The invention of a dehumidifier was a relief to people living in damp areas and battling with moisture issues.
Dehumidifiers solve humidity problems in simple steps: it absorbs environmental moist air, gets rid of its moisture content, and sends it back into the environment as dry, damp-free air.
Even with the several benefits of humidifiers, many people still think they’re not worth the investment.
And that, there’s a concern on whether they can stop domestic damps like condensation.
Conversely, a lot of people believe that dehumidifiers can dry the indoor air, but can they stop condensation on windows, ceilings, and walls?
This post discusses how the dehumidification process works and if it can prevent condensation.
But first, what happens during the condensation process?
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What happens during condensation?
When hot, damp air hits a cool surface, condensation occurs.
Because of this contact, the air is unable to hold water, making the water content condense on the surface.
Let’s explain this more comprehensively:
Generally, warm air holds more water vapor than cool air. But when warm water comes in contact with a cool surface, it experiences a temperature decline and it’s unable to sustain much water vapor.
So what’s the fate of the excess vapor? As you probably guessed, the excess vapor turns into liquid and becomes visible as a water droplet on the surface.
That simply explains the condensation process found in the kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, basement, and more.
Because these are extremely humid and hot areas of the home, they encourage contact between hot air and cold surfaces.
Of course, damp air means more condensation.
In addition, the higher the temperature difference between the moist air and the surface, the more the condensed water. That’s the reason for more condensation in winter.
How does a Dehumidifier work?
Dehumidifiers function in a similar way to air conditioners.
When you turn on a dehumidifier, its built-in fan starts to draw the environmental air. The air enters the evaporator coil.
An evaporator coil is a surface regulated by the refrigerant fluid. Because of this, when humid hair gets cool, it condenses and its water content drops.
That’s just about how the condensation process works which is the same process that occurs in the evaporator coil.
As mentioned earlier, the goal is to condense the humid air and remove its water content.
Will dehumidifiers stop condensation?
Since we understand the condensation and dehumidification process, it’s crystal clear how dehumidifiers can prevent condensation.
By reducing the indoor air moisture, this machine also reduces the rate at which moist air meets with a cool surface for condensation.
I mean, a dehumidifier reduces the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere which reduces condensation.
Keeping that in mind, there can still be condensation even when the dehumidifier is ON.
It’s just that the condensation process is a quick one.
When damp comes in contact with a cool surface, it immediately turns into the liquid state and causes water droplets on the affected surface.
Therefore, unless your dehumidifier has a high absorption capacity and can reach a large area of the house, condensation will occur somewhere around the home.
Cooking, bathing, and some indoor activities causes a large amount of air moisture and increases chances of quick condensation in ceilings and walls before being stopped by a dehumidifier.
In addition, cold weather fastens the condensation process even when the dehumidifier is ON.
If it’s cold outside, the wall interior becomes cold too. This increases the temperature between the wall and the environmental air and fastens the condensation process.
Not forgetting that cold air takes less time than warm air. So the air saturates faster at low temperatures which becomes hard for the dehumidification system to stop.
So to answer our question, it’s safe to conclude that dehumidifiers can reduce condensation but may not stop it.
Conversely, a dehumidifier can keep air moisture away from the house but it doesn’t stop condensation from occurring, especially when you perform activities like exercise, cooking, and bathing.
Preventing condensation goes far beyond putting on the dehumidifier.
If you are not sure which dehumidifier to buy, check out our expert’s recommendation for best dehumidifiers to stop condensation.
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Final thought
Dehumidifiers can only reduce indoor condensation, not to stop it. You need to focus on ventilation. Proper indoor ventilation and adequate air exchange with the external environment can help.
Finally, choosing the right dehumidifier (check out our guide how to choose a dehumidifier) size can also help increase the chances of reducing condensation.