Five problems a dehumidifier can solve

February 1st, 2012

Dehumidifiers

After a particularly wet weekend in the middle of January this year, the Edgecliff headquarters of Appliances Online and Big Brown Box experienced a small flood on its lowest floor.  While nowhere near as bad as some of the flooding that’s occurred elsewhere around the country in recent years, it was still bad enough to completely ruin our carpet and leave a lingering aroma of… mud in the air.

One of the ways we went about drying out our office was to run several dehumidifiers non-stop to extract as much moisture from the air and carpet as possible.  It took a real workout from these appliances, but conditions in the office are finally starting to return to something close to normal.

While our situation was a bit unusual, a dehumidifier from Appliances Online can help you take care of a few more typical household problems:

Poor ventilation

If the air in your home gets damp and stale, mildew, rot and mould is more likely to grow, which can lead to some nasty illnesses if left untreated.  You can minimise the growth of mould in the poorly-ventilated areas of your house (basements are common offenders, along with some bathrooms, kitchens and laundries lacking in effective extractor fans) by running a dehumidifier to extract the moisture that mildew feeds on from the air.

Musty clothes

While you obviously can’t hang your clothes outside to dry when it’s raining, wet conditions outside often lead to cooler, damper conditions inside, meaning your clothes won’t be able to effectively dry when hung up indoors either.  Running a dehumidifier can help to create conditions that will let your clothes dry more quickly so you can remain on top of your laundry cycle, no matter the weather.  What’s more, running a dehumidifier while your drawers or cupboard doors are open can help maintain your stored clothes, shoes and linen, keeping them from developing that musty smell.

Damp carpets and mats

While dealing with the aftermath of a flood situation would be a real challenge (it has been for us), if your carpets have gotten a damp after a window gets left open during a rain shower or a leaking pipe goes unnoticed, you can speed the carpet’s recovery and preserve its lifespan by extracting some of the moisture with a dehumidifier, preventing mildew and mustiness from getting into the fibres.

Tropical conditions

How many times have people said “It’s not the heat – it’s the humidity” during Summer?  Using a dehumidifier can change the environment in your home from a tropical stickiness to a dry heat, which can be much more bearable (to cool the air though, you’ll need an air conditioner – possibly one with an inbuilt dehumidifier).  This can also make conditions more tolerable for allergy sufferers and those with respiratory problems, though an air purifier is better for specifically managing allergens.

Pest infestation

In addition to germs and moulds, all kinds of bugs enjoy making their home in a damp environment, including cockroaches, ants and spiders.  Keeping your home free of excess humidity can go a long way towards managing a pest problem.

If you think that a dehumidifier could help you deal with dampness in your home, then explore the range available on Appliances Online today!