If you live in the hot, muggy, swampy South, a dehumidifier can feel like the best thing to come along since sliced bread.
But no appliance is perfect. Portable dehumidifiers can make a home more comfortable, help reduce excess moisture, and support your air conditioner during humid weather. But they can also be noisy, warm up the room, use electricity, require regular maintenance, and become a problem if they are not cleaned.
The good news is that many of the biggest disadvantages of a dehumidifier can be reduced by choosing the right model and using it correctly.
The biggest disadvantages of dehumidifiers are regular maintenance, noise, added heat, energy use, bulky size, seasonal storage, mold or bacteria growth if neglected, and the possibility of drying the air too much. Most of these problems can be reduced with modern features like a built-in pump, continuous drain option, digital humidistat, washable filter, and Energy Star certification.
Table of Contents
Disadvantages of Dehumidifiers
- Regular maintenance
- Noisy operation
- High energy usage
- Can make the room feel warmer
- Seasonal use and storage
- Bulky and unattractive
- Can become a mold and bacteria source
- Can work too well
1. Regular Maintenance
The biggest complaint with many portable dehumidifiers is that the water tank has to be emptied on a regular basis.
Once the tank is full, the unit usually shuts off automatically because of a built-in safety cutoff. That prevents the tank from overflowing, but it also means the dehumidifier stops removing moisture until you empty it.
In very humid weather, the tank may fill quickly. During milder weather, it may take longer to fill, which means water can sit inside the bucket for too long.
Standing water inside a dehumidifier tank can become dirty and unpleasant if it is not emptied and cleaned regularly.
How to minimize this problem: Look for a dehumidifier with a continuous drain option. Many models allow you to connect a hose so the water drains directly into a floor drain or sump pump. If you do not have a nearby drain, consider a model with a built-in condensate pump that can push water up into a sink or out a window.
2. Noisy Operation
Dehumidifiers run much like a window air conditioner. The difference is that the entire unit is inside the house instead of being partially outside a window.
Because of that, you hear the fan, compressor, and airflow inside the room.
You can expect the noise level of many portable dehumidifiers to be similar to a small window air conditioner, especially when the fan is running on high.
How to minimize this problem: Check the decibel rating before buying. For bedrooms, offices, and living spaces, a unit rated around 50 dB or lower on low speed is usually more comfortable. Also look for multiple fan speeds so you can run the unit on high when you are away and low when you are in the room.
3. Can Make the Room Feel Warmer
Dehumidifiers work very much like a window AC that is not vented out of a window.
If you have ever stood behind a window air conditioner while it is running, you know how much heat can come off the back of the machine.
Now imagine that same heat inside of your room while the dehumidifier is running.
A dehumidifier removes moisture by pulling air across cold coils, collecting the water, and then releasing the air back into the room. The process removes humidity, but the compressor and coils also release some heat.
That means the air coming out of a dehumidifier may feel warmer than the air going in.
How to minimize this problem: Avoid placing the dehumidifier right beside your bed, couch, or desk. Put it in a central area where the air can circulate. Even though the unit may add some heat, lower humidity often makes a room feel more comfortable overall.
4. High Energy Use
You can expect your energy bill to reflect the use of a dehumidifier.
The amount of energy that a dehumidifier uses can be compared to some other common household appliances, depending on the size of the unit and how often it runs.
The amount of energy that a dehumidifier uses versus the HVAC running full force to combat the humidity probably makes the extra energy worth it in many homes.
But this article is about the disadvantages of dehumidifiers, and energy use is one of them.
How to minimize this problem: Choose an Energy Star certified model when possible. Also use the built-in humidistat instead of running the unit constantly. Setting the target humidity around 45% to 50% can help control moisture without wasting energy.
5. Bulky and Unattractive
5. Bulky and UnattractiveThere is not much ambience that a dehumidifier can add to the decor of a room.
They are usually not made to match the furniture and the drapes.
Out of necessity, portable dehumidifiers need enough space for a compressor, fan, coils, filter, and water collection tank.
White and boxy is usually the look.
The bigger the unit you purchase, the more white and boxy appliance you have to fit into your furniture plan.
How to minimize this problem: Look for a model with hidden casters, side handles, and a cleaner design. If your whole house has humidity problems, a whole-house dehumidifier may be a better long-term option because it can be installed out of sight.
6. Seasonal Use and Storage
Another disadvantage is that many dehumidifiers are seasonal.
In many homes, they are most useful during the humid months of the year. That means you may only use one heavily for two or three months.
There are dehumidifiers designed for basements, crawl spaces, and cooler conditions, so some homeowners may use them longer. But many portable units spend part of the year unplugged and stored away.
Because they are bulky, storing them can be inconvenient.
Regardless of the season, emptying the tank and preparing the unit for storage is important. A dehumidifier should not be stored with water sitting inside the bucket or drain system.
How to minimize this problem: Before storing the unit, empty the bucket, clean the filter, wipe down the tank, and let everything dry completely. Some homeowners simply leave the dehumidifier in place year-round and let the humidistat turn it on only when indoor humidity rises.
7. Mold and Bacteria
Dehumidifiers must be cleaned regularly.
Because of the way they work, they collect water from the air. That means the tank, filter, coils, and drain line can become dirty if they are neglected.
Standing water and damp internal surfaces can allow mold or bacteria to grow inside the unit.
High humidity can also contribute to indoor air quality problems because damp conditions make it easier for mold, dust mites, and musty odors to become an issue.
If mold grows inside the dehumidifier, mold spores can eventually be blown back into your air.
Mold spores are also a common trigger for allergies and asthma symptoms in many homes.
This also brings up another important point: dehumidifier water is not safe to drink.
Some people assume dehumidifier water is clean because it comes from condensation. But the inside of a dehumidifier is not the same thing as a sterile water distillation system.
True distillation involves boiling water and collecting the purified steam condensate.
Dehumidifier water is not safe to drink and should not be given to pets.
It may be acceptable for watering some outdoor plants, but it should be treated as graywater, not drinking water.
How to minimize this problem: Empty the tank often, wash the bucket regularly, clean or replace the filter according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and keep the drain hose clean. A washable filter and auto-dry feature can also help reduce moisture left inside the machine.
8. Can Work Too Well
Finally, there is always the point that dehumidifiers can work too well.
Most modern dehumidifiers include sensors that stop the unit when the humidity reaches the set point. But that is not always the case, especially with older or very basic models.
Running a dehumidifier when you do not need it can extract too much humidity from the air.
Dry air has its own list of problems including airborne dust, dry skin, irritated sinuses, static electricity, and general discomfort.
For most homes, indoor humidity is usually most comfortable somewhere around 40% to 50%. Humidity above 60% can start to feel muggy and may increase the risk of moisture problems. Humidity that is too low can create its own comfort issues.
How to minimize this problem: Choose a dehumidifier with a digital humidistat. Set your target humidity instead of letting the machine run constantly. A setting around 45% to 50% is a practical goal for many homes.
Should These Disadvantages Stop You From Buying a Dehumidifier?
For most homeowners, the answer is no.
If your home’s humidity regularly stays above 60%, the benefits of reducing excess moisture usually outweigh the disadvantages.
Lower humidity can make your home feel more comfortable, reduce musty odors, help limit mold-friendly conditions, and make it easier for your air conditioner to do its job.
The key is choosing the right size dehumidifier and looking for features that solve the common problems before they start.
Helpful features include:
- Energy Star certification
- Built-in humidistat
- Continuous drain option
- Built-in condensate pump
- Washable filter
- Auto-restart after power outages
- Auto-defrost for cooler spaces
- Lower noise rating
Final Thoughts
Final ThoughtsDehumidifiers are one of the best ways to reduce humidity inside of your home and improve comfort during hot, muggy months.
They can also help your air conditioner do its job without having to run full force.
But for all the pros of having a dehumidifier, they do have real disadvantages.
The biggest disadvantages include emptying the tank, cleaning the unit, dealing with noise, managing the extra heat, and paying for the additional energy use.
Standing water in the tank can also become a mold or bacteria problem if the unit is not maintained.
And if the unit is allowed to run too long, it can make the air too dry.
The good news is that most of these problems can be reduced by choosing a newer model with the right features.
If your indoor humidity is regularly around 60% or higher, a dehumidifier is usually still worth considering. Just make sure you choose one that fits the room, drains easily, and allows you to control the humidity level instead of running nonstop.
