There are several dehumidifiers that you can make at home—using materials found in your home. All you need are materials that can absorb moisture.
Here are some materials you can make a DIY dehumidifier with:
- rock salt,
- rice
- silica gel,
- calcium chloride,
- baking soda
A DIY; Do It Yourself dehumidifier doesn’t need to be an electric appliance. Your homemade dehumidifier or natural methods can work as well as a store-bought solution.
How Do I Know If I Have High Humidity In My Home?
Mold growth thrives where there is excess moisture. Excess moisture can put your health at risk. You might experience nausea, headaches, exhaustion, tingling, numbness, and other unpleasant symptoms.
People with asthma struggles even more in a humid indoor environment.
Of course, the solution is to reduce and maintain the indoor humidity level. But how do you do that without spending a lot on an electrical dehumidifier?
Below are some ideas for making your a dehumidifier. These dehumidifiers are simple to make. You need a few basic materials, which are all cheap. [1]
Is My Indoor Humidity High
Does your air SOMETIMES feel musty? Feeling musty at times is an indication of Less Dampness or [50 – 60% humidity]
Does your air ALWAYS feels musty? Feeling musty all the time is an indication of Dampness or [60 – 70% humidity]
Is water SOMETIMES on walls / ceilings? Seeing water at times on your ceilings and walls is a indication of Less Wetness or [70 – 80% humidity]
Is water ALWAYS on walls / ceilings? Seeing water all the time on your ceilings and walls is a indication of Wetness or [80 – 100% humidity]
I have had first-hand problems with high levels of humidity in my home. This has led me on a quest to find the most effective ways to get humidity under control.
My situation might be different from yours, so consider your own condition.
Condensation
Increased moisture
Sweating
Visible mold
How to measure humidity in the house
Dangers Of Excessive Humidity
If you live in a high humidity area, you know that excessive moisture can cause your family a lot of discomfort.
Our summers tend to be humid. This creates a damp, muggy environment that leaves you feeling sticky and uncomfortable.
Extended muggy conditions leave me irritable and cause respiratory ailments. This is because a humid environment provides the perfect conditions for harmful microbes, mold, and dust mites, to thrive.
Effects Of Excessive Humidity Indoors
Below are a few ways to determine if your indoor humidity level is too high:
Excessive Sweating
Sweating is a simple first sign. I found myself in a puddle of sweat because the humidity in my home was too high. I was always irritable because my skin felt sticky and clammy.
So if you find yourself suffering from the same symptoms, check the humidity levels in your home. The human body can only handle so much humidity.
Visible Condensation on Windows
Condensation on windows or walls is another strong sign of excessive humidity. This moisture build-up occurs as the outside temperature drops in the winter.
And cold surfaces allow water to condense from warm, humid indoor air. If you ignore the condensation, it can stain or damage different surfaces in your home.
The current of cool air
If sections of your home, such as your windows and doors, are not secure, you are likely to have a humidity problem. This is because a home that lets in a lot of outside air tends to have elevated moisture levels.
Molds on Walls and Ceiling
Dark mold spots in certain corners or on the ceiling of a room are another clear sign that there is too much moisture in the air. There is even a musty smell. This was my biggest problem. It led to the basement being uninhabitable for a long time. [2]
Managing Humidity Issues
If you are experiencing excessive humidity, I have found several ways to deal with it. Start with is ventilating the affected area. But what if ventilation isn’t an option?
Here are a few ways to help you manage excess humidity and its effects
Buying a dehumidifier
Buying a dehumidifier unit is the best option. You get a guaranteed solution with the added benefit of a warranty. Dehumidifiers are tried and tested products.
In my quest to combat humidity in my home, I found one that informs me of the relative humidity in my house. The nifty thing even shuts off when it’s full or when conditions are back within a pre-set range.
I set mine between 30% and 60% relative humidity. My wife then uses the collected water to for her herb garden.
Homemade DIY dehumidifier
Dehumidifying the air in your home may not be as difficult as you might think. Depending on the humidity levels you have, you might not need an air conditioning system.
The right homemade solution could be all you need.
Some of you might be thrifty and handy. So if you have the skill set to make a DIY natural dehumidifier, go ahead. I do not have the patience or ability to see this through.
A five-gallon bucket with some holes filled with salt can absorb moisture. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you can use calcium chloride in a cloth hung over a bucket.
There are other moisture absorbing compounds, compounds such as silica gel, coffee whitener and moisture absorber crystals. Find one that works best depending on your budget and ambient conditions. [3]
Benefits of homemade dehumidifiers
The benefits of homemade dehumidifiers are:
- that they tend to be cheaper and
- have no energy costs.
They are easy to assemble. You can use things you usually find around the house.
Are homemade dehumidifiers effective?
With a homemade dehumidifier, you have a good chance of success. In essence, this homemade tool can act as a moisture absorber.
You’ll want to get a hygrometer to make sure your homemade dehumidifier is working. This can be in the room before you install the dehumidifier to determine the amount of moisture in the air.
Keep an eye on the moisture levels. See if it’s dropping after you’ve installed your new dehumidifier. If it doesn’t work in your situation, you might want to invest in a low-cost dehumidifier.
DIY Dehumidifiers
Mold spores can develop in areas where the humidity is high. As a result, you are endangering the health of your family by living in a mold infestation.
To reduce the amount of moisture in their homes, many people buy a dehumidifier. What if you don’t want to part with your cash? Making a homemade dehumidifier is the answer!
Types of Homemade dehumidifiers
Here are a few of the homemade dehumidifiers I have put together for your consideration.
Rock salt dehumidifier
Rock salt is a mineral form of chloride sodium. Salt is for water treatment, road de-icing, animals and even skincare. Rock salt has the potential to remove moisture from the air. Here’s how you can make your rock a salt dehumidifier.
Make sure you have all the things you need before starting. Get two five-gallon buckets, a large bag of rock salt and a drill. Take your drill and put a few dozen holes in the bottom and side of your first bucket. Place your bucket inside the other five-gallon bucket with no holes in it, and add the rock salt to the top bucket.
Once you have assembled all the materials, place your dehumidifier in the area you want dehumidified. When the rock salt starts to draw moisture out of the air, the waste water will accumulate in your bottom bucket. You can dump the liquid and replace the rock salt as required. This will help you keep the area dehumidified as needed.
Silica gel dehumidifier
Have you ever come across those little packets that come with your brand new coat? They look like sugar packets that you don’t want to consume. That is silica gel. It is one of the best compounds to make a desiccant dehumidifier to prevent moisture build-up. This dehumidifier will help get rid of excessive humidity in enclosed spaces.
To make your dehumidifier, pour the silica gel packages into jars. Be sure to create as many small holes as you can on the lid of your glass jars. Place the glass jars in all areas you intend to dehumidify.
You will know you need to replace the silica gel balls in your dehumidifier when the balls turn pink. This is a sign that the balls are saturated with water and you need to change them.
Calcium chloride is a salt used for industrial and commercial purposes. Still, it can also be helpful in domestic applications. You can buy it at DIY centers, and it is usually sold as small white pellets or flakes.
Once you have your calcium chloride, place it in a sock or Lycra stocking and tie a knot at the end. Afterwards secure the sock or stocking to hang on top of an empty container. Please make sure the sock does not touch the bottom of the container.
The calcium chloride will capture the moisture, and it will drip into the container. Remember to keep an eye on the container and empty it when it is full. You will have to replace the calcium chloride to continue absorbing moisture.
Baking soda dehumidifier
Baking soda can extract moisture from the air. It works well in smaller areas such as cabins, gun safes, closets, RVs and other tighter spaces. You need to put a lot of baking soda in an open container and leave this bowl where there is moisture. You may need to stir the baking soda from time to time to ensure proper moisture removal. [4]
DIY Electric Dehumidifier
Making an electric dehumidifier. (Put together at your own risk.)
Suppose you live in a humid area and want to decrease moisture levels inside your house to prevent mold. It is easy to build a dehumidifier from inexpensive parts you can find online.
Collecting the materials
The beauty of this unit is that you can buy most of the materials online and from DIY shops. You will need the following components.: A computer fan, a large heat sink, a small heat sink, and a Peltier module (thermoelectric cooler). You will also need: heat sink compound, a 12v battery, and foam.
Collect all your materials. You will need the following tools to assemble the unit.:
- Hot glue,
- solder station,
- knife,
- pliers and
- a screwdriver and screws.
Assembling
Attach the electric machine fan to the larger heat sink. The Peltier module can increase in temperature. The heat sink will dissipate the heat. The fan is going to draw the air into the larger heat sink. Flip the heat sink and apply the heat sink compound to the position where you attach the Peltier module.
Do not position the Peltier module in a particular orientation or upside/downside. If reversed, the larger heat sink lowers the temperature. Check if you exchanged the positive and negative wires.
Place the Peltier module and press it tight. Add the heat sink compound to the smaller heat sink and press it to the Peltier module. Screw it down so that it is secure
Building a Stand
Take some scrap foam or even cardboard, and cut four rectangular legs to hold the dehumidifier. Cut one of the short ends at a 45-degree angle and glue it to the fan,.
Since the heat sink on the bottom collects water, it will start dripping if the air is moist enough. Make sure you’ve got enough legs to position a container underneath.
Wiring
You’ll have a total of four cables, two from the Peltier module (black and red) and two from the electric fan (black and red). Solder the black wires to one of the pins on the electronic switch. Then solder another piece of wire from the switch to the middle pin.
Glue the switch to a suitable location on your dehumidifier. Then solder the connector to the remaining two red wires. Then solder the black wire coming from the electronic switch.
Proper usage
Connect a charged battery to your unit. But also remember to buy a low voltage warning light that will alert you when the batteries are low. After running for two minutes, you should notice water droplets forming.
This indicates that the cold heat sink in the dehumidifier is working. After 5; five minutes, the heat sink will fill with water extracted from the air, making it clear that the unit is reliable and works well.
Final Thoughts
Creating a healthier environment for your family is not small chore. It is vital and in some cases, it can end up costing you a lot of money. But there are natural ways to protect your family and your property’s health. Try out these DIY dehumidifiers and save yourself some money, along with saving your home.
