Just like any other electrical appliance, your dehumidifier needs electricity in order to function.
So the actual cost of running your dehumidifier will vary depending on several factors.
First, the cost will depend on the make/model of your dehumidifier.
In addition, the amount of electricity used by your dehumidifier will depend upon the actual humidity levels in your home.
Of course, there are some things you can do if you want to decrease your electric bill.
First, you want to make sure that the dehumidifier you choose has an Energy Star rating.
This means that particular unit consumes less power than those that don’t have an Energy Star rating.
While it’s true that a unit without certification will cost less up front, you’ll end up paying the difference—and more—in the long run through your electric bill.
One way that you can get a clearer picture of how much your dehumidifier is going to cost you is to divide the wattage by 1,000. This will let you know how many kilowatts/hour it consumes.
Next, you’ll multiply that with your rate per kilowatt/hour.
Then, you’ll take that and multiply it by how many hours your unit runs. This will give you a basic idea of how much it’s going to cost you to run your dehumidifier.
If you’re not able to find the wattage anywhere on the label, you’ll want to take the voltage and amperage and multiply them together.
On the other hand, owning a dehumidifier will also save you money.
Think about how often you crank up the AC when it’s hot.
When you are hot and sweaty, there’s more at play than the temperature in the room—relative humidity is also part of it.
If you own a dehumidifier, it keeps the humidity down so you don’t use your AC nearly as often.
This saves you money because running a dehumidifier is cheaper than running an AC.