How quickly should a dehumidifier fill up?

3 Key Takeaways:

🚀 A dehumidifier should fill up its basin within 6 to 7 hours. How fast it fills up depends on several related factors like humidity in your room, temperature, motor capacity.

🚀 A dehumidifier fills quickly when there is a high moisture level in the air. When the humidity is higher and the temperature is more than 16 degrees Celsius, the dehumidifiers fill real quick.

🚀 The reason your dehumidifier keeps filling up is that you keep it running. No dehumidifier will keep filling up when it shut off except for the portable electric dehumidifier.

High relative humidity levels are trouble in any living space. Whether it is a home, office, warehouse, or basement; excess moisture in the air is not healthy. To handle this high moisture level we have wonder devices called dehumidifiers. When you run a dehumidifier in any area, it will extract moisture from the environment and give back drier air. Typically dehumidifiers also have the capacity to filter allergens and dust mites from the air, improve the air quality and circulate fresh and clean air.

A dehumidifier capacity will differ based on its model. When you run your dehumidifier unit, the excess moisture from the air is removed to bring about humidity control and you will notice the dehumidifier collect the extracted water into a bucket. How quickly dehumidifiers’ bucket fills up is going to depend on various factors.

They are, relative humidity level or RH levels, water tank capacity, surface area, how many hours a day you have the dehumidifier running, power level, dampness level in the room, how much moisture that particular room contains at that moment of time, etc.

Let us read more about how quickly the most commonly used capacities of dehumidifier works.

How long does it take for a dehumidifier to fill up?

When you have a new dehumidifier sitting in your living space, of course, you are eager for the unit to start working and draw air that is moist and damp into it. You are waiting for that water tank to fill up and to check when the RH falls. Unlike a refrigeration system or an air conditioner in which you can notice an immediate effect and change in room temperature, it is perfectly fine and normal for dehumidifiers to take some time before they begin operating correctly.

To notice a change in the relative humidity level existing in the room, you would have to allow the new dehumidifier run continuously for 12 hours before you can find a difference. Any average unit will take this time length to function for the first time, even if they run on full power. The device will have to assess the dampness level per sq ft room, surface area, current RH levels, and other criteria before it starts.

It is a common understanding that if there is more moisture in the air, for example in a laundry room, then the water collected will be relative to the moisture content in the air. Most commonly used capacities might take anywhere between 6 to 8 hours to fill their water tank. Remember, all these factors are relative. There is a lot of difference in unit capacity between portable dehumidifiers and a whole-house dehumidifier.

The time taken for these to fill their buckets will depend on how long and how often you run your dehumidifier and the humidity levels that the unit has to function in.

How long should you run a dehumidifier?

How quickly a dehumidifier fills up

Although many homes battle high humidity levels and let their dehumidifier run constantly, that might not be the case always. You can either choose to run the dehumidifier continuously twice a day for 6 hours span each or at a straight for 12 hours. An average unit that is operating properly can run for 12 hours a day to bring about humidity control.

Most dehumidifiers may end up extracting the same amount of moisture as those that run continuously as opposed to those that run only twice a day. To bring down the relative humidity level to 50 to 55%, you can run a minimum required capacity unit for 12 hours.

Know why your dehumidifier is filling so fast?

Man Removing dehumidifier water

Not all dehumidifiers will fill up at the same time or with the same amount of water. If you think that your dehumidifier is filling up fast there are some reasons that can explain it. How much moisture is present in the area and where the dehumidifier is located in the first place. If there is a lot of moist air in the environment, there might be an extra burden on the dehumidifier work potential.

If you have larger dehumidifiers and multiple rooms connected or more than one room to attend to but only one device working, then your device might be filling up fast again.

Laundry room with washing machines, kitchen with dryer or dishwasher are other areas in the house where the relative humidity level will be on the higher side,

Cracked pipes and water leaks in the basements or crawl spaces are other common reasons for the shoot in the humidity level in the air. In such cases, dehumidifiers will extract moisture quickly.

What to do if your dehumidifier fills up quickly?

If the dehumidifiers’ bucket fills up quickly and you are looking for ways to bring it down, check if these tips help.

Isolate the cause for the dehumidifier filling up the water bucket quickly. It is most probably too much moisture content in the air or in the surrounding. If it is leaks or cracks that can be fixed, it is best advised that you get to it. If it is the dampness that has to be handled by the dehumidifier only, then you need not worry since your unit is doing its work.

Check the manual if you have set the device on the right settings. Sleep mode might help to give the unit a break when not necessary and your dehumidifier will not collect water then. The lowest fan speed might also help the dehumidifier work slower than usual.

Consult with a professional if the internal parts need to be checked for any replacements or repair.
If everything is well and still you are not happy with the speed at which your dehumidifier collects water, you must check if the size of the room and the dehumidifier is proportional.

Larger dehumidifiers or a whole house dehumidifier is not necessary for small spaces. If you have either of these and you run a dehumidifier continually, there are good chances that the water tank is going to fill up quickly and you will end up with drier air than required. Make sure that you get dehumidifiers to suit your requirements correctly.

FAQ Section

1. Which is the best time of the day to use a dehumidifier?

It is quite natural to wonder which might be the best time of the day to run a dehumidifier. This question mostly stems from the concern over having to deal with a high electricity bill. If you are worried about consuming energy as the dehumidifier works for several hours a day, you can certainly figure a way to cut down the cost.

It is recommended that you run your dehumidifier between 10 pm and 7 am. Between these hours, an energy company will charge people less, since most of them do not consume higher levels of energy. You can find a way to run your dehumidifier in short intervals ranging from 4 hours during the day, and 4 hours during the night.

You can get control over the humidity level and still manage to conserve energy when you run your dehumidifier as suggested in intervals ranging for shorter periods.

2. How big a dehumidifier should you buy?

Dehumidifiers come in different sizes with varied features, The size of the dehumidifier you require for your home will depend on the minimum required capacity that your home is aiming at. The humidity levels that exist in your home, the expected dampness level capacity, the size of the room or home, etc., will decide if you need portable dehumidifiers or whole-house dehumidifiers.

Apart from regulating humidity levels, when you run a dehumidifier you also get better air quality. You have to take into account all aspects of dehumidifiers before you make the purchase. Consult with a qualified professional who will be able to access your home and then advise you on the dehumidifier size you need.

3. What happens if your dehumidifier runs non-stop?

Well, the truth is it is quite normal if you decide to run your dehumidifier continuously. Some environments have high humidity levels that are in want of constant dehumidification. It is essential to keep a close watch on the device since dehumidifiers lose effectiveness when not maintained properly.

Most modern dehumidifiers are equipped with a humidistat that will keep track of the humidity level in the area and decide its pattern of working. When the moisture content in the air is taken care of the unit will automatically slip into sleeping mode.

When you let your dehumidifier run constantly, you might have to get used to the noise level. It is, therefore best to go in for models that make less noise. Ensure to invest in a sturdy model that is equipped to control the humidity levels efficiently even while carrying an extra burden.

4. Why doesn’t your dehumidifier shut off?

If your dehumidifier does not turn off even when the bucket is full, there might be a problem with the unit. You could try to disconnect the dehumidifier from the power supply for 30 seconds and then turn it on again. If the problem persists, have a technician or professional check on it.

5. How often to run dehumidifier in basement?

Basements and crawl spaces are areas that are filled with moisture and need attention constantly to keep away mold and mildew. The high levels of humidity in basements might demand that your dehumidifiers should run all the time.

It is fine to let your dehumidifier run longer than 12 hours a day. However, make sure that the temperature and humidity are being monitored. Demanding too much from the device beyond its capacity might lead to a breakdown. This is how most dehumidifiers lose effectiveness.

6. How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier?

On average, it might cost you anywhere around $153.30 per year or 42 cents/day, assuming that your unit runs for 10 hours a day.

7. How long should you run a dehumidifier after water leak?

Drying out a flood-damaged area can take anywhere between two days to several weeks, depending on the sq ft room and the extent of the damage. It is recommended to keep the dehumidifier running until the porous surfaces in the area have dried.

Wrapping Up

Knowing about dehumidifiers in depth can make you better in improving their performance and efficiency. Hope we have covered all the important aspects of how quickly a dehumidifier fills up in this article. Please let us know your feedback in contact form.