Is There Any Advantage to Placing a Dehumidifier on a Table?

Dehumidifiers remove evaporated water in the air and thereby reduce humidity.

Humidity and dampness can contribute to mold and mildew growth indoors. Dehumidifiers are an efficient way to reduce the humidity in a room that would otherwise be perpetually damp. Placing a dehumidifier on a table or otherwise raising the unit does not impact the efficiency of the device with regards to dehumidifying but can have some advantages.

How Dehumidifiers Work

Humidity makes the air feel warmer than it is and can contribute to a "muggy" or "close" feeling. Dehumidifiers work in a similar fashion to air conditioners but do not cool the air they dehumidify. They take in air from inside the room and pass it through a filter to remove debris, and the air is then pulled across cold copper coils filled with refrigerant gas. These coils "sweat" the humidity from the air in the form of condensation, which is deposited in a basin and periodically emptied by the owner.

Air Circulation

Some degree of air circulation is required for dehumidifiers to work efficiently. Raising the dehumidifier off of the floor onto a table does not increase the amount of air that the unit can dehumidify, and thus does nothing for improving the speed or efficiency of the unit. Keeping the unit free from obstructions and clutter, however, can help improve its efficiency.

Draining

Raising a dehumidifier up onto a table does have one advantage. It enables you to make use of the drain located on the basin of most dehumidifiers. This drain is intended to have a hose attached and, when the unit is raised up on a table, gravity can be used to drain the water from the basin down into a drain or larger container.

Caution

Dehumidifiers are heavy devices and contain intricate and complex mechanisms, as well as coolant gas under pressure, and electrical pumps and compressors. A dehumidifier placed on a table should be secured properly to prevent it rolling off and being damaged. This risk can be reduced by removing the castors or wheels from the unit and ensuring the table can hold the weight of the dehumidifier with a full basin of water.

References

• Dehumidifier Tips: How Does a Dehumidifier Work
• Repair Clinic: Dehumidifier How Things Work
• Air and Water Inc: A Guide to How Dehumidifiers Work
• Tidbits and Stuff: How to Auto Empty a Dehumidifier