Can I use my dehumidifier as a fan? Yes and here's how…

For T3’s Keeping Cool Month, we’re giving our readers the latest news, product reviews and advice on how to manage the heat this summer. Whether you love lounging out in the sun or you tend to cower inside when the weather gets hot, it’s important to keep yourself cool during this time so you can feel comfortable and still function properly day-to-day.

The most preferred methods for cooling down are the best fan and the best portable air conditioner. However, you could be missing out by not having the best dehumidifier on, too.

But, what if you only have a dehumidifier and not a fan? If your fan has recently broken or you don’t currently own one, many people will try to use whatever device they have around the house to keep them cool. Because of the way dehumidifiers work, many will turn to them to create a comfortable airflow and environment.

But does using a dehumidifier as a fan actually work? Let’s find out.

Firstly, let’s explain the difference between a fan and a dehumidifier. A fan is a powerful device with rotating blades that are used to create a cooling flow of air. The way fans work is by circulating air around your room which draws hot air away from you. This action is what gives off a cooling effect but fans (unless they’re the best Dyson fans) don’t actually pump out cold air.

In comparison, a dehumidifier removes excess moisture from the air. By doing this, it lowers the humidity in your home and makes the air more ‘dry’. As the humidity drops, the air and space around you should feel more comfortable, cooler and less sticky.

Can you use a dehumidifier as a fan? The answer is yes and no. Starting with the former, using a dehumidifier to take the moisture out of your room makes the air feel clearer, more comfortable and better quality. Lowering the humidity results in the space feeling less stuffy and clammy which results in the room feeling cooler. But, and most importantly, it doesn’t actually lower the temperature of the room. Instead, dehumidifiers give a ‘pseudo’ cooling effect but they won’t whip cold air around you.

So, while you can technically use a dehumidifier as a fan, it’s not meant to cool you down, so it shouldn’t be used in place of a fan, especially not during peak summer season. Rather, you should use a dehumidifier and a fan together.

Using a dehumidifier and a fan together is a great way to improve the ventilation in your home and decrease the humidity. As the dehumidifier does its job removing condensation and allergens, the fan circulates that new fresh air around your home. Not only does this make you feel cooler and minimise allergies, but using both devices together helps them work more efficiently.

If your fan isn’t cooling the way you’d like it to, try these 6 hacks to make your fan cooler.