Air Purifier vs Dehumidifier – Which is Best for You?
There is a bit of confusion regarding air dehumidifiers and air purifiers. Both work to make the air you breathe more pleasant, but they do not do the same things. In case you are wondering what the difference between a dehumidifier and an air purifier is, keep reading because we are about to cover this topic in depth.
Dehumidifier
A top rated dehumidifier is a great machine to have in your home. Are your blankets and clothes always wet and clammy? Do your bath towels never dry before your next shower? Do you have breathing difficulties due to humid air? You might even have mold in your home due to excessive humidity.
The point here is that living and breathing in excessive humidity can be quite dangerous, or at the very least, an annoying nuisance.
A dehumidifier is a machine that is used to suck that moisture out of the air, with the main goal of drying the air in your home. They are really a quite simple machine.
They work by sucking in air, which is then rapidly cooled down. This causes the moisture in the air to condense into liquid form, which is then deposited into a holding tank. The dry air is then reheated and circulated back throughout your home. There are different types of dehumidifier that operate slightly different to each other.
This can make it easier for you to breathe, especially if you suffer from respiratory issues. Moreover, it can go a very long way in taking care of existing mold issues, and to prevent new mold from growing in your home.
However, dehumidifiers do not work to clean the air which they spit out, at least not usually. While they do remove moisture from the air, they don’t really take particulates, allergens, and other pollutants out of the air. This is where the air purifier comes into play.
Air Purifier
Ok, so now that we know what a dehumidifier is, let’s take a look at what an air purifier is.
An air purifier is a machine that is used to remove airborne pollutants from the air in your home. This is something which a dehumidifier does not do, for the most part. Yes, dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air in your home, but for the most part, they do not remove pollutants, small particles, allergens, and other such things.
The whole point of an air purifier is to remove airborne pollutants from the air which you breathe. An air purifier can remove things like mold spores, particles, odors, pollen, dirt, dust, allergens, bacteria, dust mites, viruses, and other such things from the air you breathe.
In other words, it is a fantastic tool that will totally clean the air around you of pollutants and tiny particles.
If you have asthma, other breathing conditions, have sensitive skin, or just don’t want to be in a place where you have to breathe pollutants, particles, and germs, then an air purifier is something you might want to invest in.
Do keep in mind that air purifiers do not create oxygen and they are not a replacement for good ventilation. You still want to open windows and get some fresh air in there. Although, the air you let in might not be so fresh, which is of course where the air purifier comes in handy.
As you can see, the difference between dehumidifiers and air purifiers are quite significant.
HEPA Filtration
In case you are wondering how air purifiers work, they use something called a HEPA filter. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particulate absorber, and they are special kinds of filters which can remover over 99% of airborne pollutants from the air which they filter.
A fan blows the air through the filter, thus removing these things in the process. There are also electrostatic and ionizing air purifiers, but these can be dangerous due to the ozone which they create.
The bottom line is that an air purifier cleans your air, something which a dehumidifier really does not do.
Air Purifier And Dehumidifier Combo
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In case you would like to have a dehumidifier and an air purifier, fear not, because you do not have to buy two separate appliances.
You can buy dehumidifier air purifiers, or in other words, an air purifier and dehumidifier all-in-one combination. These are very convenient because you get the best of both worlds. They work to remove both excessive moisture and air pollutants from the air you breathe.
Do keep in mind that these all-in-one air purifier and dehumidifier combinations are going to cost you a bit extra; they definitely are not cheap to buy. However, in our opinion, they are well worth the investment as they perform two jobs in one, and therefore also come with twice the benefits.
They do require a fair amount of maintenance. For one, you have to clean the filters, well, some of them.
Maintenance Tips
Some of these combinations come with washable filters that can be reused, whereas others may have filters that just need to be replaced. If you do not clean, maintain, or regularly replace the filter, it will be rendered useless, and might actually make your air dirtier than before.
On that same note, the water collection chamber on these machines also needs to be regularly cleaned and emptied. Mold can grow inside of them when left dirty, so make sure to wipe it down with a vinegar solution every now and then.
Conclusion
When all is said and done, both air purifiers and dehumidifiers are very useful tools that you might want to have in your home. One sucks excessive moisture out of the air, whereas the other removes pollutants from the air. Yes, you can get two-in-one models that do both of these things, but of course, at a higher price.