Many people add dehumidifiers to their homes, especially if they live in a climate with high humidity. Others may place a dehumidifier in certain areas of the home, such as the basement, where a higher humidity tends to build.
Dehumidifiers are electrical appliances and so they may generate small amounts of heat during operation.
However, refrigerant dehumidifiers work by cooler the air enough for the moisture to condense, and so does a dehumidifier actually make a room cooler?
A refrigerant dehumidifier may increase room temperature by a small amount, but it may not be noticeable in the short term. With the reduction in humidity, the air can feel cooler. Desiccant dehumidifiers typically produce more heat and can make a room warmer by a more significant amount.
Our own dehumidifier makes the room warmer during operation but that’s because we use a desiccant version.
The more common type of dehumidifier, refrigerant, may not make a room warmer but can make it feel like a room is cooler through reducing the relative humidity.
We’ve explained more about these two types of dehumidifier and how they can affect room temperature in more detail below.
Does A Dehumidifier Make a Room Warmer?
Refrigerant dehumidifiers that utilize a condenser won’t make a room noticeably warmer, but the reduction in relative humidity can make it feel like the temperature has been lowered. Desiccant dehumidifiers will make a room noticeably warmer.
A dehumidifier is not designed to make a room warmer or colder.
The sole purpose of a dehumidifier is to remove moisture from the air.
This is often necessary for those who live in humid climates. It’s also beneficial to use a dehumidifier in areas of a home that tend to collect moisture and humidity, such as basements. By removing water from the air, mold, bacteria, and dust mites are also curbed.
However, through the process of removing moisture from the air using an electrical appliance such as a dehumidifier, a certain level of heat can be produced that can make a room slightly or more significantly warmer, depending on the type of dehumidifier being used.
Refrigerant Dehumidifiers Can Add A Small Amount Of Heat
Refrigerant dehumidifiers typically release a very small amount of heat that may affect the temperature of a room by a small margin.
This warming effect may be more noticeable in smaller rooms where the area is more condensed.
However, most of the time, the temperature increase can go entirely unnoticed, as the reduction in humidity can actually make it feel like the room is colder even if it isn’t.
But why does a dehumidifier raise the temperature, and how come it goes unnoticed? Well, it all has to do with how a dehumidifier operates.
How Refrigerant Dehumidifiers Add Heat To The Air
A refrigerant dehumidifier draws warm air currents and moisture into the cold coils. From there, the warm air contracts, and the water is left inside of the dehumidifier. This moisture is collected into a storage tank, and cooled, dried air is released back into the home.
Through the process of condensation, the dried air is naturally heated.
Heat is also added to rooms from the running compressor. Just like other household appliances, such as a microwave, this is simply a natural occurrence from an operating machine.
Why The Added Heat Can Go Unnoticed
The key point is that drier air is more comfortable than humid air.
Humidity can make a room feel stuffy, overwhelming, and groggy. When you remove the moisture from the air, the new, released air is far less intrusive. The ‘new’ air is lighter and more breathable, which ultimately makes you feel more comfortable.
So, while you might see an uptick in the degrees of the room, don’t be surprised if the room actually feels better. With the removal of excessive moisture, your room will feel a lot less burdened down and sweltering.
How Much Heat is Added?
Not much. In fact, a refrigerant dehumidifier works much harder at removing humidity levels than adding heat to a room.
Most dehumidifiers will continuously operate until low humidity levels while only increasing the temperature by 1 or 2 decimals.
Desiccant Dehumidifiers Can Add A More Significant Amount Of Heat
Desiccant dehumidifiers differ to refrigerant dehumidifiers in that they use chemicals to help remove moisture from the air rather than using a condenser system.
Our own dehumidifier is the desiccant type and ‘uses compressor free desiccant technology to extract water from the environment’.
A desiccant dehumidifier can make a room warmer because they don’t have to cool the air before removing the moisture.
The manual to our particular model of desiccant dehumidifier states that it:
‘Heats the air passing through by between 5-10 degrees Celsius [9-18 degrees Fahrenheit], making the air dry and warm reducing heating bills.’
ElectriQ
We can definitively feel this added warming effect in any room that the dehumidifier is operating in and the air coming out of the air outlet is always warm.
This helps make desiccant dehumidifiers more suitable for colder climates.
Our desiccant dehumidifier works great in the winter months to help dry out the washing and to also help heat our home.
Does A Dehumidifier Make A Room Cooler?
A dehumidifier can make a room feel cooler, not by lowering the temperature but by reducing the relative humidity. Dehumidifiers typically increase room temperature through use but the more significant reduction in relative humidity can make it feel like the room has been made cooler.
Other Factors To Consider
If you’re noticing the temperature increase in your home, there may be other factors at play that have to do with your dehumidifier. Keep these few things in mind.
The Size of the Dehumidifier
The best thing you can do to avoid excess heat coming from your dehumidifier is to make sure you buy the right size dehumidifier for your space. When a dehumidifier is far too large, the uptick in temperature can become more noticeable.
On the other hand, running a too-small dehumidifier in a large room will require the dehumidifier to run constantly. Constant running of the machine can lead to extra heat being released.
Instead, make sure you’re finding the right size for your specific room. For example, a 500 square foot room needs a dehumidifier that can remove at least 1.6 gallons to 1.8 gallons of water from the air per day.
Keep in mind that there are different types of dehumidifiers. There are low-temperature dehumidifiers specifically designed for climates 65F and below. Standard dehumidifiers are best for climates 70 degrees F and above.
How Much Humidity Is In The Air?
Unfortunately, if you’re struggling with a room that is overwhelmed with high levels of humidity, you will need to run the dehumidifier more often. A room temperature rise is directly related to how often the machine is running.
Leaks In The Room
If you are running a dehumidifier in a room that is not secured, then you’re doing yourself (and the dehumidifier) a disfavor.
Check to make sure that all of the doors and windows are sealed. Look around the walls of the room to check for any type of cracks that may be letting humidity into the room.
The more opportunities air from other rooms has to enter a room, the more heat you will experience. Remember – dehumidifiers only work when they have to. If there’s a constant stream of moisture being released into the room, the dehumidifier will continue to operate and raise the temperature.
Do You Need An Air Conditioner With A Dehumidifier?
Air conditioners are known for removing some of the moisture with low levels of humidity.
However, larger quantities of water cannot be removed by a common air conditioner unit. Therefore, it is suggested to use a dehumidifier conjointly with an air conditioner to eliminate the humidity.
Not only can these units work together to reduce humidity levels but running the air conditioner and the dehumidifier simultaneously will help to cut down on how much heat is being released from the dehumidifier.
So, while a dehumidifier reduces moisture for a more comfortable climate, an air conditioner will ensure that you stay nice and cool. This is especially important during the summer months when temperatures are as high as the humidity levels.
Does A Dehumidifier Make A Room Cooler Or Warmer?
A standard refrigerant dehumidifier does not technically warm or cool a room. Its sole purpose is to remove moisture from the air.
While the dehumidifier raises the temperature ever-so-slightly due to the moisture removal process and working compressor, it reduces humidity within the air. In turn, this makes the room feel more comfortable and cooler.
On the other hand, desiccant dehumidifiers work differently and can make a room noticeably more warming, making them more suitable for colder climates.
The best thing to do is make sure that the dehumidifier is the right size and there are no leaks in the room. From there, use the air conditioner conjointly with the dehumidifier to enjoy a cooler space free from mold, dust mites, and other undesirables that come with high humidity levels.
Further Reading
Can A Dehumidifier Also Be A Humidifier?