Dehumidifiers are devices that remove excess moisture from the air in your home. They help maintain a balanced level of humidity suited for your health and the longevity of your furniture. However, there are many things we have to look into when we’re buying a dehumidifier—one of them being the amount of heat the gadget produces. So, are there any dehumidifiers that do not produce heat?
We recently covered the polar opposite article about dehumidifiers that blow hot air.
Do All Dehumidifiers Produce Heat?
The short answer would be “yes.” Most machines and small home gadgets have a fan or a small motor, and such movement creates friction and heat. However, this heat is not supposed to be noticeable. Only bigger and more powerful devices produce a significant amount of heat.
Can You Dehumidify Without Heat?
Using a dehumidifier without producing any heat in the process isn’t possible. These small gadgets actually work quite similarly to fridges. If you’ve ever put your palm on the side of your fridge, you might have noticed that it’s not cold, but warm. The air that enters your dehumidifier has to be processed and cooled down for moisture removal to happen.
However, the kinetic energy created by the fan and the motor results in heat. You cannot fully stop your dehumidifier from producing heat, but you can definitely get one that has a humidistat and smart functions; in such cases, the gadget will turn off when it’s not needed, resulting in less heat created over a longer period.
How Do I Stop My Dehumidifier From Blowing Hot Air?
Over time, dehumidifiers can lose their efficiency. If the air coming out of your dehumidifier is slightly warm, that’s normal. Some dehumidifiers cool the air on the way out, but this is a function that you specifically need to look for.
Most dehumidifiers warm up the air in your home ever so slightly, but if you’re noticing some extreme warmth after you leave the dehumidifier on, that’s an issue. In that case, you need to check some of the internal parts and functionalities of your gadget.
To begin with, you need to clean the air filter. If it’s dirty, there is a reduction in the airflow, and it’s harder for the device to work properly. You should also clean the evaporator coil, but this is something that most people don’t know how to do on their own—you have to put the dehumidifier apart. At this point, if nothing else helps, it might be a good idea to take it to a repair shop.
Another easy fix to apply would be to put your dehumidifier in the fan-only mode to get rid of ice particles that may have built up on the inside, making your machine work excessively hard.
Dehumidifiers That Do Not Produce Heat
There are two main types of dehumidifiers: refrigerated models and desiccant models. The refrigerated models produce a small amount of heat as they pull the air in, condense the water from the air, and return the dry air into the room. Desiccant dehumidifiers absorb water using silica crystals, and they don’t make the air any colder. These will produce more heat.
Conclusion
There is no way to completely avoid heat in your home, especially if you have small gadgets – all dehumidifiers produce heat to a certain level. You can get a refrigerated model to keep it on low, but keep in mind that the size of the dehumidifier and the strength of your model do make a difference. If you notice that your dehumidifier seems to make air hotter than it did before, make sure to clean some of the above-mentioned parts of the gadget.