Dampness isn’t just unattractive, and it doesn’t just negatively impact the value of your apartment or home; it can actually be very harmful to your health as well. If you have mold or any kind of dampness, there’s a chance you could develop problems with your respiratory functions, such as asthma, or you could develop allergies.
Moisture in your living space can be a horrible issue for you, and an expensive issue for your home. Luckily, dehumidifiers are a low-cost solution for this problem that can be found online, and they’re designed to manage the humidity levels in all of your rooms by removing any excess moisture from the air. Over time, condensation is reduced, and opportunity for dampness to develop decreases as well. Dehumidifiers are great tools to have when it comes to taking care of both yourself and your home. Here are some tips to get the most out of yours.
Empty It Consistently
Your dehumidifier will collect water every time it’s being used, so before you move it to a different room, you should empty it. This’ll keep it working better over the long run.
Position It Correctly
You’ll need to think about where exactly you should put your dehumidifier in the room. You should keep it a safe distance from curtains, furniture, and walls, and all windows and doors should be closed when it’s in use. The best place is in the center of the room, if possible; this is where it can remove the most moisture.
Understand Humidity Levels
In general, it’s great for your home to have a relative humidity level of 30%-50%. However, if you have valuable items like musical instruments, you should change your humidity settings to accommodate this; you may have to talk to a specialist in this case.
Vacuum First
Before you even turn on the dehumidifier, you should vacuum everywhere first. This ensures that dust particles (especially the ones you can’t see) aren’t spread through the air or from room to room. This dust can worsen allergies, so if allergies are an issue for you, buy a dehumidifier that comes with a filter. A lower humidity is also great for dust mite control, so set it at 30%.
Save Yourself Some Money
Don’t just leave your dehumidifier on all day–there are certain times it’ll benefit you the most. Turn it on overnight for maximum effect at a cheaper cost. A lot of dehumidifiers are also at their best when the temperature is warm, so you can turn your heat and your dehumidifier on at the same time; the dehumidifier will be effective, but it won’t have to work as hard if it’s warm.
Dehumidifiers also work best when there’s an excess amount of moisture in your air. It’s best to turn yours on when you’re done showering, or if you have a dryer and you just finished a load.
While dehumidifiers aren’t a permanent solution for mold or dampness, they can definitely help. Purchasing one and following these tips can help you protect not only your home, but also your own health.
