A dehumidifier is different from an air conditioner, but people often confuse the two. They are very useful for making your home more comfortable to live in, and they can help to cool a room. However, their primary function is not cooling.
To understand the conditions under which a dehumidifier will help to cool a room, it is important to understand what these machines do.
What Is a Dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier is an electrical appliance that reduces the humidity in the house. By reducing the moisture in the air, it reduces the ability for mold and mildew to develop.
This also improves the quality of the air and helps to make the home feel comfortable. They are different from air conditioners, which are made to generate and blow cold air into the home.
Dehumidifiers take the warm, humid air from the home and remove the moisture. Moisture causes air to feel heavy and thick, and it happens when air molecules get warm and fill with water vapor.
In addition to making the environment uncomfortable, the humidity can lead to the growth of mold.
How Does a Dehumidifier Work?
The way a dehumidifier removes moisture from the air is by trapping it in the coils inside the device. There is normally a bucket as part of the dehumidifier, and the water is deposited there.
Normally, this bucket needs to be emptied, but some dehumidifiers are attached to a sump pump through a hose, which eliminates this need.
When the humidity is removed, some of the warmth and all of the moisture in the air is removed, so the air that is returned to the room is cooler. This is how dehumidifiers can help to make a room cool.
Does a Dehumidifier Help an Air Conditioner?
The primary way that a dehumidifier helps an air conditioner is that it removes the humidity so that the air conditioner doesn’t need to work as hard.
The dehumidifier takes the heavy, warm air and removes the water vapor, and the air that remains is cool and dry. The air conditioner then only needs to cool it a little more to blow it out.
Having a dehumidifier will allow the air conditioner to do its job more efficiently with less energy, and it will last longer.
Does a Dehumidifier Cool a Room?
A humidifier does cool a room by removing moisture from the air. The humidity makes the air heavy and still, and when the dehumidifier removes the water vapor from the air, it is dry and cool. It blows the drier, cooler air into the room, which helps to cool the room.
Even if you have air conditioning, a dehumidifier will make the room cooler. It will also help to reduce the wear and tear on your air conditioning unit.
Alternative Ways to Cool a Room
If you don’t have a dehumidifier or an air conditioner, there are other ways to cool a room. There are times when the air conditioner may not be working, and these tips will help to make a room cooler.
1 – Ceiling Fan
A ceiling fan doesn’t actually cool the air in a room, but it makes people in the room cooler. When the air is hot and humid, it is heavier, and it hangs around people and objects. It makes it harder for a body to release heat.
When you have a ceiling fan that blows the air around the room, the body is able to release its heat.
The air from the ceiling fan can also help to dry up perspiration on a person’s skin, which aids in cooling the person. In fact, a room with a ceiling fan can feel as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler.
2 – Fan and Ice
If you have a box fan, you can place it on the floor. You will fill a large bucket with ice and place it in front of the fan. As the air from the fan blows over the ice, it will blow cool air throughout the room.
3 – Cover Your Windows
If you have blinds or curtains on your windows, close them during the day. The sun’s rays beat down on the window, and the heat comes inside the house.
You can cool the room quite a bit by covering the windows and blocking out the sun.
4 – Plant Bushes on the Exterior Wall
Planting bushes on the exterior wall can strategically help to insulate your house from the sun. It provides a buffer between the sun and the walls, and it will help to keep the room on the other side of the wall cooler.
5 – Put Your Sheets in the Freezer
This is a unique solution. If you freeze your sheets, they will keep you nice and cool while you are sleeping. You can also take a shower right before you go to sleep.
6 – Use Fans to Create a Cross-Breeze
If you have a window in your room, you can put a fan in it and have the air blow out. If you place another fan in another window, you can have it bring air into the room.
This creates a cross-breeze and will help to cool the room.
7 – Turn Off the Lights
Lights emit heat, so turning them off will keep the room cooler. Only use lights as you need them to cool your room.
8 – Turn Off Electronics and Appliances
Electronics such as televisions and stereos emit a lot of heat, so you should always turn them off when you aren’t using them.
9 – Use Bathroom Exhaust Fans
Your bathroom exhaust fans are designed to pull air out of the room, so leave the door to your bathroom open and turn the exhaust fan on. This will help to circulate the air and draw the hot air out of the room.
10 – Buy a Portable AC Unit
Portable AC units are becoming very popular as a way to cool a room. You will need to vent it out the window, but you can plug it in and it will cool the room quickly.
Many of these units come on wheels, so you can move them to another room when you need to. They are versatile and can be unplugged when you aren’t using them.
11 – Get a Swamp Cooler
A swamp cooler uses evaporative cooling to make your room cooler. They work best in a hot dry climate. The machine takes warm air and runs it over wet evaporative cooling pads that cool the air. Then, it blows the cool air out into the room.
The benefit is that they use less energy than an air conditioner, but it does the opposite of a dehumidifier. Instead of removing moisture from the air, it puts it back in the air.
12 – Buy a Window Unit
If you have a window in the room, you can buy an air conditioning window unit. The unit is fairly light and will fit into your window. It can drain outside, and you can quickly cool your room.
Is a Dehumidifier a Good Idea?
If you live in a humid climate, a dehumidifier is a good idea for several reasons. Not only will it make the air more comfortable, but it will help to protect your furniture and other belongings from too much moisture. A lot of furniture pieces are made of wood, which expands when it is exposed to moisture.
Mold can grow when an environment is too damp, so this is another reason to use a dehumidifier. In addition, if you have an air conditioner, the dehumidifier will ease the burden on it so that it lasts longer and cools more efficiently. It will also help to save money on your electric bill.
Another benefit of a dehumidifier is that it will help to remove allergens such as dust mites and mildew. They can also eliminate musty smells that often come when there is too much moisture.
Signs That You Need a Dehumidifier
The most obvious sign that you need a dehumidifier is when your air is too humid. However, if you see water stains on the walls or ceilings, then you know you need one.
Condensation on the windows is another sign that your air is too humid. Finally, if you have a musty smell in your home, a dehumidifier will help.
Final Thoughts
Having a dehumidifier will help to remove moisture from the air in your room, and this helps the room to become cooler. There are many benefits to having this appliance in your home, including allergen reduction and protection of your furniture and belongings.
If you have an air conditioner, a dehumidifier will work well with it to make sure your home is cool.
There are other ways to cool your room, and the best way for you will depend on your climate and the build of your home. If your air is humid, a dehumidifier is the best appliance to help cool your home.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.