In this article, we will cover some surprising reasons why you should strongly consider getting a dehumidifier for your home if you have rooms with humidity issues.
We have listed the top 6 dehumidifier health benefits below and provided a brief explanation for each. We go into more detail on each dehumidifier health benefit further in the article:
- Prevent the growth and spread of black mold – black mold is known to have a number of serious health impacts.
- Reduce dust mites and allergens – dust mites thrive at higher humidity levels.
- Improved sleep quality – Higher levels of humidity make it more difficult to sweat and regulate body temperature which causes reduced sleep quality.
- Moldy clothes – mold on your clothes could potentially cause an allergic reaction.
- Dehydration – high humidity means that sweat cannot evaporate from the body. This results in the body being unable to control its internal temperate and sweat excessively. This increased sweating can lead to dehydration causing you to wake up feeling thirstier than usual.
- Frizzy Hair! – This needs no further explanation! A dehumidifier can even help your hair stay healthier.
Selection of the best dehumidifiers:
Prevent Mold growth
It is true that a Dehumidifier won’t kill mold that already exists in the home. They can, however, be a highly effective tool for preventing the spread of mold and preventing future growth. We recommend that if you have found mold in your home, you first either remove the existing mold yourself or consult a professional.
Mold thrives and spreads in cold and damp conditions. If a room of your house is cold or damp then it is highly likely that black mold or mildew will develop over time. This mold can spread to valuables such as clothes and cause damage to property, and especially health.
The most common health symptoms that result from black mold exposure are respiratory in nature such as chronic coughing and sneezing. The eyes can also be irritated and other mucus membranes such as the nose and throat. Other symptoms include rashes, chronic fatigue, and persistent headaches. As with many other pollutants, the effects can be more pronounced in vulnerable individuals such as vulnerable children and the elderly.
Once you have removed the existing mold, there are several ways to prevent it from returning. One of the most effective ways is by placing a dehumidifier in the room. If you are wondering which dehumidifier is best suited to a small room then please refer to our review article here.
A dehumidifier prevents the growth of mold by reducing the humidity in a room to levels that are unacceptable for mold growth. If the humidity levels in a room are optimal then mold cannot grow and you will be free from all the negative symptoms associated with it.
Reduce Dust Mites and allergens
Dust mites are a well-known allergen and exist naturally in almost every home. Too many of these creatures can be a major problem, especially for those who are allergic.
Humidity has been identified as the single most important factor when determining whether a house has a high concentration of dust mites. The mites absorb moisture from the air rather than drinking water as we do, this means they love humid environments. Dust mites are completely absent from areas of low humidity such as deserts, the best way to control their numbers is through humidity control.
A 2011 study found that “it is practical to maintain an indoor RH of less than 51% during the humid summer season in a temperate climate, and this resulted in significant reductions in mite and allergen levels. ” This would also apply to rooms that are humid during winter such as bedrooms with multiple peoples sleeping in them.
Based on this study we recommend a dehumidifier for anyone who wants to reduce dust mites and allergens in their homes. You can manage mold growth AND dust mites and allergens with a single product! Fighting dust mites and allergens is the biggest dehumidifier health benefit for those with allergies.
Improve sleep quality with a dehumidifier
We all know the benefits of a good night’s sleep. And key in achieving a good night’s sleep is a comfortable environment to sleep in. Some of the key benefits of a good night’s sleep include reduced stress, improved memory, lower blood pressure, improved immune system, and an improved mood.
I can hear you asking, ‘but how does a dehumidifier improve sleep quality?’ to answer this question we need to look at WHY excessive humidity is bad for sleep.
The ideal humidity range for sleep is between 30 and 50%
Anything higher than this can hinder sleep quality by reducing your comfort and causing congestion.
Excess humidity prevents moisture from evaporating off your body, this causes you to become hot and sweaty in your sleep which as we know is very uncomfortable and not pleasant at all. This often results in tossing and turning and waking during the nights, all of which lower your quality of sleep. Excess humidity also causes congestion, this same lack of evaporation occurring on the surface of your body is also happening in your nose, this lack of evaporation in your nose leads towards you feeling congested. You may be waking up congested and wondering what left you feeling this way, high humidity could be the answer.
Excessive sweating and congestion plus mold and dust mites resulting from humidity could seriously impact your sleep quality at night. If you have condensation on your windows and walls and have seen mold, then you may need to invest in a dehumidifier. Improved sleep quality is one of the top health benefits of a dehumidifier.
Prevent Moldy Clothes with a Dehumidifier
High humidity could cause mold to spread to any surface which attracts excessive moisture, including your wardrobe or closet. One of the most terrifying aspects of discovering black mold is seeing that it has spread to your personal belongings and clothes!
This is bad for all the reasons listed above but it is also bad because it could cost you money. You need to consider the potential costs of having mold in your home when you are considering buying a dehumidifier. If you avoid the purchase and end up having to replace items damaged by humidity then you have clearly made a mistake! It is always best to act preemptively and prevent this type of damage before it has occurred.
You should be careful when you do things such as drying clothes or hanging wet towels in a room. It can increase humidity to levels conducive to mold growth and potentially harm your health and property as outlined above.
Dehydration
High humidity can make you dehydrated, this sounds counterintuitive but here is how.
Higher humidity causes your body temperature to rise. This is because sweat cannot evaporate from your body fast enough to provide the usual cooling effect. In a humid room, your sweat does not evaporate properly, then the sweat does not cool you down and this causes you to sweat even more as your body desperately tries to reduce the temperature. This leads to the ironic situation of being soaking wet on the outside but dehydrated on the inside. This is what causes you to wake up in the morning desperate for a drink. The best ways to fix this problem is to increase airflow around you or decrease the humidity,
I can personally attest to this issue as prior to purchasing a dehumidifier. I would wake up thirsty, sweaty and congested. Now that the humidity in my bedroom is at a suitable level, I wake up feeling much fresher than before. In countries such as the UK in winter, it is not always practical to open a window at night due to bad weather or low temperatures creeping in.
Healthy Hair
If you care about having healthy hair, then humidity may be a surprise factor that you wish to consider when purchasing a dehumidifier.
Human hair is very sensitive to humidity, straight hair goes wavy and curly hair can be turned into a full frizz nightmare. Obviously you can’t control the humidity outside but you can indoors. Sleeping with a dehumidifier can help you maintain your desired hairstyle without waking up with a serious bed head every morning.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. If you have been inspired to take the plunge and tackle excess humidity in your home then please see our guide here. Hopefully, you will experience the health benefits of a dehumidifier yourself! We recommend a dehumidifier for your bedroom no matter what as sleeping produces a significant amount of humidity.
