Mould will easily grow and spread if the right conditions are present. So, dehumidifiers don't kill mould, but they can help to prevent it from growing inside your home by reducing humidity.
If the humidity in a room increases, mold will start growing in patches on walls, clothes, and more. So, to answer your question, dehumidifiers do NOT kill mold, but they do prevent it by reducing humidity. If you have a mold problem in your home, don't wait. Mold spreads as long as it has a water source.
You might need a dehumidifier if your home has damp problems, you've been affected by floods or water leaks, or you have mould throughout your home. Dehumidifiers work in the opposite way to humidifiers – they take moisture from the air to reduce the humidity.
Although a dehumidifier does not eliminate active mold, it will help to prevent the growth of mold. It can also be a good tool to prevent mold from appearing in the first place. To use, simply run the dehumidifier in the current room that has an active mold problem or is moist for several hours each day.
Any area with high humidity is susceptible to black mold problems. A relative humidity greater than 55 percent is enough to support the growth of black mold. Indoors, humidity levels can fluctuate drastically due to the effects of HVAC systems.
No, it is not healthy to sleep in a room with mold and mildew. An interior mold of any kind of exposure is something to worry about and mold inside your bedroom is particularly so, simply as a result of the number of hrs you invest in your bedroom breathing it in while you rest.
Many people ask – does a dehumidifier kill mold? The answer is no, dehumidifiers don't have the capacity to kill mold. Mold grows by reproducing spores into the air. Those spores land on surfaces and if there's moisture, food, and space, the mold spores will grow.
Mould will easily grow and spread if the right conditions are present. So, dehumidifiers don't kill mould, but they can help to prevent it from growing inside your home by reducing humidity.
Reduce Mold and Mildew
A dehumidifier is designed to reduce the moisture level in the air by extracting the excess water. By doing so, dehumidifiers can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew and improves the indoor air quality of your space.
Tightly cover the air return vent if there is one in the affected area. Turn on an exhaust fan or place a fan in a window to blow air out of the affected room to the outside (make sure the air is blowing outside the home, not into another room). Open windows in your house during and after the cleanup.
Can I leave the dehumidifier running at night? Yes, we recommend using a dehumidifier 24hrs, however, be aware that there will always be a noise generated from the machine when it is operating.
Take a spray bottle and mix one part vinegar with one part water. Spray the mixture in the dehumidifier tank. Allow the spray to sit for a while before wiping the tray down with a sponge, scrub brush, or even a toothbrush. Clean the filter and coils by cleaning the grille using a soft bristle brush.
Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.
Most dehumidifiers should not be operated in temperatures below 60° F, since the moisture removed from the indoor air can freeze when it condenses on the cooling coils, which can damage the unit.
It is unfortunately a common occurrence that a dehumidifier ends up drying out the air in a home so much that it creates a new set of problems, such as the easy spread of illnesses, cracked, dry skin, and problems with static electricity.
Mold and mildew grow in areas of excess moisture and humidity. Dehumidifiers control your home's humidity to prevent mold and mildew. A dehumidifier will not kill existing mold, but can prevent it from growing and spreading.
So to recap, run your dehumidifier unit for at least 12 hours a day. This is a good rule of thumb. Again, it's okay if you don't stick to this schedule every day, but be aware that the more your family runs your dehumidifier unit the fresher and cleaner it will be all year long.
Why does it keep coming back even after I've cleaned it off? Mould produces spores regularly to sustain its own life cycle, and those spores easily become airborne. When water becomes available, those spores will germinate within 15 to 24 hours.
It is also very important that there is adequate ventilation in the room. Open a window or door so the mold spores can escape, instead of staying locked in your home.
Allergic Reaction
One of the most common health effects of black mold is allergies. Inhaling black mold spores can trigger an allergic reaction, the symptoms of which are similar to hay fever.