Does a dehumidifier cool a room? The answer is strange

A dehumidifier these days is a must have for any home. They work by sucking the moisture out of the air and it is this moisture that manifests itself as damp and mold and stale and musty smells. But does a dehumidifier cool a room?

The answer is surprising, yet not overly surprising – the dehumidifier does not make your room feel cooler, but it can make you feel cooler! The reason for this (and also why they don’t cool) is due to their production of cold water vapor which feels like cold air on your skin.

The dehumidifier’s cold water vapor is produced at temperatures below the freezing point of water and because this cold water vapor is so dry it condenses and forms microscopic droplets of water which form a cloud of air. This cloud, called the evaporative cloud, cools you down and makes you feel cooler than if it had been heated by the sun or by the room’s heating system.

The evaporative cloud can then travel to other rooms in your home depending on how big your dehumidifier is and how large the windows are in those rooms.

If your dehumidifier is large and you have big windows in the room it can cool that room down to an acceptable level, but it doesn’t cool the rest of the rooms in your home.

Related: 11 Different Types of Modern Door handles Explained

Can A Dehumidifier Cool A Room? No.

The answer is simple. A dehumidifier does not cool you. It evaporates water from the air and forms a cloud of water vapor, which is then absorbed into the atmosphere because the humidity level in that room has dropped below that of the rest of your home.

Why Does It Feel Like A Dehumidifier Can Cool A Room?

The reason for this is that as the dehumidifier sucks water from the air moisture is condensed on your skin. This gives the impression of cold and so to you it feels as if it is cooling you.

If you could feel all that humidity leaving the room and enter into your body then you would soon feel too hot and would seek a cooler place to be, just like we do when we change rooms in our home.

Dehumidifier vs Air conditioners; what is the difference?

An air-conditioner or a dehumidifier is a device that uses a compressor to elevate the temperature of the air to a lower level. It does this by passing hot air through a filter and allowing it to cool.

Air conditioners do help to dehumidify the incoming air by cooling it above the dew point, but it does not remove moisture from the air. A dehumidifier uses a refrigeration cycle to cool the air, but this time it also removes moisture from the air using a condenser.

So which is better; an Air Conditioner or a Dehumidifier?

The simple answer is neither. They are both useful tools for homeowners to use to remove excess humidity from their homes. However, they do have different uses and should be used accordingly. If you are living in a damp environment then your preference will be a dehumidifier as this will keep your home dry and comfortable.

On the other hand, in a dry environment for example in a desert where there is no water in the atmosphere, you will need an air-conditioner to cool the air if you want to keep your home cool. [In this case, it may be wise to use both a dehumidifier and an air conditioner.]

Why is humidity a problem?

Humidity is the percentage of moisture in the air, and it can be dangerous for health if high levels are present. Over time, high humidity levels can cause mold, mildew and corrode electrical circuit boards. It can also cause pipes to burst and leak water onto your floors or into your walls causing a serious stain or even damage to your home.

Also Read: Fencing your pool: All that you need to know about fence around pool

How does humidity make me feel hot?

When humidity levels increase, we become less able to cool down and thus become hotter. When the air is too moist, the sweat glands in our bodies work harder and we feel more uncomfortable and hot inside.

Humidifiers work by adding moisture to the air, which increases the ability of the body’s cooling mechanism to work.