What Is a Dehumidifier & Why You Might Need One

Health Canada recommends keeping indoor relative humidity around 30%–50%. If the moisture in your home exceeds that limit, you might need a dehumidifier to bring it down. In fact, about one-third of Canadian households already have one.

Dehumidifiers pull that extra water out of the air, collect it in a tank or send it down a drain. It makes air lighter and more comfortable.

In this article, we’ll go over what a dehumidifier really does, where it helps the most, and how to know if it’s worth getting for your place.

How Do Dehumidifiers Work?

Dehumidifiers draw moisture from the air, making your space less sticky and more comfortable. A fan draws in humid air. That air goes over something cold (usually a coil), and just like how a cold drink sweats on a hot day, water forms and drips off.

That water is collected in a tank or drained out. Then the now-dry air is warmed slightly and blown back into the room. The air feels drier, and mould, musty smells, or sticky walls start to go away.

Here are the three main types of technology used inside dehumidifiers:

• Refrigerant (Compressor) Dehumidifiers: These are the most common. They cool the air to pull out moisture, then warm it back up slightly. Best for regular home use in moderate to warm temps (5–32 °C).
• Desiccant Dehumidifiers: These use a special material to absorb moisture, then heat it to dry out and start again. They work well in cold rooms, are quieter, and use more energy.
• Thermoelectric (Peltier) Dehumidifiers: Small and quiet, these use a tech chip to cool one side and collect moisture. Great for closets or RVs, but too weak for large spaces.

No matter the type you choose, the water it pulls from the air must go somewhere. Most portable units have a bucket that fills up and needs to be emptied by hand. Some let you attach a hose for automatic draining into a floor drain.

For trickier setups, you can use a built-in or external pump to move the water up into a sink or out of a window. Some users flush their drain hose occasionally to clear any buildup.

Should I use a dehumidifier to help my air conditioner?

Dehumidifiers are useful to assist with dehumidification in areas that may not be well-cooled by your air conditioner, like a damp basement. However, keep in mind that portable dehumidifiers release heat into the room so they can counteract an air conditioner’s cooling if it’s placed in the same room as a window AC unit for instance.

Types of Dehumidifiers

Portable Dehumidifiers

These are plug-in units you can move from room to room. Great for a damp bedroom, basement, or apartment.

Price Range: Approximately $200 to $300

Key features:

• Removes 10–30 L of water per day
• Built-in humidistat to set your target humidity
• Easy to move with wheels and handles
• Best for one problem area or renters

Whole-Home Dehumidifiers

These are installed into your home’s duct system and control humidity across the entire house.

Price Range: Typically between $1,000 and $2,800, including installation

Key features:

• Removes 40 L or more per day
• Connects to your furnace or HVAC
• Fully automatic, no buckets to empty
• Best for large homes with high humidity everywhere

Basement Dehumidifiers

Heavy-duty units are built to run constantly in cool, damp areas like basements or crawl spaces.

Price Range: Around $250 to $400

Key features:

• Large capacity (24–33 L or more)
• Works well in cooler temps
• Often includes a continuous drain or pump
• Ideal for underground or hard-to-dry spaces

Mini Dehumidifiers

Compact units for small, enclosed spaces like closets, RVs, bathrooms, or storage cabinets.

Price Range: Approximately $60 to $100

Key features:

• Quiet and lightweight
• Removes 0.5–2 L per day
• Includes electric or silica gel models for simple moisture control

Note that many of these devices are not as effective as real dehumidifiers, so be wary of cheap gadgets. If it seems very small and light, it likely lacks true dehumidification capabilities.

Benefits of Using a Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier protects your home, your health, and even your wallet. Here’s what it can do:

1. Prevents mould and mildew: Keeps humidity low so mould can’t grow on your walls, ceilings, or fabrics.
2. Reduces allergens: Improves air quality by cutting down on dust mites and mould spores that trigger allergies and asthma.
3. Protects furniture and electronics: Helps stop wood from warping and prevents rust or moisture damage to electronics.
4. Improves comfort and odour: Reduces that sticky, muggy feeling and removes musty basement smells.
5. Saves energy with A/C: You feel cooler in dry air, so you can raise the thermostat and use less air conditioning.
6. Prevents other problems: Stops condensation on windows and pipes, and makes your home less inviting to pests like silverfish or cockroaches.

How to Choose the Right Dehumidifier

Most dehumidifiers last around 5 to 10 years, depending on quality and usage. Dehumidifiers are sized by how much water they can pull from the air in 24 hours, usually listed in pints or litres daily.

Standard sizes are 20, 30, 50, or 70 pints (about 10 to 33 L). If you go too small, the unit will run constantly and still struggle. If you go a bit bigger, it’ll run less and do a better job.

Source: ENERGY STAR®

Tips:

• If in doubt, size up.
• For large or wet spaces, consider multiple units or a whole-home system.
• Watch out for moisture sources like drying laundry indoors or summer humidity in Ontario and Quebec.
• ENERGY STAR® models use less power (about 15% less than non-certified units).

Noise Level

Larger dehumidifier models usually run at 50–60 dB, which is about the volume of everyday conversation. If you plan to use a dehumidifier in your bedroom, living room, or home office, look for models rated <50 dB on low fan. Some have a quiet mode under 50 dB for night use. Desiccant and thermoelectric units are generally quieter.

Noise is usually less of a concern in basements or utility rooms, but it’s still something to consider if the unit runs near a living space.

Features to Look For

• Built-in humidistat
• Auto shutoff and full bucket alert
• Continuous drain outlet
• Built-in condensate pump
• Auto-defrost for cold temperatures
• Washable air filter with indicator
• Automatic restart after a power outage
• Smart controls (Wi-Fi/app support)
• Compact or vertical design options
• Caster wheels for easy movement
• Top-loading or easy-access water bucket

Where to Place the Unit for Best Results

Put your dehumidifier where the air feels dampest, usually the basement, laundry room, or a closed-off space with poor airflow. If there’s one area that smells musty or feels sticky, that’s the place to start.

Give the unit space to work properly. Most models need at least 15–30 cm (6–12 inches) of clearance from walls or furniture. Don’t push a dehumidifier right up against a wall, or it’ll recycle the same air and not circulate well.

If you’re using a drain hose, make sure it slopes steadily downward with no dips or loops. That way, water flows out smoothly. And secure the hose end so it doesn’t pop out or spray water everywhere.

Popular Dehumidifier Brands in Canada

Here are some of the popular and trusted names you’ll encounter in Canada:

Danby

Danby is a Canadian company (based in Ontario) known for home appliances. They come in various sizes (often 30 to 70 pint) and are praised for decent build quality at affordable prices. Being a local brand, Danby units are widely available at Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Costco, etc., and parts/service are easier to find domestically.

Honeywell

Honeywell’s name is licensed to a line of generally well-regarded dehumidifiers. They tend to have a sleek design and reliable performance. Honeywell models (such as the TP series) often include smart features like digital humidistats and sometimes Wi-Fi.

They can be found at major retailers like Home Depot and Amazon.ca. Honeywell units are known for being slightly higher priced but also for good durability.

Frigidaire

Frigidaire is a major appliance brand with some top-rated dehumidifiers on the market. Consumer reviews frequently rate Frigidaire’s 50-pint units as best-in-class for removing moisture efficiently lasting several years.

One Reddit user noted their Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 has run continuously for 6 years in a basement with only basic maintenance.

EcoAir

EcoAir is a brand more commonly seen in the UK/Europe, but some desiccant dehumidifiers have made their way to Canada via online marketplaces. If you’re looking for a desiccant-type unit (which is rarer in North America), EcoAir might be a brand to consider. Availability in Canada is mostly online (Amazon.ca or specialty importers).

GE (General Electric)

GE offers a line of dehumidifiers often seen in stores like Walmart and Canadian Tire. They tend to be solid mid-range units. GE dehumidifiers usually have features like continuous drain and sometimes built-in pumps on larger models.

Seasonal Use in Canada

When and how often you’ll need a dehumidifier in Canada depends a lot on where you live. The country’s climate varies a ton from coast to coast, and so do indoor moisture problems.

Coastal BC (e.g. Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo)

These areas stay cool and damp most of the year. Even though winter air can feel wet, running your heater indoors often dries it out. But places like crawlspaces, sheds, and garages can stay very humid. Dehumidifiers help a lot in those unheated zones.

The Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba)

Overall, these areas have drier air. You might only notice humidity issues during summer storms or a wet stretch in July. Basements are still at risk though, especially if they’re not well-sealed. In cities like Calgary or Saskatoon, most people only run a dehumidifier occasionally.

Central & Eastern Canada (Southern Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Provinces)

This is where dehumidifiers are almost a must-have in summer. From May to September, humidity gets heavy and basements feel it the most. Cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal see regular use, especially in older homes or ones with below-grade rooms.

Northern Canada

Most homes in the north stay dry year-round, thanks to long winters and less moisture overall. You might only need a dehumidifier during mosquito season, or if your basement has specific issues like poor insulation or seepage.

When a Dehumidifier May Not Be Enough

In some Canadian homes, especially older ones, a dehumidifier can only do so much. If you’re still seeing wet spots or smelling that strong musty odour even with the unit running, there might be a bigger issue. Here are a few situations where a dehumidifier alone won’t cut it:

• Water seeping through foundation walls or floors
• Poor outdoor drainage sending water toward the home
• Lack of ventilation in crawl spaces or closed-off rooms
• Plumbing leaks or appliance leaks causing standing water
• High moisture from constant indoor activities (like drying clothes inside every day)

Thinking About a Whole-Home Dehumidifier?

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