Controlling the humidity level in our homes helps us to improve indoor air quality.
Dehumidifiers help us to achieve that result, but can we use a single dehumidifier for multiple rooms? A 50-pint or 70-pint dehumidifier could be enough to cover the entire floor of an average house or at least several rooms, as long as there is an open floor plan and interior doors are kept open at all times. However, you might even need a 90-pint dehumidifier or larger if the relative humidity (RH) in your home is struggling to stay below 70%.
WHO (World Health Organization) advises us to improve the air quality in our living and workplace by controlling the humidity level. This prevents mold growth and bacteria, which decreases the potential risks to our health.
A dehumidifier is a great resource that can achieve that. And yes, one dehumidifier could be just fine for multiple rooms, as long as they are interconnected through open doorways.
Why do We Use Dehumidifiers?
The primary purpose of using them is to reduce the humidity and moisture in place. Excess moisture provides nourishment to mold and bacteria, which causes potential health risks like allergies if inhaled.
Can One Dehumidifier Work in Multiple Rooms?
A dehumidifier is more effective in one single room. But it can work in multiple rooms, given that those rooms are built with a very open floor plan and are connected through open doorways. But if long hallways separate your rooms, it might be better to get a portable dehumidifier if you do not want to go through the hassle of getting a whole-house dehumidifier.
Choosing the Size of Dehumidifier:
Contrary to reasonable belief, it’s not the physical size of the device you need to focus on. The size is determined by the amount of water in pints it can extract per day. So when you buy one, first measure your living space where you want the dehumidifier to work. With these measurements, contact a professional to ask about the dehumidifier with what capacity might be better for you.
If you’re looking for a reputable, verified source that helps homeowners decide on the right dehumidifier capacity, I recommend checking out AHAM’s (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) guidelines. This topic is best explained in our post about basement dehumidifiers.
Also, make sure to read this blog post – it tells you specifically which dehumidifier is best based on room type and square footage.
How Many Dehumidifiers Should We Use for the Whole House?
You can quickly determine if you have the information about the area’s size, pint capacity of a dehumidifier, and humidity level. Commonly, you might need one dehumidifier per area, but you can also get one single dehumidifier for the whole house. However, keep in mind that doing that would cost you more money and be installed by a professional.
Related Questions:
Which is better, a whole-house dehumidifier or a portable one?
Like we mentioned above, the whole house modifier is more expensive and is complicated to setup. But it is more efficient, durable, automatic, and comes with a better air filter. On the other hand, a portable one is cheaper, easier to install and carry around. Still, you have to take them everywhere yourself, have a shorter lifespan, and not as efficient as the whole house dehumidifiers.
How can I know that I need a dehumidifier?
- If you live in a humid area.
- If there is a damp odor present in your rooms.
- Mold is growing in some places.
- Wet stains are visible on walls, ceilings, and windows are covered in condensation.
