Dehumidifiers are excellent for protecting your home and yourself from excess moisture. In places with high humidity especially in the summertime, having one of these machines helps curb the growth and spread of molds and mildew.
In short, they add or reduce humidity from the air according to your desired level as you fix the percentage from the device.
But do you ever fear that apart from removing moisture from the air, it could also dehydrate you?
Well, a dehumidifier cannot remove moisture or fluid from your body. Complaints of feeling dehydrated cannot be tied to using a dehumidifier even while sleeping. If the settings are not gotten right, they can make the air too dry but they do not tamper with the water level of the body.
Below, we would discuss what dehydration is and the roles a dehumidifier plays on the human body.
What Is Dehydration?
Our bodies are made of about 60% water making it a vital part of our body. Without it, certain body functions cannot be fully done. When the amount of fluid in the body is much less than the amount required for normal body function, it can be said that the body is dehydrated.
Dehydration occurs as a result of fluid loss or when lost fluid is not replaced. Our body works to balance our water level. This it does by moving it to the areas that need it the most or completely removing excesses through sweating, urination, and defecation.
Symptoms of dehydration
Some of the easily spotted symptoms of dehydration are
- Thirst
- Decreased urination
- Darker colored urine
- Reduced sweating
However, different symptoms are observed in children and in adults as well as in different stages of the condition. Some of these include;
- Dryness in the mouth and tongue
- Dizziness
- Muscle weakness
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Depressions on the skull is also common amongst infants
Can A Dehumidifier Dehydrate You?
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the air and not from the human body so it cannot dehydrate you even if you sleep with it working.
To specify the amount of moisture to be removed, you would have to place the dehumidifier at a specific setting with the ideal humidity level between 30-50%. If you leave it at this level or you place it at turbo speed, all the dehumidifier does is remove this percentage of water from the air and not your body.
No doubt dehydration can kill, but we have people living in certain regions and places of the world where the humidity level is much lower. For instance, areas like Nevada and Arizona get humidity levels way below 20% yet there are people living there. Moreover, doctors use dehumidifiers to get the humidity just right for patients in very humid climates. This helps with some respiratory and pulmonary conditions.
Some people feel dehydrated when they wake from a long nap. This could be caused by not having enough water or the dry air and climate. For some others, it could be as a result of food allergies, certain illnesses, or other causes.
If you notice that the dry air causes dry nose, throat, or mouth irritations, it is best to check the settings. Very dry air could also cause the sinus in the nose to bleed. You could also get a humidifier for bloody noses that may occur due to the dry air.
Yes, the humidifier removes excess moisture from the air and can make the air feel dry nonetheless, the water in your body remains untouched.
Dehumidifier Safety Features
Since it has been proven that dehumidifiers do not affect the moisture level in the body, they are also safe to leave on at night. For such, it is advisable to get ones with certain safety features such as auto-switch off, a large water tank, a tilt safety feature and protective over heating feature to prevent the air from getting too dry while you sleep.
Auto switch-off feature
It’s best you get a dehumidifier with the auto switch-off feature that goes off once it hits the right humidity. For this, a humidity level of about 40 or 50% is most preferable since it would be running all night and you don’t want the air to be dry.
A large water tank
Moisture collected from the air by the dehumidifier is stored in a water tank. If you would be running your machine all night, you would want to get a large water tank so it does not fill up while you are asleep.
Protective overheating
A dehumidifier is also electronic with motors that can overheat if left running for too long. The overheating feature protects the motor by shutting off the dehumidifier once the motor gets too hot. This feature also restarts the dehumidifier again once the motor cools down.
Tilt safety
The tilt feature automatically turns off the dehumidifier if it acquires too much tilt. A tilt in the machine occurs when it is not well balanced making it possible to get in the way. Bumping into a dehumidifier can cause the machine to short circuit or cause the water in the tank to spill.
Frequently Asked Question
Can A Dehumidifier Dry Out An Area?
Yes, a dehumidifier once adjusted to the right setting can help remove excess moisture and dry out the specific area you need to be dried out. Not only does a dehumidifier dries out an are, it can also desiccate damp walls and prevent mold from forming.
However, the first and foremost task is to make sure you have the right type,size, and dehumidifier capacity to get the best results. Room temperature and humidity will come into play in that case.
Most of the time, manufacturers fix these measurements for an allotted room area so that the dehumidifier doesn’t overdo the process.
Could A Person Dehydrate To Death If They Fell Asleep In A Room With A Dehumidifier Running?
No, a dehumidifier running does not harm a person sleeping. The dehumidifier can make the air very dry but cannot dehydrate a sleeping person.
Dehumidifiers keep the humidity level only at 30-50%, so there’s enough moisture in the air for humans or pets to survive. There have never been any reports of anyone dying from dehydration while using a dehumidifier.
Can You Kill Dust Mites By Running A Dehumidifier?
Yes, running a dehumidifier can kill and totally eliminate dust mites from your home. Dust mites would start dying when you drop the relative humidity to about 40 or 50%.
Dust mite is a very common indoor allergen that grows best in damp surroundings. Keeping humidity level in check with a dehumidifier destroys the home for dust mites to survive and flourish. If you keep the humidity level between 40-50% using a dehumidifier, you can kill dust mites more effectively.
Mold spores also can not survive in low humidity. However, you should make sure to clean and change the filter and refill the humidifier with distilled water for a more efficient outcome.
Does A Dehumidifier Make Water Out Of Thin Air?
A humidifier does not create water from the thin air. Instead, it draws out water already present in vapor form and condenses it to liquid in the tank.
Air is filled with water vapor that traps heats and other particles. Dehumidifiers only suck in the water vapor and turn it into liquid water through a refrigeration process.
Dehumidifiers do not create water out of thin air, and nor is the water drinkable.
Is The Water That I Pour Out Of My Dehumidifier Safe To Drink?
Water from the dehumidifier is distilled but is not safe for drinking because of the impurities from the air filters and the water tank. Even though you clean the filters regularly, it is not advisable to drink water from dehumidifiers.
These are often left for a while and can accumulate dust, bacteria, mold, spores and germs that your body would not appreciate.
Dehumidifiers use cold metal tubes and condensers to turn moisture into liquid water. The tubes may contain lead, while condenser gassesare mostly harmful for the human body.
Conclusion
Dehumidifiers are built to remove moisture from the air within the room where they are installed. A dehumidifier cannot dehydrate you even if you sleep with it throughout the night.
Sleeping under this dry air causes many people to wake up with dry noses, throat, and mouth. This is a function of the dry air and not the dehumidifier on the human body. While this has its benefits, it is important to ensure that it is running at the appropriate settings as it can dry the air in the room.
