It’s the dog days of summer. It’s hot; it’s sticky; it’s a sauna outside.
So when you go inside, you don’t want it to feel like a sauna there as well. The best way to ensure that you come into a nice, non-humid home is with a dehumidifier.
Dehumidifiers remove the damp feeling out of specific rooms in your home (i.e., basement or laundry room) or the entire home. High humidity levels also breed dust mites, mildew and mold, which can trigger allergies or other health problems. They can also make your home a breeding ground for insects, and warp your wood floor, trim and furniture.
You can purchase either a portable dehumidifier for a specific space such as a laundry room or bathroom, or a whole house dehumidifier. We recommend whole house dehumidifiers, but here are some facts about smaller, portable units.
1. Placement. Dehumidifiers make noise. So consider where you are going to place it.
2. Energy efficiency. Make sure the dehumidifier scores very good or better for energy efficiency. That will result in lower energy costs.
3. Size. Choose a dehumidifier based upon the size of the area you want it to serve. These are generally measured in terms of pints of moisture they can remove in 24 hours.
The smart bet, however, is to purchase a whole house dehumidifier. Many units can handle up to 3,000 square feet. They are available as portable units, or as add-ons to your existing air conditioning system. They are expensive, but they may enable you to run your air conditioner less. Some advantages of whole house dehumidifiers:
1. Automatic humidity sensing, which enables for better monitoring and control of humidity
2. Convenient, quiet operation, since they are installed away from your living space
3. Low maintenance – they require simple annual filter cleaning
4. Some units also allow you to control settings remotely via a mobile application
So when you go inside, you don’t want it to feel like a sauna there as well. The best way to ensure that you come into a nice, non-humid home is with a dehumidifier.
Dehumidifiers remove the damp feeling out of specific rooms in your home (i.e., basement or laundry room) or the entire home. High humidity levels also breed dust mites, mildew and mold, which can trigger allergies or other health problems. They can also make your home a breeding ground for insects, and warp your wood floor, trim and furniture.
You can purchase either a portable dehumidifier for a specific space such as a laundry room or bathroom, or a whole house dehumidifier. We recommend whole house dehumidifiers, but here are some facts about smaller, portable units.
1. Placement. Dehumidifiers make noise. So consider where you are going to place it.
2. Energy efficiency. Make sure the dehumidifier scores very good or better for energy efficiency. That will result in lower energy costs.
3. Size. Choose a dehumidifier based upon the size of the area you want it to serve. These are generally measured in terms of pints of moisture they can remove in 24 hours.
- Large capacity dehumidifiers can remove up to 75 pints per day. They can also handle multiple humidity levels with little additional noise. So for large, wet spaces, buy the largest capacity model you can afford.
- Medium capacity dehumidifiers are suited for areas that are not quite as damp, and can remove 45 to 50 pints of moisture per day. These typically cost less than large capacity dehumidifiers.
- Small capacity dehumidifiers remove 25 to 40 points of moisture per day, and are good for smaller spaces, such as laundry rooms. These should be the least expensive units.
The smart bet, however, is to purchase a whole house dehumidifier. Many units can handle up to 3,000 square feet. They are available as portable units, or as add-ons to your existing air conditioning system. They are expensive, but they may enable you to run your air conditioner less. Some advantages of whole house dehumidifiers:
1. Automatic humidity sensing, which enables for better monitoring and control of humidity
2. Convenient, quiet operation, since they are installed away from your living space
3. Low maintenance – they require simple annual filter cleaning
4. Some units also allow you to control settings remotely via a mobile application