Does your house face challenges from high humidity, condensation, or mould growth? A dehumidifier may work wonders, but are you using it the right way? A lot of people waste energy, curtail efficiency, or fail to kill moisture problems when using the dehumidifier improperly.
Discover the top 10 dehumidifier usage tips that will help you to:
- Prevent dampness, mould, and mildew
- Improve air quality indoors
- Save energy
- Extend the service life of your dehumidifier
If your home has a musty smell, the windows are fogging, or you’ve noticed a couple of black spots of mould, it is high time you learnt how to get more out of your dehumidifier.
1-Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Most homeowners realise when they need a dehumidifier when they can see water condensation in windows or mould growth on walls. But moisture is evaporating all the time in your home through breathing, cooking, and showering.
💡 Tip: Take the preventive approach and run the dehumidifier in the first place to create an ideal level of humidity between 40 to 50%.
Check UK Met Office about humidity levels in the UK.
2. Go For Smart Control
Keeping a dehumidifier working around the clock seems very expensive and largely unnecessary. Modern dehumidifiers equipped with smart humidity sensors turn off when moisture levels are low and turn back on when needed.
- Saves electricity and cuts on costs
- It avoids over-drying of the air
- It maintains comfort in your indoor environment
💡Tip: If your dehumidifier has a Smart Mode, turn it on to optimise energy usage without compromising performance.
Discover our best dehumidifiers
3. Set the Right Humidity Level
For your dehumidifier to work optimally, set the correct humidity level.
🌡 Recommended humidity settings:
50-60% in summer (to avoid excessive dryness)
40-50% in winter (to prevent condensation and mould)
⚠Attention: Setting the humidity too low will make the air excessively dry, leading to skin irritation and respiratory problems.
Tip: Install a hygrometer to monitor indoor humidity and adjust settings.
How to decrease humidity indoors?
4. Empty Water Tank Regularly
Every dehumidifier collects water into a built-in tank when moisture is taken from the air; the tank fills up, and the dehumidifier stops functioning until it is emptied.
- Check the tank daily in very humid areas
- Choose a model that has an automatic shut-off when the tank is full.
- A continuous drainage option can be more convenient.
💡Tip: Do not allow stagnant water to remain inside the tank for an extended period; it helps in bacteria growth.
5. Use Dehumidifier While Drying Laundry Indoors
Moreover, drying clothes indoors leads to very moist conditions in the air; hence, windows pool with condensation, and houses become more afflicted by moulds. An indoor dehumidifier takes care of the problems by absorbing excess moisture so that clothes dry faster while avoiding any possibility of dampness.
– Quickly eliminates humidity in rooms.
– Prevents a musty smell in clothes.
– Improves the quality of indoor air.
Tip: Place the dehumidifier close to the washing area but not right against a wall to allow airflow.
6. Keep Doors Open for Air Circulation
Dehumidifier work best with free movement of air. The closed doors thus restrict airflows and make it harder for a dehumidifier to work in moisture evictions to efficiency.
- Allow air to move among rooms by keeping doors ajar
- Use a fan to enhance airflow in wider rooms
- Position the dehumidifier in the area that needs addressing the most
💡 Tip: If humidity is high throughout the house, place the dehumidifier in a central location for even moisture control.
7. Give Protection to East Facing Walls
The rooms that have east-facing walls receive a relatively lesser amount of sunshine which in turns makes them more amenable to condensation and hence it could lead to mould formation.
- Shift your dehumidifier into different rooms
- Provide more attention to the damp-prone walls
- Keep checking on walls for possible moisture damage
💡 Combine this with your dehumidifier with extractor fans to reduce humidity indoors even further.
8. Clean Your Dehumidifier from Time to Time
Any other appliance in the house, a dehumidifier requires regular cleaning for optimal performance.
- Weekly wipe external surfaces
- Every 2-3 months about cleaning or replacing of filters
- Dust build-up on vents
⚠ Warning: A dirty filter can reduce the efficiency and thereby result in poor quality of air.
Tip: Always keep in mind the instructions given by the manufacturer while maintaining it.
9. Position Your Dehumidifier Correctly
Your dehumidifier should never be placed against the wall or in the corner since these walls block the air intake and output, thus reducing performance.
- Allow a minimum of 30cm open space around the unit
- Do not put it near curtains or furniture
- Position it in high-moisture areas, such as basements and bathrooms
💡 Tip: Use multiple dehumidifiers in large homes or high-humidity areas for better results.
How to choose the right size dehumidifier?
10. Follow Safety Precautions
Safety is very important because the dehumidifiers work with water and electricity.
⚠ Safety Tips:
– Never use a dehumidifier near water sources (e.g., bathtubs or sinks)
– Frayed wires or leaks need to be checked regularly
– Use surge protection where necessary
Tip: Read manufacturers’ safety guidelines before operation with a dehumidifier.
Conclusion
– Avoid a needless future damp and mould problem
– Obtain improved indoor air quality
– Save energy and reduce costs
– Extend the life of the dehumidifier
Aerial ASE 200-300 – Best for Cold & Large Spaces
- Works in low temperatures – Down to -10°C.
High moisture removal – Perfect for construction sites & flood damage.
Robust stainless-steel design – Durable & reliable.
💡 Best for: Cellars, garages, and commercial spaces.
View our products and rent now!