Buying Dehumidifiers

A Basement Dehumidifier Might Just Be What You Need
By Jim Nail

A basement is an area more prone to dampness than other rooms in your home, and because of this, you not only need to waterproof the area but use a basement dehumidifier as well.

In layman’s terms, this apparatus reduces the ambient air’s humidity and effectively reduces the likelihood of mold and fungal growth, which can be detrimental especially to people with allergies.

How a basement dehumidifier works

With the help of a fan, this machine passes moist air over a cold metal coil. In the process, the air loses its ability to hold moisture and the water that is extracted from the air is drained and collected into a catch basin. The “processed” air then passes through warm metal coils and released back into the basement.

Factors to consider when purchasing basement dehumidifiers

Before purchasing this appliance, there are a few things to consider: one is the size of the area you’re working with. Certain brands have been evaluated and it was found that the Santa Fe basement dehumidifiers work best for large areas, specifically for areas ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 square feet.

The Millennium low-temp basement dehumidifiers, on the other hand, are recommended for basements that measure between 800 and 1,100 square feet. They are very affordable and can effectively remove moisture down to 50 degrees.

Experts believe that larger basement dehumidifiers are more energy efficient, in the sense that they can remove moisture from the air in a shorter period of time, although they may require large amounts of energy when started.

Smaller basement dehumidifier units do not require too much energy at start up but they need to run continuously for longer periods to be able to remove the same amount of moisture that a larger unit can handle.

Another thing to consider when purchasing a basement dehumidifier is whether to choose a portable unit or a permanent fixture. Portable ones are recommended for areas that are not humid year-round – perhaps in places that are visted by an occasional strong thunderstorm. You can even move the unit around and use it for different rooms in the house.

However, for those living in constantly cold and damp areas, a permanent fixture is recommended. You should also plan on how to dispose of the water that collects in the basement dehumidifier. Some units have a catch into which the collected water is drained, and this is emptied when the unit detects that it is nearly full.

If you don’t want to be bothered by this task, though, you can look for a basement dehumidifier that can be installed in such a way that the collected water can automatically be disposed of into an adjacent drain or sink in the basement.

Always keep your unit’s coils clean to keep it energy efficient. You should also keep it free from dust and smoke, and make sure that grime would not accumulate. Some basement dehumidifier manufacturers offer a one-year guarantee for the whole unit and a 5-year warranty on its condenser, evaporator, and compressor.