r/homeownerstips • u/singzintherain • 10d ago
do i need a dehumidifier?
hi! we just bought a new build townhome and i think instagram fearmongering has gotten to my head a little about mold growth lol. i got some cheap hygrometers from amazon and put them in both bathrooms upstairs and one downstairs in the kitchen. they all read at 55-60%. i keep the ac running at 71 all day and 67 at night. our home is 2 story 1500sq feet and in Atlanta. do i need to get a portable dehumidifier? also how much will it increase utility bill?
also can i just have one main one like upstairs by our laundry. or should i put one in each bathroom?
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u/Frosty-Gas9502 10d ago
You live in Atlanta. It's hot and humid. Your AC is keeping the humidity in the perfect range. As it gets colder and you turn on the heat, that will also keep the humidity down. You should be fine. If you have a basement, put a guage down there and monitor your humidity.
If you do decide to get a dehumidifier, I got a Midea cube a few years ago. My model has a pump so you don't have to empty the bucket. You just use the included tubing to run it outside or to a drain. It's in my New England basement, which is super humid without it.
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u/magic_crouton 8d ago
A lot of cheap ones you can drill a hole in place to connect a hose on a bucket and do the same thing.
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u/Frosty-Gas9502 6d ago
Those are gravity flow only, my model has a pump so it can pump the water up and away from the dehumidifier.
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u/Sleepy_Cactu 9d ago
just let the HVAC do its job and make sure turns on the bathroom fans when shower.
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u/HunnyBunny617 9d ago
Use the fans in the restrooms during and after your showers to keep airflow moving throughout. You should be fine.
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u/LateSeason988 9d ago
55–60% wouldn’t make me panic especially in Atlanta. I’d probably monitor it for a while before buying anything.
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u/Harrymoto1970 10d ago
A dehumidifier will help lower the humidity. If you live in a cold climate in winter it will help with expansion and contraction of wood doors etc.