Most people use dehumidifiers in their homes to eliminate excess moisture from the air because high humidity levels promote the growth of mold and bacteria. A dehumidifier is an electrical device that decreases the amount of moisture and releases dry air to make the atmosphere comfortable. But besides its benefits, a question comes to mind: Can a dehumidifier make you sick? The answer to this question is that a dehumidifier helps improve air quality and reduces excess moisture to prevent the growth of allergens, which means it is a good option.
But its use can make you sick if it is not used, cleaned, and maintained adequately or if it is overused. Then, you have to face the bad consequences that make you feel ill. Improper cleaning of the tank and filter will give a suitable environment for mold and dust mites to grow. These contaminants spread in the air that you inhale and pose a serious threat to your health. They are dangerous, especially for asthmatics and people who have allergies or respiratory issues.
So, if you don’t want to feel sick, you have to use a dehumidifier properly and pay full attention to its maintenance. Below, we tell you the side effects of a dehumidifier and can it make you sick. So, you can take precautions to avoid health issues.
Side Effects of Using Dehumidifiers – Can Running A Dehumidifier Make You Sick?
Dehumidifiers are built to reduce extra humidity in the atmosphere, which helps reduce many issues and health problems. However, they also have various side effects if not used and maintained properly. These side effects are given below.
Respiratory Issues:
Low humidity levels and too much dryness can badly affect your health and respiratory issues. Dryness can dry out your nasal mucus and membranes, which creates inconvenience in breathing and makes your respiratory issues worse. Various symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, discomfort breathing, and a dry throat, will lead to respiratory problems. So, if you do not maintain your moisture level between 30% and 50%, this will make you sick.
Sore Throat:
The long-term use of a dehumidifier can also become the reason for a chronic sore throat. You will face dryness and low humidity levels if you do not use the dehumidifier and maintain its settings correctly. Low humidity can cause a sore throat and make the colds worse if not maintained. Dry air makes your passages dry, which leads to a sore throat, and you will also feel difficulty while eating. So, you need to moisten the air by maintaining an ideal humidity level to avoid sore throat and other health issues.
Prevalence of Allergies:
Continuous usage of a dehumidifier for 24 hours and improper maintenance can lead to the prevalence of allergies. These allergies include congestion, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, and many more. If you do not pay proper attention to the cleaning and maintenance of your dehumidifier, mold will accumulate inside it, and you will breathe polluted, dry air. This will affect your health badly and make your allergies worse. High humidity will also lead to headaches in many people.
Bacteria and Mold growth:
If you don’t empty and clean the tank daily, your dehumidifier may spread contaminants and encourage bacterial growth. These bacteria and pollutants spread all over the atmosphere, which you inhale while breathing. This inhaling will lead to allergies, respiratory issues, asthma problems, and other health concerns, especially in people with weak immune systems. It can also make you feel very sick.
Dry Air:
The excessive use of dehumidifiers will cause extreme dryness and dry air, which is unsuitable for your health and body. Dry air can also worsen your respiratory issues and sinuses, which can make the conditions more severe. When you run the dehumidifier on higher settings, it makes the atmosphere very dry by lowering the moisture levels from ideal humidity and makes you feel sick. This dry air can cause various skin issues such as chapped lips, itchy eyes, nosebleeds, irritated skin, and many more. Moreover, dry air also becomes the reason for snoring and sleep apnea in many people.
Noise Levels:
When you use dehumidifiers, you also have to deal with noise levels, which is one of the irritating disadvantages and badly affects your health. If you do not sleep properly, you have to face the issue of sleep apnea. Increased noise levels up to 50 dB are very disturbing while you are sleeping at night. You can go for the option that works on an ultra-quiet operation so it does not create disturbance, and you can enjoy a peaceful environment.
Long-term exposure to loud noises can lead to stress, which makes you irritated and leaves negative health issues. Some people who are light sleepers find dehumidifiers very irritating because of their loud noise. For these people, Desiccant dehumidifiers are the best option for bedrooms because they produce less noise, so you will not disturbed and sleep peacefully. But they are expensive compared to other units. Cheaper units generate loud noise as they use more energy than others. So, if you want to get rid of noise levels, you have to purchase desiccant models.
Furniture Damage:
Low humidity levels not only affect your health but also negatively impact your household furniture and floors. Running the dehumidifier continuously for 24 hours or for a longer time makes the air dry. Too much dryness damages your furniture, wooden floors, and other items by cracking them. When cracks appear on your furniture and wooden floors, they will break easily. So, always try to maintain an ideal moisture level in your home for a comfortable atmosphere.
High Energy Costs:
High energy costs are also one of the side effects of using a dehumidifier. Cheap dehumidifiers that use high energy will lead to high electricity bills, which are not good options for you. They are less costly than others but will cost you more in the future by using more energy. However, an expensive dehumidifier uses low energy, which will save you money in the future. So, always use a good option that gives you benefits in the long term.
Maintenance:
Regular maintenance is very important for the efficiency and proper working of dehumidifiers. If you don’t maintain your dehumidifier, it will affect its efficiency and also negatively impact your health. You should not only clean and refill the unit for maintenance because there are many other things that you need to inspect regularly. These things include filter replacements, thoroughly cleaning the bucket with a mixture of vinegar, and checking the exhaust grills and coils.
If not done correctly, improper maintenance will lead to certain health problems and promote the growth of mold inside the unit. When mold stimulates inside your dehumidifier, you will get contaminated dry air instead of clean air, which causes very serious health issues. Polluted air can make your allergies and respiratory issues worse. So, inappropriate maintenance of a dehumidifier is also one of its major disadvantages, making you feel ill.
Advantages of Using Dehumidifiers:
Placing a dehumidifier in your home can offer many benefits, but you have to use it properly to reap the advantages. Some of these are listed below.
Improved Air Quality:
The use of a dehumidifier can improve air quality by reducing excess moisture from the air and maintaining it at the ideal moisture level between 30% and 50%. If you clean it regularly, it proves very helpful and has good health impacts. A dehumidifier is best for those with asthma and allergies because they feel irritation in dampness and high moisture. So, the placement of a dehumidifier helps release excess moisture and create a soothing and comfortable atmosphere for asthmatics.
Reduces The Growth Of Mold:
High humidity levels encourage the growth of mold and dust mites, which can have serious effects on your health. Installing a dehumidifier helps you balance the moisture levels, reducing the growth of dust mites and mold. This will improve the quality of air for breathing, which promotes better health conditions. So, install a dehumidifier in your home and maintain it for sufficient advantages.
Get Rid of Pests:
Placing a dehumidifier in your home helps eliminate pests such as dust mites, cockroaches, fleas, and many more, which are born in high humidity. If you have a damp atmosphere, you have to face the problems of indoor pests. A humidifier makes the air dry by decreasing excess moisture, which reduces the growth of pests because they do not grow in dry air. But you have to use the unit properly to reap the benefits.
Decrease Bad Odors:
High moisture levels cause bad and musty odors, which means that mold and mildew are inside your home. These musty odors can irritate you, make you uncomfortable, and cause emotional disturbance to your health. When you place a dehumidifier in your home, you can get rid of these musty smells because it removes high moisture and creates a comfortable atmosphere.
Improves Sleep Quality:
Placing a dehumidifier in your home will help create a soothing, comfortable atmosphere and reduce extra humidity, which improves your sleep quality. When you have a comfortable atmosphere, you can sleep properly without any disturbance. Having a peaceful sleep has good health impacts. For this purpose, you have to choose a dehumidifier that works on ultra-quiet operation and doesn’t disturb your sleep.
How To Prevent These Side Effects?
You can take the following measures to prevent the side effects of using a dehumidifier. These will help you get the benefits and avoid health issues.
Regular Maintenance:
You must clean the unit regularly by following the manufacturers’ instructions on time. For regular cleaning, you can use soapy water or a wet cloth. For weekly cleaning, you can use a mixture of bleach or vinegar. Moreover, try to avoid using the dehumidifier continuously for 24 hours; this will affect its efficiency.
Empty the Water Bucket Daily:
If you use the unit for the whole day, you must empty the water collection bucket daily for better working efficiency and maintenance. If you don’t empty the bucket regularly, it can become a breeding place for mildew and bacteria. So, empty the water bucket daily or even twice a day. If your dehumidifier is not collecting water properly, check out our guide on why your dehumidifier is not collecting water to troubleshoot the issue.
Check Humidity Levels:
You must adjust the humidity levels according to your needs and atmosphere. It is essential to know the humidity levels. Otherwise, you will not get the desired results. For this purpose, you can use a hydrometer or a dehumidifier that comes with an LCD through which you can see the humidity levels. You have to set the settings of the unit according to the ideal humidity level between 30% and 50%. Because both too-low and too-high humidity levels are not good for your health. Moreover, this will also affect your unit and its working efficiency if you run it without knowing the levels.
Expert’s Maintenance:
Your dehumidifier also needs expert maintenance for enhanced working efficiency and life span. For this purpose, you have to take it for periodic professional maintenance according to the company’s instructions. This maintenance also includes refrigerant checks, coil cleaning, filter cleaning, etc.
Check Filters Regularly:
To maintain your dehumidifier, you must check and clean the filters on time according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Proper filter cleaning helps you get clean air for breathing. You must also pay appropriate attention to filter replacements and change the filters every three months.
FAQs About Can A Dehumidifier Make You Sick?
Final Thought:
After reading this post, you will know all the information about can a dehumidifier make you sick. Generally, a humidifier helps reduce humidity, improve air quality, eliminate allergens, and prevent mold growth. But it also makes you ill and has adverse effects if not used correctly. These adverse effects include temperature decreases, mold growth, and worsening allergies.
Long-term use of a dehumidifier for 24 hours daily will lead to dry air that causes skin and respiratory issues. So, to avoid all health issues, you need to use the dehumidifier properly by following the manufacturer’s instructions and cleaning it regularly. Proper and regular maintenance will help you reap its maximum benefits and protect you from getting sick. Our post helps you a lot. Thanks for visiting our site.
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John Burns is an experienced writer who specializes in reviewing dehumidifiers. He has a writing experience of almost 5 years. With a strong focus on helping people find the best products for improving their home environment, James provides clear and detailed reviews. His expertise helps readers make informed decisions when it comes to choosing the right dehumidifier for their needs. He is passionate about exploring new home improvement solutions and sharing tips to enhance air quality in every home.
