How to Dehumidify a Room

Co-authored by Victor Belavus

Last Updated: February 15, 2022

A humid home can be irritating and uncomfortable, especially in the warmer months. Luckily, you have many options to reduce humidity in your living space. Appliances like dehumidifiers can help remove moisture from the air. You can also adjust how you shower and cook to reduce humidity. Certain things, like plants, may increase humidity in your home and should be removed.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Appliances

1
Invest in a humidity monitor. Pick up a humidity monitor at a department store or buy one online. You can keep this in your home to monitor humidity levels, as this will help you figure out which activities and appliances raise humidity in your home. For example, if humidity levels sky rocket when you're cooking, make a habit of opening windows and turning on fans when you're cooking.
2
Run a de-humidifier. A de-humidifier is one of the easiest ways to reduce humidity in your home. You can buy a de-humidifier online or pick one up at a local department store.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist
Expert Interview. 6 May 2020.}
- De-humidifiers come in different sizes to accommodate varying living spaces. If you live in a smaller home, you can buy a small portable de-humidifier.
- If you live in a larger home, you can buy a larger de-humidifier that's similar to a home fridge or air conditioner.
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3
Use fans. If you have fans, keeping them on throughout the day can help de-humidify your home. Proper ventilation helps keep the air from becoming stale and humid.
- Position fans near open windows. This helps increase air flow to your home, decreasing levels of humidity.
4
Purchase moisture-absorbing materials. There are many types of absorbent crystals you can purchase online or at a department store that reduce humidity in the home. Things like rock salt, DriZair, and Damprid can all be used to dehumidify your living space.^{[2]
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- To use rock salt, you need to drill inside one bucket. Then, put this bucket inside one without holes and pour in the rock salt. Place it in the area you want to dehumidify.
- Damprid comes in a powder of package that can be hung or spread throughout your home to reduce humidity.
- DriZair is usually placed in a colander filled with a vinyl screen. Leave the colander in a room to dehumidify.
5
Turn on your air conditioner. If you have an air conditioner, run it. Most modern air conditioners both de-humidify and cool the air.^{[3]
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- Some air conditioners may have a de-humidify setting. If your AC comes equipped with such a setting, use it.
6
Run a space heater. If your home is humid during cooler months, a space heater can actually help. Warming a room can help reduce humidity if the warmth comes from a dry heat source, like a space heater.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Altering Your Daily Habits

1
Take shorter, colder showers. If your bathroom is very humid, alter your showering routine. The moisture in the air after a hot shower can cause humidity. Strive for quicker showers with warm water to de-humidify your bathroom.^{[5]
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2
Reduce steam when cooking. Steam from cooking can contribute to household humidity. To reduce steam when cooking, cover your food while it cooks. If you have exhaust fans in your oven, turn them on to remove steam from the air. If you have a slow cooker, use this instead of an oven or stove whenever possible.^{[6]
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- If you don't have exhaust fans, crack open the windows when you cook.
3
Open your windows when humidity drops outside. Do not keep your windows closed at all times. Purchase a humidity monitor and keep it on in your home. Check humidity levels outdoors online. If you humidity is lower outside, open your windows for a few hours to air out your home.^{[7]
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4
Make a habit of using vent fans. Many people have vent fans in the bathroom and kitchen but neglect to turn them on. Make a habit of turning on vent fans each time you cook or shower. This should help reduce the overall humidity levels in your home.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Reducing Causes of Humidity

1
Limit indoor plants. While indoor plants can be an attractive accessory, keeping them in your home can raise humidity levels. Keep indoor plants to a minimum as this will bring down humidity levels.
- If you have a balcony, consider moving indoor plants outside.
2
Keep firewood outside. Firewood can absorb moisture easily, raising humidity levels in your home. If you have a fireplace, find a safe place outdoors to keep your firewood. Keeping moisture absorbing materials outdoors keeps your home free of humidity.^{[9]
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3
Treat water damage. If you notice signs of water damage, such as leaks or water rings, contact a professional right away for assessment. Not only can water damage increase humidity, it can cause structural damage to your home. Water damage should be dealt with immediately to keep your home safe and dry.^{[10]
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4
Open windows when using washers and dryers. If you have a washer or dryer in your home, these can easily spike humidity levels when you're using them. If possible, keep windows open when you're using a washer or dryer. You can also move washers and dryers to areas of your home where you don't frequently hang out, like a basement or enclosed porch.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Can I use the air conditioning to dehumidify the air?

Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist
Victor Belavus is an Air Conditioning Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition repair and installation company based in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace repair and air duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

Victor Belavus

Air Conditioning Specialist

Expert Answer

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You can if you have a refrigerant dehumidifier that is connected to your central air system. Otherwise, you'll need to use a portable dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air.