Do dehumidifiers use a lot of electricity?
You would ask this kind of question if you live in Florida, where you have to run a dehumidifier almost daily.
In another article, we looked at how much electricity an air purifier consumes. We saw that it is not really that much but it also depends on the size of the appliance, the Wattage, how long you leave it running and so on.
Of course, if you live in a place that does not get too humid, you could always try the natural ways to lower humidity.
So really, do dehumidifiers use a lot of electricity? A dehumidifier consumes between $80 and $180 a year but there are many variables. The size and the space rating for the dehumidifier really matters so that you do not rack up your power bill too much, unnecessary.
The most important thing that can help you to closely estimate dehumidifier energy cost is the wattage per hour.
Always check that before you buy your unit. Of course, the cost also depends on the cost per Kilowatt Hour (kWh) of electricity.
Overall, even if you install a whole house dehumidifier, it will not rack up your power bill too much.
You can buy a good unit to lower your indoor humidity levels and prevent the development of mold.
How many watts does a dehumidifier use?
This is something that you will have to verify when you are buying yours as they all come with different wattage ratings.
The dehumidifiers that can remove a lot of water from the air in an hour have a higher wattage. Generally, for a small, desktop unit, the wattage could be as minimal as 23W, while for some portable units, the Wattage could be an average of 280W.
Now, assuming you buy a 30-pint dehumidifier with a power rating of 120W, how much money is it going to cost you to run it for 12 hours, if you live in a humid place like Seattle?
If it uses 120 Watts per hour, and the cost per kWh is 11.37 cents, then in 12 hours, it costs 11.37 * 0.12 = 1.37 cents an hour. Thus, for 12 hours, this will be 1.37 * 12 = 16.44 cents. In a year, the cost of running a dehumidifier will be 16.44 * 365 = $60. This is assuming that you run it daily.
For high quality air, freedom from humidity sickness and preserving your furniture, paintings and clothes in the right state, paying up to $180 per year to run a dehumidifier is not too much at all.
In fact, you can even use dehumidifier water to water your plants. So you get to recoup some of the money that way.
When you are buying your dehumidifier, look for one that has an Energy Star rating as such tends to consume minimal electricity.
Such a dehumidifier can use at least 20 percent less energy than the traditional models. Usually, the bigger units are more energy-efficient than the smaller units.
To further save your dehumidifier energy cost, get a unit that has an auto-shut off function such that when it attains the set humidity level, it switches off automatically.
Dehumidifier vs air conditioner power consumption
An American home runs many appliances at any one time. Among the most used of these are the dehumidifier vs air conditioner.
An air conditioner lowers the temperature in a room to make it more habitable. A dehumidifier lowers moisture to prevent the occurrence of mold.
Read: Effects of high humidity on health
On average, an air conditioner uses more energy than a dehumidifier. To calculate the dehumidifier energy cost, you should check the Wattage per hour rating, multiply that by the number of hours you intend to run it and then divide by 1000 (to get kWh). Multiply the value that you get here by the charge per kilowatt-hour in your state.
You will use the same formula to determine the cost of running an air conditioner and indeed any other appliance, even a whole house humidifier at home. The wattage per hour is usually indicated on the box or the user manual.
In the comparison of dehumidifier power consumption vs air conditioner, the former wins. Therefore, you can run it whenever necessary without the fear that it will rack up your electricity bill too much.
Factors that determine dehumidifier electricity use
Depending on certain factors, your dehumidifier electricity use can be high or low. Here are some of the vital factors to consider:
Dehumidifier placement
Where you position your dehumidifier matters a lot. In fact, positioning applies to the other appliances such as air purifiers as well. The closer to the source the better and more efficient it will be.
If the extra humidity is coming from the basement, place your Frigidaire dehumidifier there. That way, it might even prevent the spread of excess air moisture to other rooms.
Age of the unit
Newer appliances come with better technology for saving energy while doing the same amount of work (if not more) than the traditional units.
If you have had a dehumidifier for more than 7 years, it might start experiencing issues. One of the most common is a dehumidifier blowing cold air.
Buy newer appliances with energy star rating. You can visit the Energy Star website to see all the appliances that have been rated as energy-efficient.
The size of the space
If you run a small dehumidifying unit in a large space, it will run longer and it will consume more energy. Thus, before you order your appliance, check the space it is rated for, of course after measuring your room.
You can find dehumidifiers with space ratings from 150 square feet to some portable units that can work in 4000 square feet.
Temperature
In our article on temperature and relative humidity chart, we saw that the temperature definitely affects the air moisture levels.
That is why the air is more humid in summer. Thus, to save on dehumidifier energy cost, apply other means to lower temperature and humidity.
You can open the windows to allow more airflow, add more ventilation and use salt crystals to absorb extra moisture.
If the humidity outside is too high, it will find its way into the house if you open windows and doors, so it might not be a good idea to open windows all the time.
Also, in winter, use heating since it can dry the air out.
Do dehumidifiers use a lot of electricity? FAQ
The simple answer is no, they do not. However, if you still need more clarification on dehumidifier power consumption, this section on frequently asked questions will help you a lot.
Does running a dehumidifier use a lot of electricity?
It is cheaper than running an AC. To calculate the electricity usage of dehumidifier, take its wattage/1000 * number of running hours *kilowatt-hour cost in your state. On average, a 200-Watt unit can cost $130 to $200 a year.
Should you run a dehumidifier all the time?
Get a dehumidifier with an automatic shut off function so that when it attains the relative humidity that you have set, it goes off. Unless you live in a very humid place, there is no need to run a unit the whole day.
Read: How Do I Stop Humidifier White Dust?
Why are dehumidifiers so expensive?
Dehumidifiers are designed to last a long time. They also improve our indoor living conditions a lot. If a dehumidifier has features such as rollers, digital display, auto-shut off and a high space rating, it is going to cost more. Also, many come with a warranty of 12 months or longer.
How much electricity does a dehumidifier use per day?
It uses an average of 60 cents a day, that is, if you run it for 12 hours. In a year, a newer model can cost as much as $90 to run.
Do dehumidifiers run up your electric bill?
Of course they will but the proper question is by how much. A dehumidifier will run up your electricity bill by about $150 a year, which is not a high price to pay for comfort. However, the big dehumidifiers can cost up to $3.50 or more per day.
How many amps does a 70 pint dehumidifier use?
On average, if a dehumidifier is a 110V model, it will draw about 7.5 Amps. This is when you are running it on the highest setting. So it can probably draw less amperes than that. Check the amperage rating on the unit’s description. It should be between 3 and 7 Amps for 110V models.
Wrapping Up
A dehumidifier has many health benefits so it can save you many trips to the hospital. However, it will run up your electricity bills, not by much, but it is an increase all the same.
When buying a unit, please make sure that it is Energy Star rated and that it is enough for the space that you intend to use it.
Also, check the wattage rating so that you do not buy a power guzzler.
Read: Why dehumidifier blows hot air
