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Do Dehumidifiers Use a Lot of Electricity?

Home/Resources/Air Quality/Dehumidifier Running Costs
DH
Written & researched by Derek Holt Home & Appliances Editor
Updated August 2026
Close-up detail of the material being worked in a air quality project, in warm late-afternoon light

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The short answer: no, not by modern appliance standards. A typical 50-pint home dehumidifier draws roughly 400 to 600 watts while the compressor runs — comparable to a desktop computer and gaming monitor, and well under half a window air conditioner. At a US average residential rate of about 17 cents per kilowatt-hour (the EIA publishes the current figure for your state) and a realistic 12 to 16 hours a day of compressor time, that is roughly 25 to 45 dollars a month in a damp summer, less in shoulder season. Cost is driven by runtime, not nameplate power.

We do not buy or physically handle the machines we rank; our picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, described in how we rank. Model shortlists are in best dehumidifier, within the air quality hub.

How do I calculate what mine costs?

Three numbers and one multiplication. Take the wattage from the nameplate on the back of the unit, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by the hours the compressor actually runs in a day, then multiply by your electricity rate. The step everyone skips is the second one: a dehumidifier with a humidistat only draws full power while the compressor is engaged, and it drops to a few watts on standby. Estimating 50 to 70 percent duty cycle in a genuinely damp basement in July, and 20 to 30 percent in a dry October, is closer to reality than assuming 24 hours.

CapacityTypical draw12 h/day, 30 daysCost at 17 cents/kWh
20-pint240 W86 kWhabout 15 dollars
30-pint300 W108 kWhabout 18 dollars
35-pint380 W137 kWhabout 23 dollars
50-pint500 W180 kWhabout 31 dollars
70-pint (whole basement)700 W252 kWhabout 43 dollars

Figures are indicative for compressor-type units at typical basement conditions as of 2026; check your own nameplate and utility rate. Desiccant models behave differently and are covered in desiccant vs compressor dehumidifier — they draw more power for the same water but keep working below 60°F, where a compressor unit stalls.

Over-the-shoulder view of a person adjusting a floor-standing air purifier in a quiet living room, in warm evening lamplight

Does an ENERGY STAR model make a real difference?

It makes a measurable one. The Department of Energy rates dehumidifiers by integrated energy factor, expressed in liters of water removed per kilowatt-hour, and the ENERGY STAR specification sets a floor above the federal minimum. Certified models use about 20 percent less energy than a similarly sized conventional unit removing the same moisture. Over a basement season that is real money; over three weeks of summer use it is a few dollars. Buy it for the year-round machine, not the occasional one.

Low-angle view of a person adjusting a floor-standing air purifier in a quiet living room, in warm evening lamplight

What actually cuts the running cost?

Reducing the moisture load, not shopping for a lower-wattage unit. Every pint the machine does not have to condense is energy it does not spend. In rough order of payoff: seal and insulate rim joists and any obvious air leaks so humid outdoor air stops pouring into a cool basement, run bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to the outside, fix downspouts and grading so surface water is not soaking the foundation, and cover any exposed dirt crawlspace floor with a sealed vapor barrier. A crawlspace with bare soil can release gallons of water a day into the house.

Then set it sensibly. A setpoint of 50 percent is the usual sweet spot; dropping to 40 makes the compressor run far longer for a comfort gain nobody can feel, and the EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, anyway. Details are in what should I set my dehumidifier to. Keep the intake filter clean, because a restricted coil cuts water removal while the compressor keeps drawing full power — the routine is in how to clean a dehumidifier.

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a air quality project, in warm evening lamplight

Does buying a larger unit cost more in the long run?

Generally the opposite. A larger dehumidifier draws more watts per hour but pulls the room down to setpoint faster and then cycles off, while an undersized one grinds away continuously and never quite gets there. Because larger units also tend to have better integrated energy factors, the monthly kilowatt-hour total for a correctly sized 50-pint machine is often lower than for an overworked 30-pint. Size to the space and its dampness — the table in what size dehumidifier for a basement gives the square-footage bands, and where to place a dehumidifier in a basement covers the placement that lets it work at rated capacity.

Straight Answers

Frequently Asked

How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier for 24 hours?

At 500 watts and a US average residential rate near 17 cents per kilowatt-hour, continuous operation for 24 hours is 12 kWh and about 2.04 dollars. Most units do not run continuously once the room reaches the setpoint, so a realistic 60 percent duty cycle puts a typical summer day nearer 1.20 dollars. Rates vary widely by state, so multiply 12 kWh by your own per-kWh charge for a figure that means something.

Is a dehumidifier cheaper than running air conditioning?

Usually yes for moisture alone, because an air conditioner has to move heat out of the house while a dehumidifier only condenses water and returns the heat to the room. A 50-pint dehumidifier at 500 watts against a window AC at 900 to 1,400 watts is a clear win on power. The catch is that the dehumidifier warms the space by roughly its own wattage, so in a living area in August the AC may be the better total answer.

Does a bigger dehumidifier cost more to run?

Per hour yes, per pint of water no. Larger units are more efficient in integrated energy factor terms and reach the humidity setpoint faster, so they spend more time cycled off. An undersized unit running 24 hours a day at a lower wattage often consumes more electricity in a month than a properly sized one running half the time. Size to the space and the dampness rather than buying small to save power.

Do ENERGY STAR dehumidifiers actually save money?

They use meaningfully less energy for the same water removal, because the ENERGY STAR specification sets a minimum integrated energy factor in liters per kilowatt-hour. The saving is real but modest in dollars — commonly 15 to 25 percent of running cost — so it matters most on a unit that runs most of the year in a damp basement. On a unit used a few weeks each summer, the payback period stretches out considerably.

Why is my electric bill higher than the wattage suggests?

Because duty cycle, not nameplate wattage, sets the bill, and three things push duty cycle up: an oversized or leaky space, a setpoint below 45 percent that the unit can never comfortably hold, and a clogged filter or iced coil that cuts water removal without cutting power draw. Also check whether the unit restarts its compressor repeatedly on short cycles, which is hard on both the compressor and the meter.