How Long Does It Take For A Dehumidifier To Work?
If you are like most people who have just started using a dehumidifier, there are many questions you may have: How long does it take for a dehumidifier to work? How long should a dehumidifier run per day? When should i turn off my dehumidifier?
Don't worry because, in the next few minutes, we are going to shed some light on some common questions dehumidifier users frequently ask.
Let's jump right in.
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How Long Does It Take For A Dehumidifier To Work?
When a dehumidifier is used for the first time, it may take up to 12 hours for it to start working properly and get to the ideal level of humidity which your home needs.
For dehumidifiers like Keystone's KSTAD50B, it takes 19 minutes to dehumidify a 50 sq. ft room from 90% relative humidity down to 40% humidity.
On the other hand, dehumidifiers like TOSOT's 4,500Sq. Ft. 70 Pint Dehumidifier can start working in 13 hours.
After checking your home humidity level, you may decide to increase or decrease the level.
When it comes to the ideal time for a dehumidifier to dehumidify a room, it will be dependent on some factors, one of them being the capacity of the dehumidifier
1) Dehumidifier Capacity
Here, we are not talking about the actual physical size of the dehumidifier.
Rather, capacity refers to a dehumidifiers ability to extract water from the area within 24 hours.
The most commonly used capacities are 25 pints, 50 pints and 75 pints (Pint being the commonly used measurement for volume or capacity). The higher the capacity, the more water that the unit can extract in the same amount of time.
Below is the average time taken to dehumidify a 50 sq. ft room at 82°F for each capacity category from (a) 90% to 40% relative humidity and (b) 80% to 50% relative humidity:
Capacity | 90-40% | 80-50% |
|---|---|---|
22 Pint | 34 mins | 15 mins |
35 Pint | 17 mins | 8 mins |
50 Pint | 11 mins | 6 mins |
At this stage, you can save yourself from spending extra cash on a large size dehumidifier where a small one can do the task as efficiently as the larger one.
By having a dehumidifier with a larger capacity, it does not have to work at full power to cover the same surface area, leading to lower working costs.
2) Dampness Level
The second important factor to consider is the dampness level in your home.
You can measure the moisture level using the moisture meter. Dehumidifiers like the Vremi 1,500 Sq. Ft. Dehumidifier and Vation 70 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier have humidity detectors that can give you an insight into the right time your dehumidifier should be run.
If you don’t have a moisture meter yet, you can order it using this link.
To make things easier, in the table given below we have defined the minimum required capacity, depending on level of dampness, corresponding to the area of the room:
Dampness Level | Capacity (Pints per 24 hrs) | Area (sq. ft) |
|---|---|---|
Moderately Damp | 10 – 26 | 500 – 2500 |
Highly Damp | 12 – 32 | 500 – 2500 |
Wet | 14 – 38 | 500 – 2500 |
Extremely Wet | 16 – 44 | 500 – 2500 |
3) Do also keep in mind the following:
How Long Should A Dehumidifier Run Per Day?
I'm sure as a dehumidifier owner, this is one of the questions you want to know.
Most people will tell you to run it for 24 hours a day. However, unless you have a lot of money, running your dehumidifier 24 hours could be very costly.
For people that have bigger spaces in their room, it is much better if you run your dehumidifier up to 24 hours a day.
What's more...
If reducing the amount you spend on electricity is your primary challenge, then certain energy saving dehumidifiers, such as the Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier and Seavon Electric Mini Dehumidifier are worth checking out.
The down sides are that they may not be built to dehumidify larger rooms
Do Dehumidifiers Lose Effectiveness Over Time?
This one other question that is often asked by old and new owners of dehumidifiers.
Let's get right to it.
According to a recent study that was released by the National Association of Home Builders, it is estimated that for most dehumidifiers, their average life span is approximately eight years.
These findings are based on various data gathered when trader associations, manufacturers, and researchers.
Based on data collected, most residential dehumidifiers can last three to five years when used continuously under reasonable operating conditions.
Also, in most cases, the lifespan and effectiveness of any dehumidifier depends on how you maintain and use it.
For instance, if your dehumidifier is used every day for the next 12 months, it will likely have a shorter life-span compared to a dehumidifier that is only used in summer.
Also, it is not advisable to use a dehumidifier that is very small for a big house. Using such a dehumidifier would require it to constantly be run at its highest output which shortens the life span of that product.
If you stay in a large house, dehumidifiers such as hOmeLabs' 1,500 Sq. Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier will do the trick.
Should A Dehumidifier Run All The Time Constantly?
When it comes to how long you should leave your dehumidifier on, there is no one fix all solution.
For dehumidifiers, it is all about how much water it can remove per day, how long it takes before it becomes humid again, and the amount of water its tank can hold before it needs to be emptied.
Size of Tank
A dehumidifier typically works by storing water, extracted from the air, in a bucket or tank.
If you want your dehumidifier to run for the whole day, you will have to consider the size of the tank available for the storage of water.
Moreover, if the tank size is small, you will have to empty the water tank once it gets filled. You may need to empty it more than once a day if the tank is much smaller.
This problem can be solved using modern dehumidifiers, which come with a continuous drain feature.
These dehumidifiers allow you to connect the units directly to a sink using a pump, where the water gets emptied.
If there is no built-in pump, you may even connect it externally to the dehumidifier unit.
Best Time Of Day To Use A Dehumidifier
Let me take a wild guess.
Like most people, you are also concerned about your electricity bill.
You don't have to stress yourself by calling your energy company to find out the best time of the day to use your dehumidifier.
Usually, 10 pm and 7 am is the most preferred time to use your dehumidifier. It's because, within those times, energy companies typically charge less as fewer people are consuming energy.
However, if this was not an option, you could stagger the time you run the dehumidifier.
For instance, you could use your dehumidifier for four hours during the day and four hours during the night. These will help you save some money. Also, don't forget to use a timer to help you regulate the time!
Should I Run A Fan With A Dehumidifier?
While it is perfectly fine to run a fan with a dehumidifier, you are better off getting a dehumidifier with a higher capacity or getting a second dehumidifier to do the job.
Either will be more effective.
What Happens If My Dehumidifier Runs Non Stop?
This has become one of the most asked questions at the moment.
Is it normal for your dehumidifier to run non stop?
The answer is yes.
Most dehumidifiers are built with a humidistat. This helps them to measure the humidity and temperature of the room. After measuring it, the dehumidifier will automatically whether to continue dehumidifying or to sleep.
When should i turn off my dehumidifier?
Don't be worried if your dehumidifier is running non-stop. After all, many dehumidifiers are built to run non-stop.
If your house has never been dehumidified before, then your dehumidifier can run flat out for two to four weeks.
This enables it to dry the air in your house and organic materials like furniture, books, clothing, and so on.
Given that your room has not been dehumidified before and there is more moisture in the air, this gives the dehumidifier more work to do.
Another critical factor that can contribute to your dehumidifier running non-stop is if the weather of your location.
When it's always raining where you are, your dehumidifier may need to run for longer to enable it to dry the air in your room.
Can You Leave Dehumidifier On While On Vacation?
Most dehumidifiers automatically turn off when their water trays are full.
This feature prevents flooding from happening in your home and save your dehumidifier from getting damaged by water.
So, for your dehumidifier to run non stop, the water tray has to be emptied continually.
However, if you are going on vacation, this means you won't be around to change or empty your dehumidifier's water tank.
If you’d like to have your dehumidifier operate while you are on vacation, connect it to a pipe so that it can drain directly into the nearest drainage.
To answer the question, yes, you can leave your dehumidifier on while on vacation as long as you follow the above instructions.
Conclusion: How Long Does It Take For A Dehumidifier To Work?
Using a dehumidifier isn't that cheap, especially when yours is a large one.
But at the same time, having a dehumidifier can be beneficial and prevent health issues that may arise from mold in your house.
How long does it take for a dehumidifier to work depends on several key factors: dehumidifier capacity, tank size, moisture of the house. The overall temperature and size of the house can play a role in the time taken as well.
A dehumidifier is here to help you make your home more comfortable, and I hope this article has helped you answer some of those questions you have been searching for their answers.
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