Dehumidifiers can improve conditions in your home, benefiting your comfort and health. If you are a new owner of one of these devices, you may be wondering where to place it. This article will use our combined research to tell you where exactly the best place for your dehumidifier is.
Your dehumidifier is most useful in areas in the home with excessive moisture. The ideal placement for your unit may be in one of the following places:
- The bedroom
- Bathroom
- Crawl space
- Basement
- Laundry room
The best room to place your dehumidifier can vary depending on various factors. Keep reading as we break down these factors and answer if you need a dehumidifier in every room.
Where To Place A Dehumidifier
As you are deciding where to place your dehumidifier, there are three factors you should consider. These factors include where the source of humidity is, the size of the room, and the quality of airflow in the area.
Generally, you will want your dehumidifier where the moisture is. Let's take a closer look at the different placements suitable for these devices.
The Bedroom
First, bedrooms aren't the most common areas for high humidity, but there are factors that can change that.
Improperly sealed windows allow moist air from outside, raising the humidity in your bedroom. Additionally, having multiple houseplants can contribute to the humidity level.
High humidity in the bedroom can affect your sleep and may contribute to other health issues. Placing a dehumidifier in your bedroom is best if humidity is high and you can guarantee adequate airflow.
Bathroom
Next, an overly moist bathroom creates condensation. Condensation ultimately leads to mold and mildew. Over time, these factors can start to deteriorate paint, wood, and even some tiles in your bathroom.
Placing a dehumidifier in this environment can combat these issues. However, bathrooms tend to have less space, so you need to use a smaller dehumidifier. Smaller units can be placed on shelves or on top of the toilet.
Amazon offers a small dehumidifier here.
The bathroom is the ideal place for your dehumidifier if you enjoy long, steamy showers or baths. Run your device for 20-30 minutes after each shower to bring down the humidity rapidly, protecting your bathroom.
Crawl Space
Crawl spaces often contain high amounts of humidity. The increase in humidity happens especially in the warmer weather and can worsen if you lack sufficient insulation.
A dehumidifier in a crawl space works best when placed near the middle. Furthermore, you can place a fan in the space to increase airflow. Better airflow ultimately decreases humidity levels further.
Basement
Another great place for a dehumidifier is your basement. Basements have an increased risk of being affected by humidity due to lack of ventilation and exposure to water leaks.
Controlling the humidity in your basement decreases your chances of having mold buildup and structural damage to your home.
Additionally, placing these devices in the basement can keep them out of sight and reduce possible noise.
Laundry Room
Finally, you can place a dehumidifier in your laundry room. These devices can protect your appliances by reducing grime, mold, and debris buildup.
Furthermore, if you have hung clothes drying, a dehumidifier can speed up the process.
As you can see, there are quite a few options for placing your dehumidifier. Ideally, these units should be close to the source of humidity in your home. This close placement allows your device to catch the humidity before it has the chance to cause damage to your home.
Furthermore, restricted airflow can stop your dehumidifier from working altogether. It is essential to ensure your device has clearance in any room you choose. For example, furniture or walls can obstruct the airflow around your device.
Read more on our blog post: The Best Indoor Humidity Level For Winter
Should A Dehumidifier Be Placed High Or Low?
After you decide which room your dehumidifier will go in, you'll need to determine where in the room it will go. Placement can depend heavily on the size of your unit and where the best airflow is.
In general, dehumidifiers that are lower will work better. Most units should be centrally placed on the floor.
A dehumidifier works by drawing in warm air and collecting the condensation. Condensation in the air naturally drops due to gravity. Keeping your dehumidifier closer to the ground allows it to catch the most moisture.
However, some smaller units have been designed to sit on a shelf or raised surface. These small dehumidifiers are great for smaller rooms. Due to the small size of the area, it doesn't make much of a difference if your unit is high or low.
Additionally, some units include a continuous drain line. This line means that you do not empty the dehumidifier yourself. These units should be placed low, with the drain line feeding into a sink or out of a window.
Amazon offers a unit with a drain line here.
What Level Should A Dehumidifier Be Set At?
The level your dehumidifier should be set at varies depending on the level of humidity in the room. Setting the dehumidifier correctly is crucial because your room may remain humid or muggy otherwise.
You want to aim for 30%-50% humidity in your home. Staying at this percentage prevents mold growth and increases comfort in your home or room.
Most people will have their dehumidifier set at 40%. Depending on what you find most comfortable, you can adjust this level slightly up or down. Typically, your unit will show you the current humidity of your room.
However, if your device does not have a built-in reader, you can get a separate device to read the humidity level in your home. This device is a hygrometer.
Have a look at this device here on Amazon.
Read more on our blog post: 7 Best Heaters For Damp Rooms.
Do You Need A Dehumidifier In Every Room?
Does every room of your home have high humidity? Single unit dehumidifiers work best in the area or room they are placed. They can't work past doors, walls, or stairways. If you don't have multiple dehumidifiers, you may find yourself moving your unit from room to room.
Don't want to be bothered moving your dehumidifier around? Then, yes, you will need a dehumidifier in each room that struggles with high humidity levels.
However, if you have a large house or many rooms that require humidity control, there are better options. You can purchase a whole-house dehumidifier versus buying single units for each area.
Entire house dehumidifiers can be connected to your HVAC system or come as a portable unit. Additionally, these systems are low maintenance and can reduce your utility bills.
The initial costs of these units are more costly but will pay themselves off in the long run.
Amazon offers this dehumidifier here.
Read more on our blog post: Do You Need A Dehumidifier In The Basement?
Is It Okay To Sleep In A Room With A Dehumidifier?
It is perfectly safe to sleep in a room with a dehumidifier. In some cases, a dehumidifier can even improve your sleep.
For example, having high humidity levels in your bedroom can leave you feeling sweaty and uncomfortable. You may find it hard to fall or stay asleep in this type of environment.
Furthermore, sleeping in a room with a dehumidifier is ideal for people with medical conditions such as asthma or other respiratory. High levels of humidity can make it difficult for these individuals to breathe.
Having a dehumidifier in your room reduces mold and mildew. Additionally, it keeps the humidity levels consistent and comfortable. If you have problems sleeping, adding a dehumidifier to where you sleep may help improve this issue.
One downfall to sleeping next to a dehumidifier can be the sound. Thankfully, specific dehumidifiers have been made popular for their quiet characteristics. Look out for these models if purchasing a unit to aid in your sleep.
In Summary
There are many places where your dehumidifier can go. Generally, your device should go where the humidity is. This is where these units are most effective. We hope you found this article insightful when it comes to the placement of your dehumidifier. Perhaps you found some inspiration as to where to place yours.
Are you looking for other ways to bring down the humidity in your home? Have a look through our blog post: How To Naturally Reduce Humidity In A Room