and dust mites.

In support of these findings, other researchers over the years have observed that reducing humidity levels below 50% does not provide any advantage. Contrary to that, it can be counterproductive if it drops to 30% since it increases the probability of static charges to form in electric components, which can result in short-circuitry.

How Long Does It Take To Get Moisture Under Control?

It depends on the capacity of the dehumidifier and the prevailing moisture conditions in the room. However, if there is too much moisture due to weather conditions and household chores, it may take a week to a month to control the moisture in the air.

Nonetheless, the timeframe may deviate from the estimated time in cases of flooding, or continuous leakages. In such cases, air movers and air scrubbers may be used in addition to the dehumidifier to speed up the process.

How Much Water Does A Dehumidifier Remove?

While most people may rush to claim that the amount of moisture removable during a specific duration is dependent on the capacity of the device, it is not as straightforward as they may suppose. Other factors that determine water extraction rate include air temperature, air-moisture content, and the power of the device.

It is for this reason that a dehumidifier with a rating of 60PPD (pints per day) on paper may not be able to extract the exact amount of moisture during a 24- hour duration.

Is The Water Collected Potable?

The water that collects during the operation of the dehumidifier, also known as condensate can be used in cleaning the car or even for irrigation. However, although it seems clear, we should not drink or feed it to pets because it may contain harmful bacteria that can cause infection.

Where Is The Best Place To Put The Dehumidifier?

Strategically placing a dehumidifier within the house is paramount for effective extraction of moisture. Ideally, it should be placed in the farthest corner of a room, where air circulation is quite low. That will serve to reduce the noise it generates while it is running. However, if you feel that the warm air it releases is heating the room and making it uncomfortable, you can opt to place it facing away from the window.

Further Reading

For additional FAQs regarding dehumidifiers, you can visit the Alorair website where all the questions have been answered. You can click on the link below to go directly to the questions

https://www.alorair.com/faq/

However, if you still feel that your problem is personalized or not fully resolved, please feel free to contact their technical support. Their website provides contact information for a free consultation.