Air purifiers are designed to remove contaminants from the air in your home.
Some air purifiers also come with dehumidifiers, which can help to reduce the amount of moisture in the air.
But can air purifiers dehumidify on their own?
Air purifiers can’t dehumidify your home. They take contaminants out of the air but can’t remove moisture. If you want to dehumidify your home, purchase a separate dehumidifier. You can also buy a combo device with an air purifier and a dehumidifier.
This article will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of air purifiers and dehumidifiers and examine how these two devices work together.#
To understand the optimal humidity level in your home for comfort and efficiency, read our article on the subject here.
Do Air Purifiers Dehumidify?
While air purifiers will remove odors, dust, smoke, and other harmful particles from the air in your home, they will not dehumidify it.
To reduce the humidity of your home’s air, you should look into getting an air conditioner or dehumidifier as well as an air purifier.
An air purifier working alongside a dehumidifier is an effective solution for reducing mold, bacteria, and mildew found in damp environments.
It makes sense to use both to achieve the cleanest possible environment for your family.
Purifiers vs. Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers
A humidifier is a mechanical device that increases the humidity of the air, usually to improve comfort in cold climates.
Humidifiers add moisture to the air without significantly affecting the room’s temperature. The drier the weather, the more frequently humidifiers are needed.
On the other hand, a purifier does just what its name suggests — it removes particles from a space using filters. Filters in a purifier can filter out everything from dust to smoke and airborne allergens.
Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air. They are designed for damp places with a hot climate. They’re usually needed in rooms and areas with a lot of moisture, like a basement or attic.
Air purifiers operate on a different principle than dehumidifiers and humidifiers. Even though you can use a combo air purifier to dehumidify your home during humid times of the year, it’s designed to remove allergens and pollutants from the air, not moisture.
Air Purifier or Dehumidifier: What Should I Choose?
If you’re considering buying an air purifier or dehumidifier (or both), you may wonder which one is right for you. Both air purifiers and dehumidifiers can improve indoor air quality, but they do so differently.
Air purifiers remove contaminants from the air, typically using filters, while dehumidifiers reduce the amount of moisture in the air. Depending on your needs, one or both of these devices may be a good option.
If your primary concern is clean air and impurities that may cause serious health concerns down the line, you should opt for an air purifier first.
If you feel the relative humidity is too high, you can purchase a separate humidifier. The best option, in this case, is to buy a two-in-one device that can purify and dehumidify.
Unlike an air purifier, a dehumidifier removes excess moisture from the air. This can be beneficial if your home is in a humid environment, like Florida or Hawaii, and other locations that experience higher humidity levels than other parts of the country.
Is It Possible To Use an Air Purifier With a Dehumidifier?
It is possible to use an air purifier with a dehumidifier. In fact, many people use an air purifier+dehumidifer combo. The air purifier helps remove harmful pollutants and impurities from the air, while the dehumidifier helps reduce relative humidity.
Let’s say you have an air purifier installed in your home and need extra moisture removal on days when humidity levels are high. It’s also possible to install an air purifier combo that will absorb much of the excess moisture from the environment.
How Do They Work Together
An air purifier and dehumidifier can be used together to target a broader range of problems.
An air purifier removes particles and harmful gasses from the air to improve the indoor air quality in your home. When we combine it with a dehumidifier, we remove moisture from the environment to help lessen or prevent mold or mildew growth.
A benefit of this strategy is that you can control how much moisture will be released by the dehumidifier depending on how dry you want your room to feel. If you just want more airflow without getting rid of any moisture, then you’ll be OK with a stand-alone option air purifier.
Factors To Consider
There are a few things to consider before deciding whether or not you need an air purifier and a dehumidifier in the same room.
The first one is whether the humidity level in your home warrants using an air purifier and dehumidifier simultaneously. A dehumidifier is probably unnecessary if your home is typically well-ventilated.
The second factor is the costs incurred by your two-in-one air purifier and dehumidifier. Running a combined unit will be more efficient than running two separate units simultaneously, which you might want to consider before buying.
Cons of Using Air Purifier and Dehumidifier Together
Running your air purifier constantly can add stress to the unit, which may lead to potential mechanical issues.
Dehumidifying/air purification combos typically cost more upfront, so it’s better to ensure there isn’t an affordable way to combat these issues on their own.
Signs That You Need an Air Purifier
There are a few signs that suggest you may need an air purifier. House dust mites and pet dander build up in humid environments.
If these factors are causing your home to be too damp or too dry for comfort, it may be time to invest in an air purifier.
- Signs of allergic reactions: If you suffer from nasal congestion or allergies that tend to flare up more during the spring and summer seasons, it might mean that pets or even house dust mites are present in your home and could be making it difficult for you to breathe. An air purifier can help eliminate particles that cause those types of reactions.
- Signs of pet allergy: Pets, such as cats and dogs, release hair into the air, leading to allergic reactions like hay fever, asthma symptoms, and coughing. If you’re sensitive to animal hair in your environment and live with one or more pets at home, consider investing in an air purifier.
- Signs of sensitivity: Some people don’t always know they’re sensitive until they come into contact with something harmful in their environments, like animal hair or pollen.
Which Device Is Better for Asthma Patients?
You will want to look for a model with proper HEPA filtration for people with asthma and allergies.
A good quality air purifier should remove dust, pollen, pet dander, and bacteria from the air. It should also remove particles like smoke and cooking odors from the air.
Conclusion
To conclude, air purifiers are not designed to dehumidify homes.
However, there are a variety of products that claim to purify and dehumidify in conjunction.
To ensure that your home is cleared of pollutants, we recommend using a quality air purifier with a built-in dehumidifier.
For more information on how to check your home’s indoor air quality, check out our article here.
