A few summers ago, there was a big heatwave in my area. I have an AC installed but I started wondering if I could use a dehumidifier to manage the temperature too.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take me long to realize that dehumidifiers are not designed to cool a room! That’s what air conditioners are for, and dehumidifiers are no replacement. However, what I did find is that they made me feel cooler.
In this guide, I’ll explain why dehumidifiers can’t actually cool a room, but how they can make you feel cooler. I’ll also share some top tips about how you can maximize this cooling effect.
Does a Dehumidifier Cool Your Room?
No, a dehumidifier will not cool down a room. Dehumidifiers are designed to remove humidity and leave you with dry air.
They can improve your indoor air quality, but they don’t operate like air conditioning units and won’t reduce the room’s temperature.
In fact, a dehumidifier can even make your room warmer and when I run my dehumidifier in my basement it raises the temperature by a few degrees hotter.
This is because every single electrical device in your home gives off some heat and will contribute to the overall temperature in a room or area. [1]
Usually, you have ventilation of some kind to counteract this, but dehumidifiers work best in rooms with no ventilation.
This means that dehumidifiers add heat to a room while removing humidity.
What Does a Dehumidifier Do Exactly?
Dehumidifiers are used for removing humidity and they do this by extracting moisture from the air. Dehumidifiers work by drawing air in, removing the water vapor, and then releasing it back into a room.
The moisture gathers in a tank so it can be emptied afterward and I usually empty mine once a day.
Dehumidifiers are most useful in high-humidity areas of your home and I use mine in my basement and cellar where the moisture levels are highest.
They are usually most effective in the summer months when there’s more moisture in the air, but if you live in a hot climate they’re useful year-round.
Dehumidifiers are a great tool to help you control your environment and by removing moisture they can protect your home and belongings.
Does A Dehumidifier Make Your Room FEEL Colder?
A dehumidifier won’t actually change the temperature in your home, but it can make a room feel colder.
When I use my dehumidifier in my living room it does provide a cooling effect which helps to make me and my family more comfortable on hot days.
This is all to do with the humid air and excess moisture in the room and how our bodies react to it.
When we’re really hot, we produce sweat and that sweat evaporates from our bodies to get rid of the heat. If you are in an area with high relative humidity, then this sweat can’t evaporate because of the excess moisture in the humid air.
As the dehumidifier works and the humid air is removed, our bodies can cool down more effectively. The temperature in a room may rise by 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit while the moisture goes down by 40%.
So can a dehumidifier cool a room? No, but even though dehumidifiers don’t generate cold air like an air conditioning unit, they can still make you feel cooler.
How To Use A Dehumidifier To Cool A Room
A dehumidifier won’t reduce the temperature, but here’s how you can use a dehumidifier to make a room feel cooler:
Set Up the Dehumidifier
Place your dehumidifier right in the center of the room. I keep mine at least 2 feet from furniture, curtains, or other items which might block the vents. This allows it to remove the moisture from the hot air most effectively and give the best cooling effect.
Program the Dehumidifier
Set the humidifier based on the humidity in your home. Where the air feels warmer, you’ll need the dehumidifier to work harder.
I would recommend buying a model with a humidity gauge built-in, but you can also use a hygrometer to measure the humidity.
The manufacturer’s guide will give instructions on how to set the device, but the higher the humidity, the higher you’ll need to set the machine. Check out our article on the most optimal dehumidifier setting to learn more.
Seal the Room
Dehumidifiers cool and reduce humidity best in a sealed space without too much hot air or cool air flowing. Closing the windows and doors will help increase how much heat it removes.
Empty The Tank Regularly
Monitor your dehumidifier and empty the tank regularly. I usually have to empty the dehumidifier once or twice a day, but if the dehumidifier draws less humid air you won’t have to do it as often.
In very high humidity, you may need to do this every few hours. Your dehumidifier will switch off if the tank is full, which will make the room’s air feel hotter – so I would recommend checking the tank at least once a day.
Stay In The Room
The key to lowering your core body temp is staying in the room and slowing down. Be sure to sit, relax and take in that less moist air.
How To Make Your Dehumidifier More Effective At Cooling
Will a dehumidifier cool a room? No. But if it’s working optimally to remove moisture from the air then it’s going to make you feel cooler. Here’s how to get the most from your dehumidifier:
Choose The Right Size
A dehumidifier can only work effectively to reduce the relative humidity if it’s the right size. If your dehumidifier is too small, then it’s not going to cool a room, and if it’s too large, it can leave you with very dry air.
The dehumidifiers I use in my basement are much larger than the dehumidifiers I use in my bedroom. This is because they’re designed for different areas and moisture levels, and have a different size rating.
Dehumidifiers are rated in terms of how much moisture they can remove from a room and how this relates to the square footage. The larger the space, the larger the dehumidifier you’ll need to deal with the relative humidity.
I would recommend measuring the square feet of your room accurately and then searching for an appropriate model.
Check The Temperature Requirements
Most dehumidifiers work best at 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit, but I would recommend checking the manufacturer’s specifications.
Some dehumidifiers can’t work in freezing conditions because the cold coil will freeze, and others can overheat if it gets too hot. Make sure you keep the dehumidifier cool so it can work effectively and better cool a room more.
Position It Correctly
Your dehumidifier should be positioned where there’s the highest humidity. In my home that’s typically the basement and cellar, but if you have spots in your home where you know there’s higher relative humidity, then direct the dehumidifier there.
If you aren’t sure then you should position your dehumidifier in the center of the room to have the best cooling effect.
Should You Keep Your Dehumidifier Running All Summer Long?
Dehumidifiers don’t need to be kept on 24/7 in summer. They should generally be left on for at least 12 hours to work effectively, but you should only leave them on for longer if the humidity levels are still high.
Summer is when humidity levels peak and it can be tempting to leave your dehumidifier running.
I often do this in July and August when I have a lot of moisture in the air, but for the other months of the year, I don’t need it because the humidity level isn’t that high.
I would always recommend investing in a programmable dehumidifier during summer. These will turn on and off when the humidity levels reach a certain level, helping to manage the moisture levels and to stop the air from becoming too dry.
I use bedroom dehumidifiers and I do sometimes run them overnight, but it’s usually best for your health (particularly your skin) if you switch your dehumidifier off before bed to help you get a good night’s sleep.
If you’re leaving it on, make sure it’s programmed to switch off before it becomes full.
If you live in a humid area or city in the US [2], then I would definitely recommend finding an energy-efficient dehumidifier.
I use efficient models and these save me hundreds of dollars in running costs each year, and taking a bit of time to find the right energy-efficient model can save you a fortune too.
FAQs
Can I use a dehumidifier instead of an air conditioner?
No, dehumidifiers don’t work the same way as air conditioners and you can’t use one instead of the other. Air conditioners are used to remove the moisture and heat from the air in your home, whereas dehumidifiers are only designed to remove moisture.
Should you run a dehumidifier and air conditioner at the same time?
No, dehumidifiers and air conditioners don’t need to be used at the same time because they do different things to the air. An AC will reduce the temperature, whereas a dehumidifier will reduce the humidity. You can run them both together, but it will lead to a spike in your energy bills.
Is it cheaper to run a dehumidifier or an air conditioner?
Yes, dehumidifiers are cheaper to run than air conditioners on a per hour basis. However, you normally use a dehumidifier for 10-15 hours at a time, so it can cost you more than an AC unit you use infrequently.
Will a dehumidifier help with heat?
A dehumidifier won’t lower the temperature in a room, but it can make you feel cooler by reducing the humidity level.
Conclusion
I use a dehumidifier and air conditioner in my home and while it is tempting to replace one with the other, I know they do very different jobs.
Can a dehumidifier cool a room? Unfortunately not. Dehumidifiers don’t release cold air so they can’t lower the temperature, but I have found that they can have a cooling effect on me and my family by removing the excess humidity.
Hopefully, this article has shown you what dehumidifiers can do, and how to get the most out of them.
References:
- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Heat-Emission-Due-to-Appliances-11-Adapted-by-Authors_tbl1_273460402
- https://www.yahoo.com/video/america-most-humid-cities-090000494.html
