Dehumidifiers
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Best Dehumidifier for Basement & Crawl Space (2022) Guide
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Removing excess moisture from the air is crucial for keeping the healthiest possible environment in your home. That’s why dehumidifiers are such an important tool in home management. Check out our dehumidifier reviews and buying guides to help you discern the best one to buy to get your room to your desired humidity level.
Why do I need a dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier removes moisture from the room to improve the air quality. They are useful for any place which experiences a high humidity level. So if you’ve ever woken up to find your bedroom window covered in condensation, you may find a dehumidifier makes the space more comfortable for you.
A dehumidifier works by sucking in the air from the room and using condensation to remove water particles, before blowing drier air back out. This can create a more pleasant environment to live within, ensuring your conditions are optimal, and it also helps to prevent dangerous mold and mildew from building up.
These are especially useful in spaces without windows – check out our dehumidifier buying guide for our top picks for basements and crawl spaces.
Which dehumidifier should I buy?
There are two main types of dehumidifier: the compressor (for warmer environments) and the desiccative (for cooler temperatures). There are also thermoelectric and ionic membrane dehumidifiers, but these are less common, and have a lower moisture extraction rate.
Here are a few things to consider when buying a dehumidifier:
- Spatial dimensions
What is the height and square footage of the space you’re putting it in?
- Average temperature
What is the average temperature of the space you will place your dehumidifier?
- Noise tolerance
How much noise can you tolerate? The higher the fan speeds = the louder the noise produced.
- Siphoning off moisture
How do you intend to siphon off the moisture? For example, do you have a floor drain which could connect to it? Or is it easier to have a bucket you can manually remove?
You can find different size dehumidifiers to suit various spaces, so if you are looking to service small spaces or large spaces, you will want to check the guidelines on the model you are considering.
FAQ
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Is it worth buying a portable dehumidifier?If you only want to buy one, you might find it useful to buy a portable one to rotate around your home throughout the day.
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Do I need to keep my dehumidifier on 24 hours a day?You only need to have a dehumidifier on for two hours a day on average to benefit from it. It is best practice to only have the dehumidifier on when there are people in the room as they will produce excess moisture from breathing.
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Will a dehumidifier make the room smell better?While a dehumidifier isn't an air freshener, you may find that it prevents a musty smell from taking hold by preventing the damp.
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What size dehumidifier should I buy?You should consider the size of the space you are putting your dehumidifier into. If the space is 500 square feet or less, a 10L model should suffice, with this capacity going up in larger spaces.
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Which dehumidifiers have the best energy efficiency ratings?Compressor dehumidifiers tend to have the best energy efficiency as a general rule of thumb. The refrigerating technology works well to remove moisture from warmer spaces.
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Are dehumidifiers the same as air purifiers?No; dehumidifiers purely work to remove from the air any excess moisture, while air purifiers remove contaminants such as dust and pollen. Dehumidifiers tend to have air filters to protect the machinery itself from dust.
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Are there any downsides to having a dehumidifier?Some dehumidifiers can be loud, so if you are sensitive to noise, you will want to find a model which is quieter. One problem which could arise would be if the space becomes too dry, which could have negative effects on your skin and breathing, as well as potentially harming houseplants. The way to combat this is by having an air quality monitor which you regularly check.
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Should I put a dehumidifier in my bathroom?In short: no, you should not put a dehumidifier in your bathroom, as the space is too damp for electrics to be safely operated. Instead, have an extractor fan installed.
