Installing a Dehumidifier

Installing a dehumidifier can make your home more comfortable and help keep it free of mold. During the humid, languid days of summer, an air conditioner can make your house feel less like a hot tub and help prevent the unpleasant, musty smell that's a sign of a damp home. If you do not have air conditioning in your home you most likely have high moisture present in your basement or crawl space. Installing a room dehumidifier is the best way to reduce the humidity level. A house that has heavy moist air, air that is saturated with excess water, can cause the following:

Installing a dehumidifiers can resolve these problems. The portable dehumidifier can be placed in the room or area where the problem is. Portable dehumidifiers are easy to operate and are light enough to carry anywhere. They have a bucket that collects the water as well as a drain line for draining off the water as it accumulates. They are easy to use and most have wheels to make it easier for transportation. Dehumidifier’s kill the germs and mold that is being released in your air from the excess water and put a stop to more of them growing in your home.

Dehumidifiers do more than just remove the excess moisture from the air; they enhance your body comfort too. By keeping humidity at the proper level, these machines will prevent many other problems. A household relative humidity should be above 50 percent to prevent mildew, dust mites, and mold that exacerbate allergies. Mildew and mold can thrive on and discolor cloth or natural-wood furniture and grow on clothes, books, and other items stored in your basement.

Mold can also cause drywall and wood to rot and cause structural damage to the home. New homes are more vulnerable to high humidity than older ones. New homes use a paper-faced wallboard instead of the wood and plaster found in older houses that are mold resistant.

Using a dehumidifier in a damp basement is ideal for treating humidity-related problems. The dehumidifier uses a fan to pull room air over two sets of refrigerant-filled coils, one is cool and the other is warm. The water that condenses out of the air typically drips into a bucket inside the dehumidifier. Most units can be connected to an external drain, eliminating the need to empty the bucket.

There are many different brands of dehumidifiers including: GE, Kenmore, LG, and Whirlpool. When selecting a dehumidifier consider the size of the room where you intend to use it. The chart below is offered as a guide. Dehumidifier’s capabilities are determined by how many pints of water it removes from the air in a twenty four hour period. They typically come as 30, 50, or 70 pint capacity sizes. To determine the size of the unit you need to consult the chart below. Example: A very damp room that is 1500 square feet needs a unit that has a capacity to remove 22 pints of water in a twenty four hour period. Therefore a 30 pint unit would be sufficient.

Humidity Level	Area Sq. Feet
	500	1000	1500	2000	2500	3000	3500
	Capacity – Pints Per 24 Hours
Moderately Damp	10	14	18	22	26	30	34
Very Damp	12	17	22	27	32	37	42
Wet	14	20	26	32	38	44	50
Extremely Wet	16	23	30	37	44	51	58

The price for a dehumidifier runs between a $100 for a 25 pint unit to $300 dollars for a 70 pint unit. You can get a better price if you look for end of season sales. I prefer the LG unit over all the manufacturers to choose from. It is a rugged unit that is mostly made of metal rather than plastic.

Place the dehumidifier in the most humid spots of your house. Close the doors or windows to the room. Empty and clean the bucket regularly to prevent dust and mildew from accumulating. Clean the filter and coils regularly to keep your unit running well. Remember, you'll want humidity levels to be less than 60 percent all year long, not just during summer. For the winter season you may want to consider a humidifier to increase the humidity in your home.