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Proper placement of your dehumidifier can make all the difference in quickly reducing humidity, while the wrong setup can leave your dehumidifier ineffective.
Here, I’ll break down why placement matters, the key factors to consider, and how to position your dehumidifier for optimal results.
Key takeaways
Why is dehumidifier placement important?
A dehumidifier is a powerful appliance, but if you don’t use it correctly, it can’t remove excess humidity or excess moisture.
I’ve been called out to lots of locations where the dehumidifier is working just fine, but it’s set up in the completely wrong place so it can’t function properly.
Just like you wouldn’t use a heater in a hot room, or an AC unit in a cold room, you also need to make sure you’re using your dehumidifier in the right place.
Related article: AC versus dehumidifier
If you have it in the wrong part of your home, then it might not have any humidity to deal with.
Or, if you have it in the right room but set it up in the wrong way then there may not be adequate ventilation to draw in the damp air, and it won’t be able to dry it out.
Basically, if you don’t place your dehumidifier correctly, then it won’t work. This can leave you with high levels of water vapor in your home, which can lead to mold growth, damp conditions, and even damage to your home and belongings.
Where should you place your dehumidifiers?
Your dehumidifier should be placed as close to the source of moisture as possible.
If you have a multi-level home you should place your dehumidifier on the floor with the coldest air where it will have the most impac. This is usually the basement.
I have several dehumidifiers in my home, but I always focus on the basement.
ACLAB Note
A basement dehumidifier can also help prevent humidity from spreading to your entire house upstairs. For basements that flood or have water damage, you may need a more powerful dehumidifier.
Your dehumidifier should be placed centrally in the room wherever possible so that it can have the most impact.
You should also leave at least a few feet of clearance around the dehumidifier so air can freely flow in and out of it.
I keep mine near the center of the room and away from any furniture, or other items that may get in the way.
Aim for a relative humidity of 40% to 50% within your home
Goal | Below 40% | 40% - 50 % | Over 60% |
|---|---|---|---|
Best for total home comfort | |||
Ideal for allergy sufferers | |||
Manage asthma symptoms | |||
Avoid respiratory illnesses | |||
Stop the spread of viruses | |||
Negate static electricity | |||
Discourage bacteria and mold growth | |||
Fight dust mites |
Placing refrigerant versus desiccant dehumidifiers
Generally, you should place desiccant dehumidifiers in the same way as refrigerant dehumidifiers.
They both need to be fairly central and you shouldn’t place the dehumidifier too close to a wall. You should also make sure there’s adequate ventilation around the appliance.
The key difference is that refrigerant dehumidifiers use cold coils which can potentially freeze, whereas desiccant dehumidifiers don’t.
This makes desiccant dehumidifiers better to be placed in cold conditions and can make them more effective as a basement humidifier. That said, desiccant models are much less energy efficient than refrigerant models.
Related article: Reasons why a dehumidifier is icing up
Factors impacting where you place your dehumidifier
Room size
You need to make sure that the dehumidifier can pull air in from all areas of the room in order to work most effectively and lower the room's humidity.
The larger the space, the more central your dehumidifier needs to be.
If you are placing a dehumidifier in a large room, like living rooms or family rooms, then I would recommend placing it away from the wall and corners, towards the middle of the large room.
However, if you are placing the dehumidifier in a small room such as a bedroom or bathroom, then you can place it in a corner or near a wall and it will still reduce the humidity level.
Related article: Dehumidifiers I recommend for bathrooms
Source of humidity
A study by the University of Minnesota found the most common sources of moist air in the home are inadequate ventilation and high humidity from damp conditions or warm weather, but it can be different for everyone.
You need to place your dehumidifier near the source of humidity in your home.
If it is an external source, I recommend placing it near a window or near the middle of the room facing your door to remove excess moisture.
ACLAB Note
It is not recommended to leave the windows open with the dehumidifier working. An open window will keep bringing in new moisture, making the dehumidifier work overtime.
Restrictions to airflow
Dehumidifiers should be placed where there is adequate air flow.
This allows the portable dehumidifier to effectively pull in the damp air through the air filter with the internal fan.
I would recommend clearing all furniture and other objects so there are at least two feet of space around the dehumidifier.
This isn’t always an option, particularly if you only have a single electrical outlet, but it’s important to remove whatever blockers that you can.
Placing dehumidifiers in different rooms
Basement dehumidifiers
Basement dehumidifiers typically encounter a significant amount of moisture.
You should make sure it’s placed centrally so it can handle the humidity, but make sure it isn’t placed in an area that’s too wet or near standing water.
This could lead to an electric shock or could blow the electricity in your entire house.
If you do have damp floors or moist carpet, place a small table or another piece of furniture in the room and put the dehumidifier on top of it.
You can also place the dehumidifier upstairs pointing down towards the basement.
What to look for in a basement dehumidifier:
Related article: Understanding humidity levels for crawl spaces
Crawl space dehumidifiers
Crawl space dehumidifiers are designed to work continuously within your crawl space.
There isn’t always a lot of airflow in a crawl space (depending on whether it’s between separated wood floors or under your whole house). If you put the unit next to the wall, it won’t be able to eliminate the moisture as effectively.
Make sure that you do not have furniture or other items in the crawl space that block airflow to the dehumidifier.
What to look for in a crawl space dehumidifier:
Related article: Top-rated crawl space dehumidifiers
Grow room dehumidifiers
Place your dehumidifier in the most humid area of the grow room.
I’ve found that it works well to hang your dehumidifier in the center of the room near the lights to reduce humidity most effectively.
If you have a water mister or other moisture-creating devices, keep the dehumidifier on that side of the room to help counteract humidity levels as you add water to your plants.
What to look for in a grow room dehumidifier:
Bathroom dehumidifiers
Place your bathroom dehumidifier away from any other electric devices, including hair dryers.
The water from the dehumidifier could interact with these and be hazardous.
You may be limited by the number of outlets in your bathroom, but try to place the dehumidifier near to your shower as this will be the leading source of humidity.
What to look for in a bathroom dehumidifier:
Bedroom dehumidifiers
Place your dehumidifier as close to the middle of your bedroom as you can.
I’m a light sleeper, so the intake and exhaust fan can be irritating when I’m trying to sleep.
I always look for a quiet model and place it on the opposite side of the room to my bed.
Try to keep it away from the walls and curtains too so it doesn’t blow them all night.
What to look for in a bedroom dehumidifier:
Laundry room dehumidifiers
Place your laundry room dehumidifier as close to the wet clothes as possible but without restricting airflow.
It’s often a good idea to wall mount your dehumidifier in a laundry room so it can capture the moisture from your clothes.
What to look for in a laundry room dehumidifier:
Whole house dehumidifiers
Whole house dehumidifiers work by drawing in air from multiple rooms at once. I would recommend placing them in a central room, facing toward the middle of the room.
This allows it to draw in the greatest amount of air to help lower humidity levels throughout the entire apartment.
You may need multiple dehumidifiers to cover the apartment, depending on the square footage of your place.
What to look for in a whole house dehumidifier:
Where NOT to place your dehumidifier
FAQs
Should a dehumidifier be placed high or low?
A dehumidifier works best when placed low to the ground, since humid air naturally rises and cycles back down.
Do I need a dehumidifier in every room?
You usually don’t need a dehumidifier in every room. Just place them in the dampest areas or choose a unit sized for multiple spaces.
Will a dehumidifier regulate the whole house?
A single dehumidifier can help with a whole house if it’s a large-capacity or whole-home system, but portable units typically cover one area at a time. Even if a portable model is rated for 7000 square feet, it will work best in the immediate area in which it is placed.
Do you leave windows open when using a dehumidifier?
No, you should not leave windows open when using a dehumidifier. This can impact your dehumidifier performance and prevent it from lowering the humidity level.
