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Do Dehumidifier's Help With Allergies?

Dehumidifiers are portable appliances that evaporate and absorb moisture from indoor air. The process of dehumidification helps allergies by creating a dry environment in which common household allergens can not accumulate.

  1. Significance

    • High humidity levels promote allergens such as mold, dust mites, cockroaches and fleas, which thrive in moisture and accumulate in bedding, furniture, carpeting, dry wall and within appliances.

    Benefits

    • Dehumidifiers lower the humidity level within the air of a home so that moisture does not collect and humidity remains between 30 and 50 percent, as recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

    Function

    • Dehumidifiers operate through the use of a fan that pulls in humid air over cold coils of an air conditioner, condensing the moisture into a water pan that requires emptying.

    Considerations

    • High humidity levels exacerbate allergic asthma due to stagnant, heavy air full of environmental allergens that line the airways when inhaled through the eyes, nose and mouth, causing breathing difficulty, wheezing, chest tightness and attacks.

    Effects

    • Dehumidifiers decrease moisture, lessening the amount of allergens within a home so that indoor air quality is improved. Dehumidification reduces asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms of sneezing, congestion, coughing and conjunctivitis.

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