Dehumidifier VS Air Conditioner – Which One is Better

We bought or rented a new house, and immediately the search for the ideal temperature became a priority. In the summer, the heat in the city is often unbearable, and a cold or damp house in cold seasons is certainly not healthy.

Let’s see two of the most common tools to combat the heat inside our homes, and which one to choose: dehumidifier or air conditioner?

How do Dehumidifier and Air Conditioner Work?

Let’s start by saying that humid heat and dry heat are perceived very differently by our bodies, therefore the dehumidifier – a device that literally dries the air from the humidity present in the house – is a very useful tool to improve the livability of a room during the season. hot, even if technically it doesn’t cool.

Dehumidifier

The dehumidifier is also useful in winter, as drier air makes even low temperatures more tolerable, and has an excellent function as regards to the prevention of mold and allergens. In fact, the air is sucked in by the instrument, filtered and returned – dry and free of particulates – to the surrounding environment.

Air Conditioner

The air conditioner is a completely different tool: the relief from heat occurs through the introduction of cold air directly into the environment. By cooling the air, the air conditioner modifies the temperature of the rooms, and cools the air, unlike the dehumidifier which only affects the humidity rate.

Generally, both instruments have a specific function for the winter: the dehumidifier can improve the livability of the rooms by drying the humidity even in winter, so the air conditioner can be used to heat simply by adjusting a higher temperature.

The Differences Between Dehumidifier VS Air Conditioner

We have seen the first big difference between a dehumidifier and an air conditioner, the one given by their respective operation: if the first works on the humidity rate, making the humid heat dry, the second affects the temperature of the house by introducing cold air.

Let’s briefly analyze the other characteristics that differentiate the two tools:

• Consumption: The dehumidifier generally has much lower electricity consumption, compared to an air conditioner or air conditioner, which performs a much more complex mechanical job.
• The impact on health: if we are exposed to it frequently, it is known that air conditioning can cause colds, muscle aches and other problems related to the change in temperature, which can even be sudden. The relief of immediate cooling of the air counteracts a well-known disadvantage: air conditioning can hurt.
• The functionalities: While the air conditioner can have the dry function, and therefore also work as a dehumidifier, the opposite is not possible;
• Cost Price: Being a more complex machine, the air conditioner generally has a much higher average price than a dehumidifier; it consumes more and also often provides for a system that can involve walls and electrical systems of the house, which further affects the price;

A better dehumidifier or air conditioner, then? Let’s see what are, in addition to the differences, the characteristics to consider for a careful choice and suitable for our needs.

Characteristics of the House are Fundamental

There are, in every choice concerning the home, characteristics to be taken into account when you find yourself having to choose an appliance or a functional component for the home.

Also in the case of air conditioning, specific aspects must be considered, which can help us choose the most suitable appliance for our home:

• Humidity rate;
• Quality of fixtures and insulation;
• Maximum temperatures are reached in summer, and minimum in winter;
• available space.

If our house is particularly humid, both in summer and in winter, or has not well insulating windows like other problems related to thermal insulation, a dehumidifier could improve the air quality and livability in an incisive way.

There is a portable version of both appliances on the market, yet it should be noted that in general, an air conditioner is more cumbersome, in terms of systems and dimensions. In a particularly small house, a portable dehumidifier may be more suitable; in any case, if we wanted to opt for an air conditioner or air conditioner, portable or wall-mounted, we should be very careful to choose one with the right power, which must be commensurate with the size of the rooms.

Costs Price

A separate chapter, on the characteristics that can guide us in the choice, is the economic factor. A dehumidifier or air conditioner? It also depends on the pockets.

In general, buying and maintaining an air conditioner at home is much more expensive; in addition to being generally less economical in the purchase phase, it must be said that the air conditioner requires annual maintenance that cannot be done by itself.

While to keep a dehumidifier in perfect condition it is sufficient to carefully clean the filters and the collection tank (the one in which the humidity captured by the air is collected), an air conditioner will require the intervention of a technician at least once a year.

Most air conditioners operate on a refrigerant gas, which can become very dangerous to health if not kept under strict control, in terms of pressure and chemical composition.

The higher expense, we have seen, will be even more evident from the electricity bill: an air conditioner or air conditioner – in particular a combined dry that is also a dehumidifier – consumes much more than a dehumidifier.

A dehumidifier or Air Conditioner – Which one to Choose?

We have seen how dehumidifiers and air conditioners work, respectively, analyzed the differences between the two and compiled a list of features to keep in mind when choosing which one to buy for our home.

But which one to choose? There are a variety of products on the market, from air conditioners that dehumidify, heat and cool the air, to more traditional dehumidifiers that take care of filtering the air in the house and have no other functionality.

Lately, there is a tendency to prefer the dehumidifier, in particular for the difference in impact on health: it prevents allergies, filters the air, and certainly does not cause all the ailments related to uncontrolled exposure to air conditioning, which is known. it can hurt.

It is true that in rooms that are not used at all times, and that perhaps need to reach certain temperatures quickly, a dehumidifier will probably be unsatisfactory. In such cases, despite the cost and complexity of maintenance, it will be necessary to opt for an air conditioner. 

Lastly, it is good to remember that today most air conditioners also emit hot air, so it is a tool that can find excellent use even in the cold season.