What is a Dehumidifier

3/29/2019 (Permalink)

High humidity can cause many health-related issues, and some can be very severe. Optimal humidity levels are between 30- 50%, with around 45% being the most desirable. Dehumidifiers help to maintain indoor humidity at these comfortable levels, keeping the air in your indoor spaces healthy. This can both save you money and help you avoid any number of health risks.

What is a Dehumidifier?

The most basic explanation is that a dehumidifier has a moisture absorbing wheel inside the unit. The wheel is made of silica gel. Silica gel was in existence as early as the 1640s as a scientific curiosity. It was used in World War I for the adsorption of vapors and gases in gas mask canisters. The synthetic route for producing silica gel was patented by chemistry professor Walter A. Patrick at Johns Hopkins University in 1918.

What is Silica gel? It is an amorphous and porous form of silicon dioxide (those small packages that you find in packaged food to limit the growth of mold and reduce spoilage) which is the desiccant (drying) element. Air enters the unit through an opening and travels through the silica gel wheel. When the air reaches the other side of the wheel, it is dry and then pushed out of the unit by a high static blower. 

Here are 3 ways dehumidifiers can help you at home:

• PREVENT MOLD AND MILDEW
• Mildew emits a strong scent, which can affect an entire home. If you leave your clothes in the washer too long when humidity is high, they get that "mildew smell" and will need to be re-washed, which only adds to your water and energy bill. Since mold and mildew thrive in warm, moist environments, dehumidifiers help keep them in check.

• HELP YOU LIVE IN COMFORT
• As your body temperature rises, your body releases sweat to help cool you off. When humidity is at an optimal level, your sweat evaporates into the air, leaving you cool and dry. However, air molecules that are already saturated with water have no room to absorb further water, which means you run around wet and sticky. Everyone knows how uncomfortable that can be! Bacteria is another organism that thrives in humid environments, and minor cuts and injuries are more susceptible to infection in such a situation. Some minor medical issues can also be made worse by humidity, such as acne and athlete's foot.

• PROVIDE HVAC SUPPORT
• When air molecules are weighed down with water, it makes them harder to heat or cool down. For example: a pan only half full of water will heat and cool more quickly and efficiently than a pan that is full, and the same is true of air molecules that are half filled with water, like when humidity levels are at 50% or above. A dehumidifier will help your HVAC system heat up and cool down your home faster and more efficiently by reducing the water in the air, which can significantly save you cooling and heating costs.