Wondering where the best place to put a dehumidifier is?
The best place to put a dehumidifier is the most humid room in your house. If you live in a two or three story house, then you’ll want to keep it on the highest floor near the stairs. As hot air rises, so does the humidity.
Below you’ll find out tips for placing a dehumidifier in every situation.
Let’s get started.
Which Room is Best to Place a Dehumidifier?
The best place to put a dehumidifier is in the most humid room.
You can check the moist air with a hygrometer to check where you are dealing with the most air in your home.
The basement, upstairs, and laundry room are known for having the highest humidity levels.
It’s best to place your dehumidifier near the center of the most humid room. Give your dehumidifier adequate ventilation otherwise, you may run into problems.
For best results, keep the windows and doors closed.
If your entire home is dealing with excess humidity, then you’ll want to consider a whole house dehumidifier.
These can be installed in a crawl space as well as anywhere you have an HVAC system.
This way, you won’t have to change out water tanks and your entire home won’t have to deal with excess moisture.
Should You Put a Dehumidifier Upstairs or Downstairs?
Humid air rises, so the best place to put a dehumidifier is upstairs by the stairwell.
The second floor of your house will be more humid, so leaving your dehumidifier upstairs will alleviate the majority of the damp air in your home.
You may need two dehumidifiers if your home suffers from high humidity.
If you’ve measured the humidity level in both the upstairs and downstairs and they both remain high, then you may want to consider a portable dehumidifier for your downstairs.
Should You Elevate Your Dehumidifier?
It is not recommended to elevate your dehumidifier.
Unless your dehumidifier manufacturer specifically states to do so, you should only keep your dehumidifier near the source of moisture.
Keep your dehumidifier in a central location in your room for the best results.
If you have no other way to place a dehumidifier, then elevating your dehumidifier should be fine. The main issue you’ll face is you run the risk of it being tipped over by children or pets. If this is the case, avoid keeping your dehumidifier elevated.
Can you Put a Dehumidifier Near a Furnace?
You can put a dehumidifier near a furnace.
You want to watch out though as a dehumidifier can heat a room, and with it being next to a furnace it can dry out the air even more.
The hot dry air can cause damage to the furniture, walls, and flooring over time.
Is it OK To Sleep in a Room With a Dehumidifier?
Sleeping in a room next to a dehumidifier is fine.
It’s a great way to get a great night’s rest while keeping musty odors, high humidity, and dust mites at bay. M
Most dehumidifiers today will have automatic humidity level sensors which will turn themselves on and off.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for Bathrooms
When placing your dehumidifier in a bathroom, you want to place it where it has adequate airflow.
You also want to ensure that it isn’t a tripping hazard, so if you must elevate your bathroom dehumidifier then do so.
Give your bathroom humidifier enough space so that it can vent properly and remove any excessive moisture.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for Bedrooms
When placing your dehumidifier in a bedroom, you want it to be near where the humidity is.
The ideal placement is near the center of the room, but if you can’t then as close as possible is fine.
Keep your windows and bedroom door closed so your dehumidifier doesn’t get overloaded.
You also want to give your bedroom dehumidifier enough space to vent, otherwise, it will overheat.
Keep it close to an electrical outlet as you’ll need to keep it plugged in.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for Kitchens
When placing your dehumidifier in a kitchen, you want to place it near the source of moisture.
If most of the humidity is coming from your sink, then keep your dehumidifier near your sink.
Avoid keeping it near the edge of the counter to avoid it being knocked over.
If you’re finding that your cabinets are retaining too much moisture and causing your fruits and dry goods to mold, then you can consider desiccant dehumidifiers.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for Living Rooms
The best place to put a dehumidifier in your living room is near the center.
If your living room is connected to the front door, then keep it by the door as it will be most humid there.
Humidity will make its way through the front door from being open and closed, so your dehumidifier will be most effective near the door.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for 2 Story House
The best place to put a dehumidifier in a 2 story house is upstairs near the stairwell.
Humidity rises, and your stairs are where the humidity will pass through when coming upstairs.
If for some reason you cannot keep it near the stairs, then keeping it in the center of the largest room in your house is fine.
Dehumidifier Placement Tips for 3 Story House
Just like a 2 story house, you’ll want to place your dehumidifier on the highest story.
The hot, humid air rises, and the third floor will have the highest humidity level. For this reason, it’s best to keep your dehumidifier near the stairs of the third floor.
Be sure to give your dehumidifier unobstructed airflow so it can take care of the humidity problem.
Final Thoughts
The best place to put your dehumidifier depends on a few factors.
You’ll want to give your dehumidifier enough room to vent properly as well as place it in a central location.
If you have a two or three story home, then place it on the highest floor near the stairs.
If you want to put your dehumidifier in a bathroom, ensure that it isn’t going to be knocked over. Elevating your dehumidifier can be fine, but it’s not ideal.