We all know what filters are; they collect dust and debris in the air, but it might not always be obvious why they're needed, especially the importance of filters in dehumidifiers.
Many people may associate filters primarily with air purifiers and HVAC ventilation systems, as they are likely a part of normal household maintenance or often addressed by an HVAC professional. However, there are plenty of other filter-using appliances that need routine maintenance. While it may not be obvious when it comes to the significance of their filter, it's just as important to understand and maintain the filter for appliances like dehumidifiers.
In this article, we'll discuss why dehumidifiers have filters and how they benefit your home or business, so that you can get the most out of your machines.
- Do Dehumidifiers Use Filters?
- Why Do Dehumidifiers Have a Filter?
- Residential Dehumidifiers and Their Filters
- Commercial and Industrial Dehumidifiers
- How Often Should a Dehumidifier Filter Be Changed?
- Still Have Questions?
Do Dehumidifiers Use Filters?
You might wonder, “Is there a filter in a dehumidifier?” and “Does it have to have one?” Yes, all dehumidifiers need some type of filter! Some use a basic filter mainly to protect the internal components, while others require a more advanced filter to simultaneously protect the internal components and potentially improve the air quality. The type of filter depends entirely on the kind of dehumidifier you have.
Why Do Dehumidifiers Have a Filter?
Filters should be part of your dehumidifier's routine maintenance, as the efficiency and quality of the dehumidifier decrease when they are not properly cleaned or replaced. Similar to your HVAC system's filter or a dehumidifier's water reservoir, if the filter is left unchecked, the machine will eventually stop working correctly, causing you to spend money on repairs or replacements.
What Do Filters Do?
Just like air purifiers and ventilation systems, dehumidifiers pull in air to perform their primary function–a fact that is often overlooked with these appliances. Dehumidifiers pull in humid air along with any airborne particles, like dust and debris. The dehumidifier removes excess moisture and outputs dehumidified air. Without a properly maintained filter, particles are simply cycled through the machine, where they build up or are released back into the room.
Do Filters Prevent Wear and Tear?
A properly maintained filter captures those airborne particles before they get pushed back into the air or build up on the internal components. Preventing dust and debris buildup on the motor, coils, and other internal components prevents the machine from overheating, lowers wear and tear, and extends the daily operation capability, thereby increasing the dehumidifier's overall lifespan. So, dehumidifier filter replacement is right up there with water reservoir drainage and cleaning when it comes to important dehumidifier maintenance.
Can a Dehumidifier Filter Improve Air Quality?
While dehumidifier air filters are not a reasonable replacement for air purifiers or a proper ventilation system, they help improve air quality to some extent.
Johns Hopkins warns in their “Air Filters, Dehumidifiers, and Humidifiers” article of the danger of airborne microorganisms that lower air quality and worsen allergies. Those airborne contaminants, such as viruses, bacteria, dust mites, mold, and mildew, often thrive in humid environments, including your dehumidifier. However, depending on the type of filter in your machine, those contaminants can be removed to improve the air quality.
Without a filter, those potentially dangerous contaminants thriving in the humid air and pulled into your dehumidifier will get recycled back into the air. Those spores and mites will still be in the air you breathe and will continue to affect you, your home hygiene, and your air quality.
With a properly maintained filter, your dehumidifier will remove varying levels of airborne contaminants, depending on the filter type, lower the machine's wear and tear, and improve the air quality to some degree.
Residential Dehumidifiers and Their Filters
Residential dehumidifiers are the most commonly known machines, often found in households, apartments, basements, crawl spaces, and other living areas, to improve and maintain indoor humidity. These dehumidifiers are extremely helpful in environments with high humidity levels year-round, such as on the coast, which often affects indoor air quality and building integrity.
Single-Room Dehumidifiers and Filters
Single-room dehumidifiers are by far the most recognized type of residential dehumidifier, as they are often used as a low-cost, temporary, or energy-efficient solution for humidity control due to their portability and ease of setup.
Dehumidifiers like the Friedrich 50-Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier or the Honeywell 20-Pint Dehumidifier with Optional Wi-Fi are good examples of well-loved portable residential dehumidifiers. Like most portable single-room dehumidifiers, both the Friedrich and Honeywell dehumidifiers use a reusable filter to collect large dust and debris, preventing buildup inside the machine.
Whole-House Dehumidifiers and Filters
Whole-house dehumidifiers are a larger, permanent solution for residential humidity in entire houses. They are vented into a ducting system to dehumidify the air throughout the home. Since these dehumidifiers are often more powerful and cover larger spaces than a single-zone dehumidifier, they usually use higher-rated primary filters, depending on the machine's power and airflow rate.
The Aprilaire E080 80-Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier, in particular, uses a washable MERV 8 filter or an upgraded replaceable MERV 11 filter that requires maintenance every six months or when indicated by the filter reminder. The Santa Fe Ultra98 Whole Home Dehumidifier, from a well-known and trusted home dehumidifier brand, uses a replaceable MERV 13 filter or, optionally, an upgraded MERV 14 filter that requires replacement approximately every three months.
The difference between these MERV-rated filters is the efficiency in capturing particles and the airflow rate. The MERV 13 filter has a higher microparticle capture efficiency but lower airflow than the MERV 8 filter, meaning it captures more particles but is less energy-efficient.
Crawl Space Dehumidifiers and Filters
These dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from underground areas, such as basements or crawl spaces. Not all residential spaces need crawl space dehumidifiers; however, those with a humidity problem in their basement or crawl space should certainly learn more to ensure their home is protected.
Some dehumidifiers, like the Dri-Eaz PHD 200 Crawl Space Dehumidifier, are specifically designed for crawl space areas. Their filters are replaceable and non-rated, as crawl spaces do not require perfect air quality. Other crawl space-specific dehumidifiers use MERV-rated filters to maintain good air quality throughout your home from bottom to top, like the Santa Fe Compact70 Crawl Space Dehumidifier, which uses a replaceable MERV 13 air filter and a pre-filter.
However, it is not uncommon for whole-house dehumidifiers, like the Santa Fe Oasis105 Dehumidifier and its replaceable MERV 13 filter, to be used in crawl spaces or basements. This is another situation where the type of filter depends on the specific make and model of the dehumidifier used.
Commercial and Industrial Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers for nonresidential purposes are often more powerful machines. They are used in various spaces, including warehouses, gyms, pool rooms, hospitals, stores, manufacturing facilities, restaurants, and other larger spaces. The goal of these types of dehumidifiers is to provide air with ideal humidity levels for safe and clean high-traffic environments, such as food and medicine applications.
Warehouse Dehumidifiers and Filters
In warehouses and other manufacturing buildings, dehumidifiers maintain an ideal environment to produce and keep products while ensuring the air quality is comfortable enough for employees and customers.
Dehumidifiers like the Phoenix 250 MAX LGR High Capacity Commercial Dehumidifier are ideal for warehouse-like environments due to their durable construction, wide operational temperature range, and efficient replaceable rated filters. The Phoenix 250 MAX LGR specifically features a replaceable MERV 11 filter to improve air quality by capturing the majority of airborne microparticles and maintaining an ideal humidity level in environments with fluctuating temperatures.
Dehumidifiers and Filters for Water Damage Restoration
Water damage restoration may include the use of a specific type of dehumidifier in the cleaning and repair process, regardless of whether flooding, leaks, structural problems, or any other reason caused the damage.
This type of dehumidifier is specifically built to withstand high moisture levels that other machines are just not capable of managing. Due to the specific workload required, many WDR dehumidifiers are designed for portable and temporary use. The filters are often washable and reusable, focusing on protecting the internal components.
The Ecor Pro 170LGR Low Grain Refrigerant Dehumidifier with Pump is a good example of a dehumidifier for water restoration. This specific dehumidifier features a reusable non-rated filter that is washable or vacuumable.
Dehumidifiers and Filters for Growing
For our green-thumbed friends, a growing dehumidifier might be an essential piece of equipment in your greenhouse, growing tent, or terrarium. Many plants thrive in specific humidity conditions, so humidifiers and dehumidifiers are essential when tending certain plants.
Growing dehumidifiers and their filters are necessary because they remove and prevent mold and mildew growth and alleviate the potential of plant or root rot. This ensures that the plants and produce being grown are of the best quality, potentially increasing the crop output.
The Quest Dual 110 Overhead Dehumidifier from the Quest brand, known for its high-quality and reliable heavy-duty dehumidifiers, is a great example of a growing dehumidifier. It features a replaceable MERV 8 filter to capture the mold and mildew spores that, if left unchecked, would grow on and harm any plants and produce.
How Often Should a Dehumidifier Filter Be Changed?
As a rule, dehumidifier air filters should be replaced or cleaned as often as every three months or as rarely as once a year. However, this does fluctuate depending on the severity of the air quality issues, the type of dehumidifier, and how often it operates. For the best maintenance care, consult your dehumidifier's manual, which will provide detailed instructions on filter cleaning or replacement.
Still Have Questions?
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