Beat The Humidity With One Of The Best Quietest Dehumidifiers

Are you thinking of adding the quietest dehumidifier to your home? High humidity can be uncomfortable and have an overall negative effect on air quality while promoting the formation of mold and mildew. Having a dehumidifier will help with reducing the humidity in your home and make it less hospitable to allergens such as dust mites.

If you’re looking to purchase the quietest dehumidifier, there are a few things you’d need to consider before going ahead with your purchase. The first thing is determining the size of your dehumidifier. If you’ve got a larger room, for example, you’d need a bigger air humidifier.

The next thing to consider is how strong a dehumidifier you’d need. For rooms that are wet or flooded, you’d need one that has at least 40 pints of capacity. You’d also want to think about the price points as there are a plethora of brands and models out there.

Benefits of a Dehumidifier

• Keeps moisture levels down in the air you breathe
• Helps protect the integrity of your home
• Helps lower allergens in the air
• Helps reduce unwanted odors in the air

Types of Dehumidifiers

There are typically four main types of dehumidifiers:

• Heat pump dehumidifiers require a fan and a heat pump to extract moisture from the air. With the help of the fan, the extracted air runs past the heat exchange coils, condensing and collecting moisture.
• A dehumidifying ventilator uses an exhaust fan and a sensor for air expulsion. This type of product is most frequently used in attics and basements.
• A chemical-absorbent dehumidifier is also called a desiccant dehumidifier and uses hydrophilic materials to enhance its dehumidifying properties.
• The last category consist of home-made dehumidifiers, which are not recommended because they are only short-term solutions. They are usually made with de-icing salt or charcoal.

Alternatively, you can consider installing a whole-home dehumidifier. These systems will monitor the humidity levels in your home and then activate or deactivate the humidifier. These systems are ideal for those that wish to preserve the integrity of their art or furniture. However, these systems are considerably more expensive and  need constant maintenance.

How to Choose The Quietest Dehumidifier

Prior to spending money on a dehumidifier, here are some of the things to keep in mind:

• Dehumidifiers have different capacities and you have to match the unit with the level of moisture inside the home. A small-capacity dehumidifier can remove about 20 to 25 pints of moisture each day. A medium-capacity one removes between 30 and 35 pints daily, while a large-capacity unit can remove 40 or more pints of moisture each day.
• You want a dehumidifier that has user-friendly controls. They will help you understand how to operate the unit faster.
• The auto-restart feature will turn the humidifier back on in case of a power outage, which is important if you’re away from home and leave the unit running.
• The hose connection is also something to pay attention to, especially if you don’t want to rely on the unit’s water reservoir and want to connect a hose that sends water directly down a floor drain. This means that you won’t have to empty the bucket the entire time.
• Having a dehumidifier with a timer ensures that the unit turns itself on and off even when you’re away from home.
• Units with frost-control sensors will turn off the dehumidifier in case there is any frost detected on the coils.
• Some products come with indicator lights that will tell you when you have to clean the air filter.

Benefits of Having a Dehumidifier

Having elevated levels of moisture in your home is bad for your health, and medical experts can attest to that. Some of the benefits provided by the use of a humidifier include:

• With the help of a dehumidifier, you can remove potential allergy triggers that cause problems like eye irritation, chest pain, and sneezing. This unit can help clean the air of animal dander, pollen, dust mites, and mold.
• Consequently, you have better odds of keeping asthma under control. Air moisture makes it more difficult for people who suffer from asthma to breathe and bringing moisture levels to a normal interval can make it easier on your lungs.
• When a dehumidifier reduces the chances of dust and mold, it also creates a less favorable environment for spiders and cockroaches to thrive.

Dehumidifier vs. Heater

Under some circumstances, a dehumidifier can help warm up a space. To effectively heat a space, a dehumidifier must use a high-capacity desiccant. 

Because desiccant dehumidifiers need heating elements in order to restore the desiccant inside the unit, they produce warmer air than compressor dehumidifiers. This results in them blowing out pleasant toasty air, making them an excellent choice for drying clothing or heating a home.

Dampness efficiency

Many people advise turning up the heat to get rid of wetness. But, as it turns out, this is incorrect advice for several reasons. For starters, warm air “holds” more water than chilly air. 

As a space warms, evaporation increases, and water condenses less. As a result, trying to dry moisture with only heating increases the humidity in the space. This is especially true when drying out moisture in the winter as your windows stay shut. This strategy works better in the summer with windows open, but not at all in the cold.

Increasing the heater works best when combined with ventilation, otherwise the humidity level rises. This can result in mold growth and other allergies such as dust mites. Winter ventilation is simply not feasible. Heated air streaming out the window into the cold winter night is wasteful.

Here comes the desiccant dehumidifier. The dehumidifier removes moisture from the air as well as warming it by 10-12Caround 10 degrees Celsius. In a humid atmosphere, a damp wall will not dry. The space will dry faster if it is dryer than the air. This drying action, along with the warm air circulation, is a successful mix for fighting dampness.

Applications

In a humid room, a dehumidifier beats a heater, hands down. The dehumidifier dries out the air, making the room feel warmer while pumping out warm air. A damp space will make you feel like the room is colder than it actually is. A heater in a moist area may make you feel warmer, but it won’t do much in terms of keeping the air dry.

A dehumidifier is also more energy efficient than a heater. Most portable heaters are 2000 watts or more and will not alleviate serious damp issues in the winter. A desiccant dehumidifier, on the other hand, can dry up wet without any ventilation.

If your humidity level is ideal, then you’re much better off with a heater.  This only applies to newer, well-insulated homes. Many older homes have inadequate insulation, resulting in frigid walls and windows. The warm air inside the room combined with the cold walls leads to condensation and moisture.

How Do You Calculate Dehumidifier Area Coverage?

The capacity of a dehumidifier is based on how many pints of water it can remove in 24 hours. This, of course, depends on the size of the room you need to cover. Here are some guidelines to help you:

• For a moderately damp room that measures less than 2,000 square feet, you need a dehumidifier that can remove around 25 pints, while for areas larger than 3,500 square feet, you need one that can remove 40 pints.
• For a very damp room that measures less than 2,000 square feet, you need a dehumidifier that can remove around 30 pints, while for areas larger than 3,500 square feet, you need one that can remove 50 pints.
• In an extremely wet room that’s less than 2,000 square feet, a dehumidifier should remove around 40 pints to be efficient. For rooms that measure more than 3,500 square feet, the dehumidifier needs to have a 70-pint capacity. 

Can You Use Dehumidifier Water for Plants?

The Tree Hugger website advocates watering plants with dehumidifier water. Fill a watering can halfway with the water collected by your dehumidifier’s water collector and water the plants within your home or on your lawn or garden outdoors. 

Because your dehumidifier’s water collector may contain trace amounts of lead and other harmful substances, avoid watering edible plants. This can result in plants absorbing harmful levels of toxins, which can accumulate in fruits and vegetables. 

In this manner, you will avoid ingesting any harmful toxins included in dehumidifier water, because you wouldn’t drink it yourself.

Does a Dehumidifier Kill Mold?

It is nearly impossible to eradicate all mold spores that are inside your home. Mold can remain dormant on surfaces and in the air, even when there is insufficient moisture to support its growth.

When the humidity level in a room rises, mold begins to grow in patches on walls, clothing, and other surfaces. To address your question, dehumidifiers can’t help eliminating mold, but they can help prevent it by reducing the overall humidity in the room.

If your home has a mold problem, you should not hesitate in addressing it. Mold will continue to spread as long as there is a source of water. Eliminate the mold and isolate the source of moisture to save further damage and very expensive repairs. Contact a competent restoration firm to deal with your mold problem in an efficient manner.

Can You Drink Water from a Dehumidifier?

No, you should never drink water from a dehumidifier. 

Just like a cold drink absorbs condensation from the air inside the room, the majority of dehumidifiers convert water vapor from a gas to liquid water using cold metal tubes. 

This condensation is then collected in a bucket or discharged via a hose. According to the EPA, stagnant condensate can hold biological hazards such as algae, mildew, and mold, especially if the collection bucket is not cleaned on a regular basis. 

Additionally, the condensate may contain a variety of different metal residues from the dehumidifier’s component parts. In contrast to distilled water, dehumidifier water is never boiled to sanitize it. 

Do Air Conditioners Dehumidify?

While air conditioners are capable of removing humidity from the air, they are limited in their effectiveness. When your air conditioner is functioning, it circulates air via its coils. These coils chill the air, separating it from the moisture. Moisture gathers in the AC and seeps out as the cooled air is routed into your home.

However, various factors affect your air conditioner’s ability to dehumidify, and even the best air conditioner may struggle to cope with the excessive humidity associated with hot summers in certain regions.

If your air conditioner is too tiny, it will be unable to efficiently dehumidify the entire space. If your air conditioner is too large, it will cool the air rapidly and then shut off, which implies that it will not dehumidify the entire space. 

The filters in your air conditioner also have an effect on the amount of air that can enter and exit the unit. If they are old and dusty, they may not circulate enough air through the AC to provide proper dehumidification.

You may still need a dehumidifier

Humid air is very aggravating for asthmatics. If you have clean filters and your air conditioner is the appropriate size, but you continue to have humidity issues that trigger asthma, you may want to consider investing in a dehumidifier. 

Choose one that is intended for the entire house so that you can regulate the humidity in each room. Additionally, a dehumidifier will help your air conditioner function more efficiently, allowing you to save money on your energy bills.

What’s the Difference Between a Humidifier and a Dehumidifier?

When the air is excessively dry, humidifiers add moisture. Generally speaking, people use humidifiers during the colder seasons, to alleviate the winter air’s dryness.

When the air is excessively humid, a dehumidifier extracts moisture from it. During spring and summer, dehumidifiers are employed. The two most common reasons why people choose to purchase and use a dehumidifier are to reduce seasonal allergies and to alleviate the sticky, stale feeling that can occur when the humidity level in a room is too high.

Best Dehumidifier for Basement: Honeywell 70 Pint with Built-In Pump Dehumidifier

Honeywell’s dehumidifiers are the recognized choice for being highly efficient units that can remove moisture from your home.  This Energy Star-certified machine features an integrated vertical pump that eliminates up to 50 pints of moisture per day while using less energy than typical dehumidifiers, saving you money on utility bills. 

This 50-pint dehumidifier is perfect for rooms up to 3,500 square feet and is suitable for any area in your home. It works really well in basements because it has such a large capacity and a pump that can empty the bucket by itself.

A clever digital humidistat control system senses the moisture content of the space and automatically activates dehumidification to assist in maintaining optimal humidity levels. 

This brand of dehumidifiers are intended for portability, with easy-to-move caster wheels and comfortable top handles. Additionally, the continuous drain option adds versatility by allowing you to dump condensate water constantly into a low-level drain.

Best Dehumidifier for Bedroom: hOmeLabs 1,500 Sq. Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier

This dehumidifier extracts up to 22 pints of moisture in a 24-hour span. This moisture-absorbing Energy Star-certified beast is ideal for medium to big rooms, absorbing moisture rapidly and effectively without increasing your energy bill.

It’s a great addition to bedrooms where moisture is a problem. Another feature that recommends this for a bedroom is the fact that it has a quiet operation, so it won’t bother you whether you’re reading, watching your favorite series, or sleeping. 

You can adjust to your preferred moisture level and then let it continue on a continuous 24-hour cycle until the tank is full, at which time it will shut off automatically. Additionally, there is a drain hose exit for continuous drainage. You will, however, need to purchase the hose separately, since it’s not included with the purchase.

Best Dehumidifier for Bathroom: Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier

Featuring whisper-quiet thermoelectric cooling and a low power consumption, this tiny dehumidifier is ideal for use in bathrooms, closets, pantries, and other small spaces that don’t require a large-capacity unit.

When the 52 ounce water tank reaches its maximum capacity, an indicator light indicates that it is full; the tiny dehumidifier will then shut off automatically until the tank is empty.

To remove water from the tank, simply detach it from the dehumidifier, unscrew the plug, and pour it into a sink or drain using the convenient water outlet. Then simply replace it in the dehumidifier and turn it back on.

This compact dehumidifier can extract up to 0.5 pints of moisture every day, making it ideal for rooms up to 150 square feet in size. It is whisper silent due to its integrated thermoelectric cooling technology, which eliminates the need for a noisy compressor.

Top 4 Best Quietest Dehumidifiers

While all of the above are important, one other feature to consider is the noise level of the dehumidifier. Most of us have our dehumidifiers running through the night, and the last thing we’d want is to have a loud dehumidifier that’ll prevent you from getting a good night’s rest. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to purchasing a quiet dehumidifier, we’ve curated a list of 4 of some of the best dehumidifiers on the market.

1. MIDEA Dehumidifier with Reusable Air Filter

This dehumidifier comes with all of the features you need to keep your home mildew and mold-free. It’s able to collect 50 pints of water a day and helps with significantly reducing the humidity within a room. It’s perfect for a variety of spaces from basements to bedrooms and will help with maintaining air quality throughout your home. Other innovative features that the dehumidifier comes with includes an auto-restart function that helps with limiting disruption, and continuous dehumidification mode that’s great for keeping your home at an optimal humidity level.

It’s also one of the quieter dehumidifiers out there as it only has a maximum decibel volume of 51 – around the same volume of a quiet conversation. You won’t have to worry about having the dehumidifier in the background as you study, sleep, or relax. Maintenance is also a breeze; all you have to do is empty the tank when it’s full or use the built-in socket for continuous draining. There’s also a cleaning alert to remind you when it’s time to get your reusable filter cleaned.

2. Ivation 4,500 Sq Ft Large-Capacity Energy Star Dehumidifier

This compact dehumidifier will fit discreetly in most spaces. It’s also got durable caster wheels for easy portability, and you can even customize the air regulation as it comes with two settings. While it may be a smaller dehumidifier, it can still efficiently remove moisture from areas that are up to 4,500 square feet (about 50 pints of moisture a day). To maintain the dehumidifier, all you have to do is empty the reservoir, or hook up the hose for continuous draining.

The dehumidifier is also quiet – so you can have a fantastic sleep at night and comes with an LCD interface for you to easily control the moisture levels. From the LCD interface, you can set your ideal levels, adjust the fan speed, program your timer, and more. Since the dehumidifier is also energy-efficient, it comes with both an energy-saving auto shut-off feature and a cleanable filter.

3. TOSOT 1,500 Sq Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier

For a dehumidifier with whisper-quiet operation, this is a great humidifier to add to your space. It operates at 52 decibels at its highest setting and 48 decibels at its lowest setting. For reference, a decibel rating of 45 or under is extremely quiet. It can also remove up to 30 pints of water every 24 hours and will automatically stop running when the water bucket fills up. You can also automatically drain your dehumidifier by hooking it up to a drain hose.

The dehumidifier also comes with real-time monitoring, and you can select a target dehumidifier level and view it on your control panel. Once it’s reached the humidity level you’ve programmed, it’ll automatically switch off. You won’t have to worry about your dehumidifier increasing your electricity bill as this particular model is energy-star rated.

4. TOSOT 4,500 Sq Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier with Internal Pump

Need a larger dehumidifier that’s quiet and will efficiently remove moisture? This Tosot dehumidifier will do the job as it can remove up to 50 pints of water every 24 hours. It’s also got an internal pump that’ll automatically remove water that’s collected from the dehumidifier. You can choose to pump it sideways or vertically. If you’ve always wanted to monitor your dehumidifier, you can with the real-time monitoring control panel. Once you’ve set your desired humidity, the appliance will automatically switch off after it has been reached.

It’s also supremely quiet that you won’t even notice that it’s there. At its highest speed, the dehumidifier runs at 51 decibels which is almost as quiet as a normal conversation that you’ll be having at home. This dehumidifier will also help in minimizing your electricity bill as its Energy-Star rated and will efficiently remove moisture from the air within your home.

FAQ

Why is my dehumidifier so noisy?

There are certain dehumidifiers that are noisy by default but this can also indicate that there is a problem with your unit. For instance, the machine can be noisy when the screws or the mounting brackets on your compressor are loose. The dehumidifier has a part which is called a compressor and it literally compressed the refrigerant that passes through the unit. Also, another thing that could make the dehumidifier noisier than it normally should be could indicate a problem with the loose components on the fan motor. All the screws and brackets inside the unit have to be shut tight. 

Related: The Best Crawl Space Dehumidifiers For Better Air Quality In Your Home

How many decibels is a dehumidifier?

An average dehumidifier has a decibel rating between 40 and 50. However, know that the noise a dehumidifier makes is the sum of several of its components, some of them controllable and others with uncontrollable noise outputs. For instance, you can’t control the compressor noise, the exhaust and intake location, or the CFM. What you can control is the fan speed or the distance between you and the dehumidifier.  

The Bottom Line

If you live in a humid climate then you’re definitely going to need a dehumidifier for your home, especially during the warmer months when moisture levels in the air increase. Not only will you improve the air quality in your home, but you’ll also be adding longevity to the integrity of your home because high moisture levels in the air can soften drywall, flooring, and other textiles.

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