dehumidifire buying guide

Dehumidifier Buying Guide

Dehumidifier Explanation?

 

Dehumidifiers take the extra moisture out of the air in your home. Too much humidity might cause difficulties, which is why you might use a humidifier in the winter.When the temperature rises, high humidity makes places feel muggy, sticky, and uncomfortable. It also makes health problems like asthma and allergies worse. Also, if there is too much humidity, mildew and mold can grow. With a portable dehumidifier, you can keep your home at the right level of humidity.

Should I Buy a Dehumidifier?

 

Whole-house and window air conditioners remove some moisture from your home’s air, but you may need more if you live in a humid environment.Condensation on double- or triple-panes windows, dripping  pipes, peeling wallpaper, warped wood flooring, and problems opening wooden doors or windows in the summer are signs of too much humidity in a home. If you have any of these problems, you might find that running a dehumidifier helps.

 

How Does a Dehumidifiers Work?

 

Even though there are many different kinds of dehumidifiers, we’ll focus on portable.There are refrigerant-based ones the most common.

These models have a fan that pulls in warm, moist air. Once inside, the moist air goes over coils that are cooled by refrigerant.

 

As the air cools, it loses its ability to hold water and releases it into the dehumidifier. This water drains out of the dehumidifier through a hose or collects in a holding tank that needs to be emptied by hand. After losing the extra water, the air that has been cooled goes over a heating coil and then back into your room.

 

What Dehumidifier Size Do I Need?

 

Dehumidifiers are rated according to how much water they can remove from the air in a day. The chart below is used by (AHAM) to assist homeowners in determining which size dehumidifier will best suit their requirements.

 

-Area without dehumidifier

500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500 sq. ft.

-Damp, musty space in humid weather

10,14,18,22,26 pints

-Moist, smelly space with damp walls and floors

12 ,17, 22 ,27, 32 pints.

-Wet room with wet walls or seepage

14 ,20 ,26, 32 ,38 pints.

-Wet floors and high loads

16,23,30,37,44 pints.

 

Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is the source (AHAM)

 

The condition of your space and the size of your space in square feet are the two most important ways to figure out what size dehumidifier you need. This chart gives you a good idea of how small a dehumidifier can be and still work well in a certain room. It’s also a good idea to add 5–10 pints of capacity to rooms with high ceilings and those that can make moisture, like bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.

 

But there are many reasons to buy bigger models that can be used anywhere. A dehumidifier’s “size” is actually how fast it pulls water out of the air. If you use a bigger dehumidifier than your space needs, the air will dry out faster. Even though bigger models use more energy while running, they use less energy overall because they don’t have to run for as long.

 

The faster your dehumidifier works, the less time you and your home will have to deal with the bad effects of humid air. Also, dehumidifiers that work less hard to pull water out of the air will last longer. Like any other appliance, a dehumidifier’s parts wear out faster the more you use it. Even though it might be a few years before any of the parts break, the efficiency of a large dehumidifier makes sure that it will last as long as possible.

 

We suggest buying the biggest dehumidifier you can afford because of this. Even though the machine costs more up front, it uses less energy and will last longer than smaller models.

 

Options and Features to Look for in a Dehumidifier

 

Besides the size of your dehumidifier, there are a number of other features to think about when choosing the right model for your space.

 

Air filter

 

Many dehumidifiers also have an air filter to remove dust and other particles from the air. This makes the air in the room better because it gets rid of allergens and mold and mildew. This helps get rid of the musty smell that often comes from damp places.

 

More importantly, it keeps dirt from getting into the unit and making it work less well. Look for a dehumidifier with a filter that can be washed, and don’t forget to clean it regularly.

 

Auto-Defrost

 

When the temperature is below 65° F, frost can form inside a dehumidifier. To keep the unit from getting damaged, an automatic defrost function turns off the compressor until the unit is no longer frozen. If you want to run your unit at lower temperatures, you should buy one that can defrost itself.

Auto-Restart

 

Auto-restart turns the dehumidifier back on when the power is restored on after a power outage. This feature is important for places that are far away, like a lake house. Even if you’re not there when the power goes out, you can be sure that your dehumidifier will start working again as soon as it can.

 

Caster Wheels

 

Most dehumidifiers have wheels that make them easy to move and transport from one place to another.

 

Dehumidifier Collection Tank

 

The majority of dehumidifiers contain a collection tank for water extracted from the air. Once a dehumidifier has extracted enough moisture to fill its tank, the tank must be manually emptied. Almost every dehumidifier incorporates an automated shutoff that switches the unit off when the collection tank is full to prevent spills. Front-loading bucket models are the simplest to empty.

 

As noted above, the “size” of a dehumidifier refers to the pace at which it extracts moisture from the air. It offers no information regarding the size of the collection tank. Therefore, whether you have a 20- or 70-pint dehumidifier, you may need to empty the collection tank several times every day to maintain its functionality. Alternatively, search for a model with a direct drain-off.

 

Dehumidifier Continuous Drain

 

To avoid the inconvenience of manually emptying a collecting tank, search for models that enable continuous or direct draining. These types can be equipped with hose connections so that water drawn from the air falls out continually rather than building up in a tank. This allows the dehumidifier to operate continuously, which is a useful function for when you have to leave the house for an extended period of time.

 

Although versions with a direct drain dehumidifier are much more practical than those with merely a collection tank, it’s crucial to make sure you have a location for the water to drain. Since these versions rely on gravity to transport the water, they perform admirably in bathrooms or basements with floor drains. Some models additionally have an integrated pump to help drain water into a sink or up and out of a window above the dehumidifier.

 

Humidity

 

A humidity sensor monitors the air’s relative humidity and regulates the dehumidifier accordingly. This allows you to precisely adjust the desired humidity level. Once that threshold is reached, the machine will automatically shut down. When humidity levels begin to rise, the dehumidifier is alerted and reactivated. By just operating the dehumidifier when necessary, the gadget will normally last longer.

 

Low-Temperature Setting

 

Allows dehumidifiers to work at temperatures as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Two Speed ​​Fan

 

Models with variable fan speeds are both more efficient and quieter.

 

In Summary

 

When the air is soaked, allergens, mold, and mildew can grow and spread. Dehumidifiers take moisture out of the air to keep you healthy, comfortable, and safe from mold and other harmful growths in your home. You should use a dehumidifier if the air in your home feels stuffy or if you see condensation on the inside of your windows.

 

When looking for a dehumidifier, buy the biggest one you can afford. Depending on how big the room is, smaller models might be able to do the job. However, larger models are faster, more efficient, and more reliable.

 

Figure out what you will do with the water that you take out of the air. You can connect a hose to a continuous drain or direct drain dehumidifier and let gravity pull the water towards a drain. If you want to use a drain that sits above your dehumidifier, look for one with a built-in pump. Or, stick to emptying the collection tank by hand when it gets full.

 

If you still have questions?

please don’t hesitate to call us at 847-954-4100 or look at our list of the best dehumidifiers for 2022. We want to make sure you find the right dehumidifier for your needs, no matter what.

 

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