What Should I Set My Dehumidifier At In Summers & Winters (Answered)
Irrespective of the temperature and weather conditions outside and around your home, the air always contains a certain amount of water vapor in it. Although it’s essential for the air to hold some moisture, it becomes problematic when this moisture content increases to an uncomfortably high number.
Likewise, high humidity during winters can cause fever problems and leave you feeling colder. On the other hand, breathing in humid air during hot summers often gives birth to nasal congestion and eye irritation.
Using a dehumidifier is an excellent way to deal with these issues. But even when you have purchased a nice, expensive, and powerful dehumidification unit, if you don’t know what should a dehumidifier be set at, it’s of no use.
Therefore, today in this article, we will discuss everything that you must know about using a dehumidifier in the best possible ways. At the end of this blog, you’ll be able to answer all questions like:
- What should basement dehumidifier be set at?
- Why is it necessary to purchase the right dehumidifier?
- What kind of dehumidifier settings works best for the winter and summer months?
- How is a dehumidifier beneficial?
- What is the best setting for dehumidifier?
So, if you have recently purchased a dehumidifier or are planning to buy one soon, read on till the end to discover exciting information about its need and advantage.
Why setting up a dehumidifier correctly is necessary?
Installing a dehumidifier is of no use if you don’t set it up in the correct way. Why? This is because:
Firstly, if the dehumidifier settings don’t match the environment, temperature, and relative humidity around your house, although it will keep on running, it won’t make any difference.
Hence, even though dehumidification will happen, it won’t be helpful if it isn’t aligned with your requirements when the dehumidifier is not set up correctly.
Secondly, you don’t want to go overboard with excessive drying of the air at your home. That’sThat’s why it’s essential to regularly monitor the dehumidifier settings and change them with changing climatic conditions to reap the right results.
Lastly, improper setup will eventually lead to electrical malfunctioning. Thereby causing damage not only to the device but also to your mental peace.
Henceforth, you must know what to set dehumidifier at to safeguard yourself against these unnecessary expenses. And that’s the main reason why it is crucial to set up a dehumidifier correctly.
So, here is a list of elements you must take care of in the proper setting up of the dehumidifier:
- Choosing the correct size of the moisture-controlling unit
- Place where you want to keep the dehumidifier
- Drainage method
- Selection of the suitable humidity range
- Regular maintenance and cleaning of the device
So, it’s crucial to have an idea about all these elements while setting up a dehumidifier to install it correctly. Moreover, you can also go through the device’s instruction manual to know more about it.
What should I set my dehumidifier at?
The ideal humidity range lies between 30% to 50% in normal environmental conditions and between 30% to 40% in regions with colder temperatures. Anything more than 50% gives rise to mold growth, unpleasant smells, accelerates the breeding of dust mites, and ultimately becomes the root cause of specific allergies and breathing problems.
Therefore, you must always set your dehumidifier to a target humidity level between 30% to 50%. Amidst these, 40% is the most recommended and comfortable humidity setting for a dehumidifier. It is also the best answer for what should I set my dehumidifier at.
What to set dehumidifier at in basement in summer?
Out of all the areas in your house, the basement is usually the dampest and most prone to mold buildup. This is because it is located at the bottom of your home and is in close contact with the surrounding soil.
That’s why moisture from the ground seeps into it more readily and at a faster speed when compared to other places in your apartment or residence. The problem of excess moisture in the basement increases significantly, especially during summer.
Hence, it is pretty apparent to wonder about what should basement dehumidifier be set at. The answer is 50%. Not less than that and not more than that. An exact 50% humidity setting in your dehumidifier works excellently to efficiently remove excess moisture from the basement air.
However, you can adjust it a little high or low depending on your requirement. Still, never set up the dehumidifier to a range above 60%, as that would give birth to unpleasant odors and increase condensation and mildew growth.
50% humidity range is easily achievable with dehumidifiers containing a humidistat that enables you to set the target humidity and smart humidity sensors that detect and manage the moisture levels according to the target range. Some of these even come with a 24-hour run cycle.
Even though they may be a little expensive to maintain as more electricity is consumed, they make a perfect fit for basements and eliminate the need to constantly check and monitor the humidity levels. This pretty much sums up the answer for what to set dehumidifier at in basement in summer.
How to use the dehumidifier in cold winter months?
Heat and sunlight are two of the most important factors influencing the amount of moisture in the air across your house. During winters, the air becomes colder due to a shortage of sunlight and the downfall in the temperature.
So, some dehumidifiers may not work hard enough to solve your problem. Conversely, higher temperatures directly complement the efficient working of a dehumidifier in removing large quantities of moisture within a short duration of time.
Therefore, the dehumidifying process is more straightforward in summers when compared to winters.
Especially if you live in freezing temperatures, the chances of your device malfunctioning because of the collection of mist in excess amounts are more.
Nevertheless, you can still take certain precautions to keep away from such troubles. So, if you want to know more about what should I set my dehumidifier at during the winter months, then here is a list of dehumidifier hacks that may help you:
1. Use a heater
When the temperatures are lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit (equal to 4 degrees Celcius), it is advised to use a piece of additional heating equipment to help your dehumidifier function more effectively.
2. Set the dehumidifier at 30% humidity
30% humidity is the best setting for dehumidifiers during average winters. Given that the temperature is near the 60-degree Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) range and you are not using any additional heating equipment, the 30% humidity range works the best for colder regions.
3. Regularly check the relative humidity levels.
The moisture levels are at a peak during the rainy season and hot summer months. However, certain areas may not suffer from high humidity issues during the winter months.
In such situations, leaving the dehumidifier on even when the humidity is low can cause excess air drying, which often leads to problems like improper breathing and nasal congestion. To solve the problem, you can use a hygrometer to check the humidity levels.
Moreover, you can also purchase humidifiers that come with features like a delay timer. The delay timer helps you preset the time period for which the device must run.
After the set duration, which can be of 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, etc., the device automatically shuts itself down to save electricity and prevent over-drying of the air.
4. Purchase a dehumidifier that has the auto defrost feature
Auto defrosting is a process through which the dehumidifier will automatically turn off its compressor once its refrigerating coils get entirely covered up with frost.
Thus, the melting of this frost starts while the fans continue to work normally. Auto-defrost is the best setting for dehumidifiers, especially for people living in areas prone to freezing temperatures.
Tips to make the best use of a dehumidifier in hot summers
Hot summers bring with them the need to take more frequent showers, increase sweating and also awaken the hidden inner Chef inside some people while they are on vacation.
All of these things directly increase the humidity levels because of increased water vapor in the air.
Purchasing a dehumidifier is no doubt a good solution. Still, if you are not aware of what should i set my dehumidifier at in summer, it turns out to be nothing less than a big fat money waste system that only puts more weight on your pockets does nothing in return.
That is why, today, we have narrowed down a quick list of tips that can help you deal with hot, humid summers using a dehumidifier in a slightly more beneficial manner.
1. Set up the dehumidifier to a 50% range
As we have already mentioned before, the ideal indoor humidity range must be between 30% to 50%. Therefore, according to the upper limit, it is best to set a 50% humidity level as the target if you live in very humid surroundings with high temperatures.
2. Monitor the quantity of water collected
Another way to manage the moisture levels during summers using a dehumidifier is by keeping a record of how much water is collected in the water tank every day. Accordingly, a lesser quantity of water in the reservoir indicates low content in the air.
On the other hand, if you need to empty the water tank more frequently, it suggests that the air contains more water vapor. You might want to consider purchasing a bigger unit with more dehumidification power for better results in such a scenario.
3. Turn on the air conditioner.
Like heaters complement the working of a dehumidifier during winters, similarly, turning on the air conditioner helps decrease the load on the dehumidifier by cooling down the air.
So, if you have an AC, it is a good idea to turn it on along with using a dehumidifier for cooler temperatures and a drier atmosphere during the summer months.
However, maintaining a 78 degree Fahrenheit temperature in the AC is the best setting for dehumidifier to perform excellently in summers.
4. Clean the dehumidifier regularly
During the process of dehumidification in the summer months, the filters collect a larger amount of dust and dirt from the air. Henceforth, it is crucial to regularly clean your dehumidifiers, particularly during humid summers.
What are the benefits of buying a dehumidifier?
- Dehumidifiers are a cheap yet effective solution to all kinds of high humidity problems irrespective of the weather conditions you live in.
- It prevents the wooden furniture from getting damaged due to access vapor accumulation and knocks out the water condensation on floors, walls, and windows.
- With a dehumidifier installed in your house, you don’t have to regularly clean your house for dust and dirt accumulation. The main reason behind this is that since the dehumidifiers entrap the dust along with water vapor in the air, it helps keep your house cleaner and provides you with a better living environment.
- It helps to dry clothes faster.
- Beneficial for problems related to the respiratory tract, including congestion and dust allergies.
- It keeps your house smelling fresher by eliminating the bad smell produced by mold growth and dust mite breeding.
A Good dehumidifier not only comes at an affordable cost price but also improves your overall life quality by making the air more comfortable and fresh to breathe.
Not to mention, energy-efficient dehumidifiers consume less power and help you maintain the proper humidity levels by not being a burden on your pocket. Henceforth, they are a cost-effective solution.
Wrapping Up
To summarise, it would not be wrong to conclude that dehumidifiers are no doubt one of the cheapest, most powerful devices that can help you get rid of excess moisture around your house. However, the only condition is you must be well informed about what should a dehumidifier be set at for best results.
In the above guide, we have tried to help you with this problem by bringing you a highly researched report about the proper set-up of dehumidifiers in all kinds of temperature conditions, including hot and cold.
Nonetheless, your needs can vary depending upon factors like the area of your house, the exact location where you place the dehumidifier, and the extent to which you can maintain the device properly.
Still, we hope that the information given in this blog was able to answer your query of what should i set my dehumidifier at appropriately. Thanks for reading!