Having a dehumidifier at home when the air is too humid can be a game changer. Dehumidifiers help remove excess moisture keeping the air in the room at an ideal humidity level for sleeping.
As much as a dehumidifier helps in keeping high humidity levels at bay, most dehumidifiers naturally produce some noise due to their fan motors. Dehumidifiers produce some vibration noises but if functioning properly they should not be too bothersome. If you find your dehumidifier suddenly producing unusually loud noises, there may be something wrong with it.
There are several ways to reduce the noise from a dehumidifier. Placing the unit on a padded surface, like a carpet, can help absorb the sound waves and can reduce dehumidifier noises. Loose screws and high dehumidifier settings can also be a factor in a dehumidifier’s noisiness. Some of the other things you can do to reduce a dehumidifier’s noise are to check if the dehumidifier fan motor is loose, clean the filter, or check on the unit’s compressor.
Unless you have a really loud dehumidifier, you can still keep your dehumidifier’s noise level at bay. In this article, we will be talking about how to reduce noise from dehumidifiers. We will also be talking about the benefits of using a dehumidifier.
Dehumidifier Noise Levels
A dehumidifier is typically used when the air in the room is too humid, especially during the spring and summer months. A dehumidifier removes excess moisture from the room by sucking in humid air to dry it before circulating it back into the room. This also helps with persistent damp problems in your home as it reduces condensation when there is little to no air circulation in the room.
Dehumidifiers are typically noisy and what causes dehumidifier vibration noise is usually because of the compressor or the fan. However, the noise of a dehumidifier should not be too bothersome.
Decibel levels that are between 40 dB and 60 dB are at a moderate level and should not cause any damage to your hearing. Different dehumidifiers have different noise levels and you would want to buy a neutral or quiet dehumidifier.
Neutral dehumidifiers have a noise level between 57 dB and 60 dB while quiet dehumidifiers have a noise level between 54 dB and 57 dB.
So just how loud are dehumidifiers?
Example dehumidifier noise levels are:
– Super quiet dehumidifier: below 54 dB (check out the most quiet models here)
– Noisy dehumidifier: between 60 dB and 65 dB
– Loud dehumidifier: above 65 dB
How To Reduce Dehumidifier Noise?
If your dehumidifier is normally pretty quiet but suddenly becomes too loud, there may be several factors that contribute to its noisiness.
There is no standard guide for dehumidifier noise reduction but, there are several ways that you can check and do to reduce the noise from your dehumidifier.
Is Your Dehumidifier Level?
If you place your dehumidifier on an uneven surface, chances are that it will cause a loud noise. Make sure to check where you place your dehumidifier as oftentimes it is not placed on a leveled surface. This can cause loud vibration noises.
In some cases, the dehumidifier itself is uneven, especially if it uses risers. Uneven dehumidifier risers will cause a slight tilt to the device making it noisy. Make sure that the dehumidifier is still even and replace any uneven risers if needed.
Place The Dehumidifier On An Even Surface
If your dehumidifier is placed on an uneven surface, transferring its location can do the trick. Aside from relocating your dehumidifier, placing it behind a padded surface, like a sofa, or on a carpet can lessen the noise of the dehumidifier. Padded surfaces can absorb sound waves which is a great option if you have a loud dehumidifier.
Lower The Dehumidifier’s Setting
If you have relocated your dehumidifier and it still produces loud noises, your dehumidifier’s fan speed may be too high. If the fan blade is running too fast, it will produce loud vibration noises. You will most likely hear the dehumidifier more at night when the environment is a lot quieter. Putting the fan in a lower setting can lessen the noise and won’t bother you too much when you sleep. Read more here about the best settings for a dehumidifier.
Does Your Dehumidifier Have Dirt In It?
Not cleaning your dehumidifier will cause dirt to build up. Not only will the dirt interfere with the dehumidifier’s airflow, but it can also cause it to be noisy. If the fan motor is dirty, it will have to work twice as hard to suck in the air.
Make sure to clean your dehumidifier’s fan and other components that can be cleaned by yourself to avoid dirt from building up. Aside from potentially reducing the noise, the dehumidifier’s airflow will improve if it is clean.
Clean The Dehumidifier’s Filter
Aside from checking the dehumidifier’s fan, you might also want to check its filter. Like the dehumidifier’s fan, a dirty filter will also work twice as hard to trap dust particles in it making it hard to suck in the excess moisture from the air. This can also cause the dehumidifier to produce loud noises.
If you regularly clean your dehumidifier’s filter, you may not have the need to replace it in about 6 months’ time. When checking your dehumidifier’s fan or air filters, make sure it is unplugged to avoid accidents.
Check The Dehumidifier’s Fan Motor
The dehumidifier’s fan motor is an important component of a dehumidifier. It is what draws the humid air in and circulates the air back through the condenser coils.
Before replacing your dehumidifier, check if the fan motor is still working properly. Make sure the dehumidifier is switched off and unplugged before opening the unit up to check on the fan motor.
A loose fan motor shaft will wobble when you try to rotate it (again, make sure the humidifier is unplugged when doing this!). If that is the case, tighten the fan motor and screw it back in place. Once you have tightened the fan motor up, plug the dehumidifier back in and switch it on.
If the dehumidifier still gives a loud or unusual noise, the fan motor might be broken and needs to be fixed. The worst-case scenario is, the dehumidifier needs to be replaced.
Check The Dehumidifier’s Compressor
Another reason why a dehumidifier is noisy is because of a faulty compressor. While dehumidifiers produce compressor noise, compressors that are unusually loud may be a sign that something is wrong. A dehumidifier compressor is usually the last one to break. If your dehumidifier has been with you for a long time, chances are that the compressor is already past its lifetime.
If the compressor is faulty, you need to have it replaced. If the warranty for the parts has already expired, it might be best to buy a new unit. You can also have the compressor checked, out of pocket, by a professional. A professional can also check for any leak in the refrigerant.
If your warranty is still in place, call a certified technician to have your dehumidifier checked for any compressor damage and see if it can still be saved.
Tighten Any Loose Screws
If you have checked every component of your dehumidifier and they are not the cause of loud noises, there may be other parts of the unit that are loose. Check and see if there are any loose screws in your dehumidifier to see if this is the cause of vibration noises.
If there are any loose screws, tighten any loose screws making sure that the dehumidifier is unplugged to avoid accidents. Once you have tightened all the loose screws, plug the dehumidifier back, switch it on, and check for any noises. If there are still loud noises, it might be best to replace your dehumidifier if you have checked for all possible causes of loud noises.
A Note on Dehumidifier Dripping Noises
So far we’ve focused on the louder noises, but a random dripping noise can be just as annoying. If your dehumidifier is making a dripping noise, check out this troubleshooting guide to learn more about what might be causing it and how you may be able to fix it.
Benefits And Disadvantages Of Using A Dehumidifier
Using a dehumidifier has many benefits, especially if it is very humid where you live. As we said earlier, a dehumidifier removes excess moisture by sucking the humid air in.
A dehumidifier is useful if you want to remove pollutants or allergens in your home. These allergens can cause wheezing, sneezing, and other allergy symptoms, especially in those who have respiratory allergies. Using a dehumidifier can help reduce these allergy symptoms.
An environment that is too humid can also cause people with asthma to have difficulty in breathing. Using a dehumidifier will suck in the humid air which can help people with asthma breathe easier.
While using a dehumidifier has its benefits, it is also not for everyone. There are also disadvantages to using a dehumidifier. This can affect your skin and flare up skin conditions such as eczema and Psoriasis. If you have a history of these skin conditions, using a dehumidifier may not be for you. It is also important to keep hydrated when using a dehumidifier as it does make the air drier.
Dehumidifier Vs Humidifier
As we said earlier, dehumidifiers suck in the humid air and remove excess moisture in the room. A humidifier, on the other hand, helps add moisture to a room when it is too dry.
If you live in an area where the humidity level is high, it may be a good thing to invest in a dehumidifier. However, if you want to make your environment more humid, a humidifier is the way to go.
Wrap Up
If you are tired of having a super loud dehumidifier, there are several ways you can do to reduce its noise. The dehumidifier might be placed on an uneven surface causing it to produce a louder noise or an interior component might be the cause of the noise.
We talked about several ways how you can reduce a dehumidifier’s noise. Hopefully, this article has been helpful in keeping your dehumidifier’s noise level at bay!
