Every time winter comes around, many of us notice condensation on windows and walls. These tiny water droplets are not exactly toxic but may cause damage in the long run.
Since dehumidifiers are great at removing excess moisture, it is no wonder many people are curious if they can be used to stop condensation.
Dehumidifiers, in short, can help with condensation. They cannot, however, completely stop condensation.
In the following article, I will shed some light on a lot of important facts about the relationship between dehumidifiers and condensation.
Let’s dig in!
How does condensation form?
Even though we have all seen condensation since we were children, few understand what it is and how it occurs.
Condensation refers to a process that water vapor becomes liquid, and we call the temperature at which this process happens dew point.
In general, the higher the temperature of the air, the more moisture it can hold. When the temperature drops, the air can’t hold as much water as it used to, and some moisture condenses out.
Condensation is frequently formed on the windows, ceilings, and walls of a home. This is because these surfaces are usually colder than other places. The temperature outside can have a greater impact on these areas than on others.
When warm air collides with cold surfaces, the air temperature drops, and the air becomes saturated. Some moisture content will be converted to water droplets at this point.
Side effects of condensation
As I previously stated, condensate on cold surfaces is not toxic. However, over time, it can cause damage to your home and health.
If the droplets on the windows or walls are not removed quickly enough, they will enter the crevices and run down the walls. Any furniture, frame, floor, or internal structure that has been submerged in water for an extended period of time will be damaged.
Furthermore, moisture buildup on these surfaces can serve as a breeding ground for mold and bacteria.
It will not only emit a musty odor, but it will also endanger our health. When these contaminants enter our bodies, they can cause breathing difficulties, stuffy noses, allergic reactions, asthma, and other infections.
As a result, we must never leave condensation unattended.
Can a dehumidifier help with condensation?
Condensation is a sign of high humidity in your home. It is difficult to happen in dry places.
Because dry air contains less moisture, it is less likely to become saturated. Even if it comes into contact with a cool surface and loses its ability to retain so much moisture, the moisture may not become a liquid.
As a result, anything that can keep the air dry will aid in the reduction of condensation, and dehumidifiers are one such appliance.
Dehumidifiers directly remove moisture from the air, allowing less water vapor to condense.
What’s really interesting is that dehumidifiers work by making use of condensation. When the air is drawn into the dehumidifier, it will pass through an evaporator coil with a much lower temperature.
The excess moisture will then turn to water and accumulate in the water bucket, making the air coming out of the machine much drier. The humidity level will gradually decrease as more air in the house passes through the dehumidifier.
Can a dehumidifier stop condensation?
If you want to eliminate condensation at home, using a dehumidifier alone is not enough.
In general, it will take a few hours or even days for a dehumidifier to work. Condensation can happen during this progress.
Meanwhile, a dehumidifier can’t reach every corner of your house. There is a high likelihood that some places are still more humid than other places.
Kitchens and bathrooms, for example, can generate a lot of warm and damp air in a short period of time due to cooking and bathing. In this case, your dehumidifier does not have enough time to deal with the excess moisture and condensation forms on the windows and walls.
Furthermore, if you set your dehumidifier to a low moisture level in an attempt to combat condensation, you may end up causing other issues. We, too, are not comfortable in dry air, as you are aware.
As a result, you should take other measures if you want to keep it at bay.
Other ways to stop condensation at home
Now that we know a dehumidifier is not the ultimate solution for condensation, let’s explore what else you can do to prevent it.
Increase ventilation
Ventilation is important for preventing condensation. It can prevent moisture from getting trapped in the room. When the fresh air gets into your house, the moisture will get out of your house at the same time. For example, you should turn on the exhaust fan after bathing or cooking.
However, this does not imply that you must keep the windows open at all times. When the outside air is humid, you should close the doors and windows.
Keep heating on constantly
It is preferable to keep your heating system on throughout the cold months so that surfaces are above the dew point.
Condensation is difficult to form as long as the surface is warm. It is critical to maintaining a consistent temperature in your home so that condensation does not form when the temperature drops.
Change insulation
Upgrading the insulation in your home could be costly upfront, but it is worth it in the long run. By installing double-glazing windows and doors, the surface inside your house will not be affected by the climate outside as much as before.
Find out root cause of humidity problem
Sometimes, the high humidity is not caused by the weather but by the water damage in your house.
If you find the condensation continues to appear even if the air outside is dry and there is adequate ventilation, chances are something is broken in your house, like the pipes or the underground water around the basement.
As a result, in order to stop condensation, you must first address the underlying cause.
Conclusion
While dehumidifiers can help with condensation, they cannot completely eliminate it.
Removing moisture from the air makes it difficult for the air to become saturated when it comes into contact with a cold surface. As a result, running a dehumidifier is beneficial.
However, dehumidifiers take a long time to work, and our daily activities can generate a large amount of moisture in a short period of time. A dehumidifier cannot prevent condensation in every room of your home.
