Enter your dehumidifier's watts, actual running time, use days, and electricity price to estimate its monthly electricity cost.
Table of contents
How to use our Dehumidifier Running Cost Calculator
- Find the dehumidifier's wattage on its product label, EnergyGuide information, or manual.
- Enter the estimated time it actually runs each day in "Running time (hours per day)." If it cycles on and off, enter active running time rather than all the time it is switched on.
- Enter the number of days you expect to use it in "Days used per month."
- Copy the electricity usage price from your utility bill into "Electricity price (cents per kWh)." For example, enter 15 if the bill shows $0.15 per kWh.
- Select "Calculate." The first result is the estimated monthly dehumidifier cost.
- Check "Estimated monthly electricity use" and "Estimated cost per running hour" to see whether the power, schedule, and price look reasonable for your plan.
Definitions
Watt (W): A measure of electrical power. It shows how quickly the dehumidifier uses electricity while it runs.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): A measure of electrical energy commonly used for utility billing. A 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour uses 1 kWh.
Electricity price (cents per kWh): The usage charge for each kWh of electricity. It does not include fixed account charges.
Running time: The estimated number of hours each day that the dehumidifier draws its entered wattage.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
Mistake: Counting every hour the unit is switched on when it cycles on and off.
Fix: Estimate the hours it actually draws its listed power. A timer, smart plug, or electricity monitor can help.
Mistake: Entering 0.15 for a bill rate of $0.15 per kWh.
Fix: This field uses cents per kWh, so enter 15.
Mistake: Using the full utility bill divided by household kWh even though the bill includes fixed charges.
Fix: Use the usage-based electricity price from the bill. Leave out fixed account, meter, and service charges.
Mistake: Entering the water-removal rating instead of electrical power.
Fix: Enter watts, not pints per day. Find the wattage on the product label or in the manual.
Limitations & Key Assumptions / Boundary Conditions
- The estimate assumes the dehumidifier draws its entered wattage during every entered running hour.
- Actual use can change as humidity, room temperature, fan settings, compressor cycling, and defrost operation change.
- The yearly projection repeats the entered monthly use for 12 months. Seasonal humidity may make actual yearly cost lower or higher.
- The calculation includes only the electricity usage price. It excludes fixed account, meter, service, tax, and other charges that do not change directly with dehumidifier use.
- A product label, manual, smart plug, or electricity monitor may give a better power or running-time estimate than a guess.
Methodology
Calculation method
The calculator changes watts to kilowatts, multiplies by the entered running time, and applies the electricity price. One kilowatt is 1,000 watts, and 100 cents is $1.
Daily energy (kWh) = (P / 1000) x h
P is dehumidifier power in watts, and h is running time in hours per day.
Monthly energy (kWh) = daily energy x d
d is the number of days used during the month.
Monthly cost ($) = monthly energy x r / 100
r is the electricity price in cents per kWh. The calculator also calculates daily cost, multiplies monthly cost by 12 for the yearly projection, and calculates hourly cost from power and price.
Worked example
A 500-watt dehumidifier running 8 hours per day for 30 days uses 120 kWh: (500 / 1000) x 8 x 30. At 15 cents per kWh, the estimated monthly cost is $18.00. The estimated cost per running hour is $0.0750.