Many families get dehumidifiers installed to clear condensation or mold from their homes. The health benefits of using dehumidifiers are often overlooked. Dehumidifiers can be beneficial to everyone no matter his or her age or health and can provide significant benefits particularly to asthma and allergy sufferers.
Dehumidifiers and Allergies
If you suffer from allergies, you know how miserable they can be at times. If you live in a humid climate, many things can trigger your allergies such as dust mites, mildew, or having mold on the walls. Unfortunately, all of these aggravators thrive in warm, humid environments. If you are suffering from any of these problems, a whole-house dehumidifier will likely bring you substantial relief.
Because dust mites, mildew, and mold thrive in warm environments— Particularly during the hot, humid summer months—these aggravators can become a real problem in the home. Small apartments and basements, or even small spaces such as bathrooms or kitchen areas, are also common places where moisture often builds up.
The most common symptoms of air quality-related allergies are:
- Sneezing
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Watery or itchy eyes
- Irritated eyes
- Wheezing, shortness of breath or having difficulty breathing
- Rashes or irritated skin
- Respiratory problems
The Dangers of High Humidity in the Home
Mold
Mold allergies are what often cause childhood asthma—which can be a frightening, debilitating and expensive problem, especially when children develop it at a young age. Molds are often widespread and always present, which means you can’t get away from them. Mold likes to live in warm, humid environments, typically in places such as the corner of a room or behind pieces of furniture. Although we encounter mold on a daily basis, having a patch of mold growing anywhere in your home can significantly impact your health and cause a number of problems.
Typical problems caused by mold allergens are:
- Sore, watery all red eyes
- Sneezing, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
- Runny or congested nose
Dust Mites
No matter how much you try, you’re never going to be completely get rid of dust mites. Having hot and humid areas in your home can dramatically increase the number of dust mites that you do have, minimizing the impact on your health.
Viruses and Bacteria
Case studies have shown that viruses and bacteria are dramatically increased by up to 60% in homes with high humidity. These same studies show that people who live and work in high humidity environments typically have more respiratory infections and become ill more often.
Asthma
Studies show that people who had early childhood asthma were often exposed to mold during childhood. This exposure led them to contract respiratory problems in later life, and the exposure to mold greatly heightened their symptoms.
What Does a Dehumidifier Do?
A dehumidifier removes the water in the air and can reduce the humidity in your home, and reduce many of the aforementioned allergens and problems caused by them. Excessive humidity can even damage your clothes, furniture—especially soft furnishings—or even parts of your house. Moisture and excessive humidity in your home are often caused by everyday activities such as cooking, boiling a kettle, washing clothes, showering, and even breathing. Having things such as fish tanks in your home might also add to the amount of moisture in the air.
There are many benefits of having an inline, or whole-house dehumidifiers in your home, office, or workplace:
- Reduce the risk of mold allergens, dust mites, and mildew
- Improve overall air quality and the risk of other allergens
- Quiet operation
- Reduce the risk of structural damage to your home and property from mildew
- Clothes dry faster in a more arid environment
- Foods such as cereals and bread go stale at a much slower rate
- Electrical items like computer equipment, televisions, and electronics won’t rust or corrode as quickly
- Reduce your chance of getting respiratory infections
- Minimize dusting needed around the home
Signs That Your Family Needs a Dehumidifier
Along with the allergens mentioned above, you might need a dehumidifier in your home if you notice signs of humidity, such as:
- Water stains on the walls or ceiling, especially in corners of a room
- Rooms that have poor ventilation, such as bathrooms and showers
- Frequent condensation on or in windows around the home
- Must or smells of mildew around the home
- Areas that have small black spots, especially in shower or bath areas
You may also want to consider a dehumidifier if you live in an apartment or basement of a building since mold often travels through ventilation systems and will also build up in the walls of apartment buildings. Even if you keep your home very clean, allergens can build up in different areas and be detrimental to you and your family’s health.
Choosing a Dehumidifier for Your Family
If you ever wondered how to get mold or the smell of mildew out of your shower area, a dehumidifier is a solution for you. While some different models of dehumidifiers require you to take the water that they collect, there are many different models on the market and many different options available. Finding the right one for you really depends on where you plan on putting the dehumidifier and what kind of environment you penned to put it in. For example, there are small models available for places such as offices or apartments, large capacity models for larger rooms or bigger office environments, or even models that can be used for a whole house. When choosing larger models, we recommend speaking to a professional who can find the right dehumidifier for your needs.
Having a dehumidifier installed will greatly improve your health and overall well-being to help you and your family live a happier and healthier lifestyle. To learn more about acquiring a dehumidifier for your home, please contact our dehumidifier experts or fill out our online contact form.