When designing a bathroom, most people won't think about adding a dehumidifier from the get-go. Truthfully, it's one of those things a bathroom can do without.
However, if you live in a region that experiences extreme humidity in summer or live in a condo with tiny windows and poor ventilation, a dehumidifier becomes a necessity. This way, your home, and most especially your bathroom, will stay dry, mold-free, and comfortable all year.
Is it Safe to Install a Small Dehumidifier for Bathroom Use?
Safety is paramount, so allow us to answer this question first.
Yes, it is safe to put a small dehumidifier in your bathroom. But just like with any household appliance or electronics in proximity to water sources, there are electrical risks for which you need to take precautions.
The good thing about dehumidifiers is that they are plug-and-play. You only have to ensure three things:
- Find the most optimal spot for the dehumidifier.
- Figure out the most ideal and effective drainage method for this unit.
- Secure a reliable and dedicated power outlet with a fail-safe mechanism for shorts and ground faults.
The last step is to consider the bathroom’s unique environment, the potential risks, and what you can do to avoid them. With proper precautions, it should be safe to power up and use a small dehumidifier for bathroom humidity issues.
Risks and How to Avoid Them
Bear in mind that any appliance or machine that requires plugging into a socket is an electrical hazard. Bathrooms, including half-baths, are wet zones where electrical appliances could be exposed to water.
But it is still possible to have a portable dehumidifier for bathroom use as long as you observe safety measures.
1. Prevent electrical issues with a dedicated GFCI outlet.
A dehumidifier for bathroom must plug directly into a ground-fault circuit interrupter or GFCI outlet. It will shut off the electricity within 1/40 of a second once it detects an electrical leak. Even the smallest change in the electrical current (i.e., four to five milliamps) can trip the GFCI outlet to prevent a ground fault.
Electrical ground faults occur when the flow of electricity deviates from its intended path (i.e., the power cord) and passes through any conductive material to reach the ground. In electrical terms, “ground” means the actual earth or soil. Conductive materials can be anything, from water on the floor to a hand touching an exposed wire.
If an electrical short should happen, expect that you will still feel a bit of an electric shock. But the GFCI outlet should work quickly enough to minimize the sensation and prevent any serious injury.
This is why The National Electrical Code (NEC) mandates that any electrical outlet within six feet of a water source should have GFCI protection. This basically means that any outlet in the kitchen, bathroom, or even in the garage within six feet of a garden hose spout, should all be GFCIs.
2. Prevent damage to your dehumidifier by keeping it out of direct water contact.
You must protect your bathroom dehumidifier from splashes or steam blasts from the shower.
This applies to desiccant dehumidifiers but more so for electrical dehumidifiers. Direct exposure to water and steam can damage the unit’s internal electrical components and increase the risk of an electrical fire.
3. Avoid overheating by following the recommended clearance and finding the most optimal placement for the dehumidifier.
This problem is easy to overlook, but a dehumidifier for bathroom can overheat if it’s placed too close to a wall.
This prevents the unit from pulling in moist air effectively, causing its motors to work harder and generate more heat. Not only does this make your bathroom feel warmer but also makes the dehumidifier wear out faster.
The best spot for a plugged dehumidifier in the bathroom is the farthest from the faucet, sink, bathtub, shower, and toilet. Ordinarily, dehumidifiers are placed in the wettest spot of a room or basement to speed up drying. But in a bathroom, safety is a priority.
One viable option for small dehumidifiers for bathrooms is the hallway just outside the bathroom. If you have a high-capacity dehumidifier, just like the 70- to 120-pints at saturation Argendon Sandidry series, it should be powerful enough to draw damp air out of the bathroom and into the hallway.
Sandidry also has a coverage of 1,000-1,500 sq. ft., so keeping adjacent doors in the hallway open should also help lower humidity in those rooms.
If a bathroom is spacious, like a suite with access to a walk-in closet, it should be safe to put the dehumidifier inside. The best spot would be midway between the wet areas and the closet, away from the main water sources but close enough to the wet areas to dry them quickly after use.
Finally, you’ll want to choose a location with good air circulation. This also means placing the unit 1-foot away from the nearest walls, or whatever minimum clearance the manufacturers recommend.
4. Avoid overflows and slipping accidents by ensuring proper drainage.
Dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air via convection before releasing warmer, drier air into your bathroom.
For dehumidifiers with built-in tanks, the water goes into this receptacle, and it must be emptied before it overflows. Otherwise, the water will spill over the bathroom floor and become a slipping hazard.
A better precaution would be to get a dehumidifier with a drain tube. The water in these dehumidifiers immediately flows out of the unit via a tube, which you can connect to a sump pump or nearby floor drain. Simply elevate the dehumidifier, and gravity will do the work.
What if there’s no sump pump or floor drain? Get a dehumidifier with a built-in water pump. You’ll be able to drain the dehumidifier upwards to the sink in the vanity or through a window, if that's the only exit point for the drain tube.
Why Should You Dehumidify Your Bathroom?
Bathrooms are naturally humid because of their confined nature. They usually have small windows for privacy. Unfortunately, limited ventilation can also lead to high humidity.
Below are excellent reasons for combating bathroom humidity and keeping them dry when not in use.
1. Protection Against Mold
Humid bathrooms without proper ventilation are prone to mold and mildew.
Mold poses health risks ranging from itchy eyes and sneezing to debilitating headaches and breathing difficulties. If someone in your household is sensitive to most allergens, you don’t want to risk their health and well-being allowing mold to spread in your bathrooms.
2. For Sanitation and Hygiene
A humid bathroom is conducive to bacterial growth. It offers a warm, moist environment that viruses and bacteria love.
Experts say that even spotless bathrooms can have traces of E. coli, staphylococcus aureus, salmonella, and norovirus. The likelihood of them thriving in your bathroom is even higher if it’s often wet and humid. It becomes unsanitary and unhygienic, which is the last thing you want to happen.
3. Your Health and Comfort
Humid bathrooms are unsanitary and can have a negative impact on your health.
Damp air can trigger allergies. Bacteria can get into your toothbrushes and skincare products. If mold lurks hidden underneath the tile, it can also introduce more health problems to your household.
Damp, humid bathrooms feel dirty and make people feel uncomfortable using them. This is a good enough reason to keep the bathroom dry in our books. The space will feel brighter and fresher, plus you won’t have to throw out towels because they always smell dank.
4. Preservation of Property Value
Unmanaged humidity over long periods can lead to water damage. It causes paint to crack, wallpaper to yellow and peel off, and wooden cabinetry to warp and rot. Humid air can also cause metal hardware and shower fixtures to rust.
If you can reduce humidity and prevent all this from happening in your bathroom, you won't have to spend money on repairs. More importantly, the bathroom won't affect your house's desirability and overall value should you decide to sell.
Choosing the Best Small Dehumidifier for Bathroom Use
There are so many dehumidifiers on the market, some offering sophisticated features worthy of inclusion in a futuristic movie.
But honestly, you only need the basics for a dehumidifier for small bathroom applications. Additional fancy features will only increase the price point for a minimal incentive.
1. Proper sizing
How big is your bathroom? What is the average humidity? If you have a large bathroom and the relative humidity can go higher than 65% in summer, those small desiccant dehumidifiers designed for wardrobes and closets may not cut it.
It is more cost-efficient to choose an electric dehumidifier. It is more reliable because it continuously removes moisture and keeps the humidity level low. Just make sure the size matches your bathroom.
Look at the product specs and check the capacity and coverage. A capacity of 35 pints per day (PPD) is common for a dehumidifier designed for a 1,000 square-foot area. This should be more than enough for two or more adjacent bathrooms to share. Simply place the unit in the hallway and open the doors to all bathrooms (you may even include bedrooms).
2. Drainage options
Consider the most convenient drainage option for you considering your bathroom layout. Is there a floor drain near the spot where you plan to put the small bathroom dehumidifier?
Then you can opt for a unit with a gravity drain hose. Is the sink the only option for draining? A unit with a built-in pump would be more appropriate.
If you're often at home and you don't mind a bit of manual work, you may consider a dehumidifier with a removable tank. But if you're out working all day or simply don't want the hassle of checking and emptying the tank, gravity-draining and pump-assisted dehumidifiers are your best options.
3. Power requirements
Before buying any large electrical appliance, make sure the power rating is compatible with your house's voltage rating. A mismatch can happen if you buy an appliance from overseas.
But if you buy from a local distributor or a brand made for American households, then the power rating shouldn't be a problem.
Here's a tip: look for brands with an ENERGY Star certificate. It's a guarantee that a dehumidifier model uses power efficiently.
An "ENERGY Star Most Efficient" label is even better; it means that a specific dehumidifier model delivers cutting-edge performance and more cost-savings than others in the market. Not only will it keep your electricity bills low, but it will also ensure safer and longer-lasting performance.
The Bathroom Upgrade with a Far-Reaching Impact
A small dehumidifier for bathroom keeps moisture under control and helps you avoid problems before they start. It stops mold, protects fixtures, and keeps your bathroom smelling fresh and clean.
If you choose the right model and find the best place for it, you'll feel comfortable and confident using your bathroom every day without extra effort.
Start your search for a compact dehumidifier at Argendon. We are ENERGY Star and ETL-certified, guaranteed to keep your bathrooms dry without consuming too much electricity.
Browse our Shop today.
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