As a property owner, you’re always confronted with the choices of making adjustments in your property. Sometimes, you’re faced with problems that need replacements or fixing.
However, at other times preferences are the main reasons for these changes. One such adjustment is installing a whole-house dehumidifier. If this describes you, this article has all the information you need. Read along!
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Who Needs a Whole House Dehumidifier?
Telltale signs like foggy windows, clammy skin and a warm cloud of temperature indicate that your house has high humidity levels.
Do you smell musty odors or dew? It follows that there must be a buildup of moisture in your house.
When the excess moisture accumulates, it rises and infiltrates your home making it hot and sticky. Doubtlessly, whole-house dehumidifiers will offer a powerful solution to this problem.
They’re a low-maintenance technique of keeping your home dry and healthy. Here’s how!
How Whole House Dehumidifiers Work
Essentially, a whole-house humidifier extracts excess moisture from the air and dumps it into a drainage system. By doing so, an optimal humidity level is maintained.
The appliance takes up to 12 hours to start working correctly and get the ideal humidity level.
Types of Dehumidifiers
There are two types of dehumidifiers:
- Those that install directly onto the HVAC system. They dehumidify the air as it flows back and forth through the air ducts. These types require professional installation.
- The portable models that are large enough and can dehumidify an entire space area. These types are the “plug-and-go” appliances and require less installation hustle.
Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Dehumidifier
There are vital features that you should consider before making a purchase. These include the coverage area, price, dimension, de-humidification performance, and warranty.
To begin with, the coverage area helps you know if the model can dehumidify your intended space.
On the other hand, de-humidification performance establishes the amount of excess moisture that the appliance removes from the air within 24 hours.
Additionally, the dimensions helps you to identify the best dehumidifier to fit in the available space.
With this in mind, the cost of dehumidifiers ranges between $1,000 – $2,000. The most basic models cost anywhere from $1,000 to $1,250 whereas higher-end models cost between $1,500 to $2,000.
If you’re not tight on budgets, go for the high-end models as they come with better features that will make your life even more comfortable.
Be sure to purchase the dehumidifier from a reputable online (for example Amazon) or physical store.
How Much Heat Does the Dehumidifier Introduce?
The right capacity whole-house dehumidifier removes approximately 120 pints of water (15 gallons) within 24 hours.
Whenever the relative humidity rises above a set threshold, the dehumidifier will start performing its work.
Does Your House Have a Whole House Humidifier or Dehumidifier?
Whole-house dehumidifiers are suitable for those who live in hot states that experience peak summer temperatures. Installing a dehumidifier makes your life… different and pleasant.
You’ll grow accustomed to low humidity levels even during summer seasons. While homes with dehumidifiers feel cool, homes with humidifiers feel slightly warmer.
Energy Consumption
When installing a dehumidifier, you’re committing to improving your indoor air quality and comfort. In exchange for those advantages, you’re likely to pay some more cash on your utility bills.
Let’s consider a standard model operating at 280 Watts-hour. If your power rate is 15 cents/kW, your dehumidifier will cost you 4.2 cents per hour.
Therefore, if you’ll run the dehumidifier for 10 hours/day, the cost will be 42 cents/day, approximately $153.30 per year. Strangely enough, not so much I think.
Where to Place a Dehumidifier
The best place to put your dehumidifiers is upstairs or downstairs in the basement. Generally, basements are the most humid places in the house.
Also, the RH of 2 story buildings is unevenly distributed due to factors like height, temperature, and space area. Therefore, if you want the appliance to run on a 2 story building, place it as close to the outlet as possible.
Accordingly, be sure to install it directly onto the HVAC system. If you want it in the basement, seal the basement area so that moist air doesn’t get inside.
Draining a Whole House Dehumidifier
Actually, the easiest way of draining your dehumidifier is through the floor drain technique. More exactly, this method uses gravity since the hose should lead to another location that’s below the drain port.
Following that, you can also opt to improve the draining by raising your dehumidifier onto a flat surface. As an illustration, a large flat table that can hold the weight of the dehumidifier is ideal.
Cleaning a Whole House Dehumidifier
First, switch off the power and disassemble the dehumidifier to gain access to the inside. Then, wipe off the outside parts using a dampened cloth.
Next, clean the reservoir to remove all the moisture from the air that enters the dehumidifier bucket.
More importantly, the air filter is your dehumidifier’s workhorse. This is because it extracts mildew, mold, dirt, and other air impurities.
Subsequently, use soapy water and a sponge to wash the filter gently. Then allow it to dry before mounting it back.
Finally, you can be extra thorough and use a vacuum attachment to clean out any other dirt.
Calculating a Whole House Dehumidifier
Many people claim you should go for a 7.6–20.8 L dehumidifier if you’re living in a very wet space.
If you’re in a very damp place with standing water, buy a high-capacity dehumidifier according to your space’s size.
For example, if your area is 500 square feet (46 m2), go for a 7.6 L dehumidifier.
Muffling a Dehumidifier
Before you get into the nuts and bolts of noise levels, you need to consider a few noise reduction basics. For instance, if you notice that the blower wheel wobbles or doesn’t turn freely, consider replacing it.
Also turn the fan blade by hand and see if it spins freely. If the blade spins freely, use a multimeter to check if the fan motor gets power.
Conversely if the dehumidifier doesn’t run though it gets appropriate power, the motor is likely to be defective and hence needs replacement.
Moreover, unusual noise may also be as a result of a worn-out compressor. Since compressors often last for some years, they actually begin wearing out.
It isn’t cost-effective to replace the compressor, and in such cases, you’ll need to consider buying another appliance.
Building a Whole House Dehumidifier
Here’s the good news: you can build your own whole house dehumidifier.
- Drill a medium-large hole at the bottom of a bucket.
- Put a piece of mesh or wire at the bucket’s bottom to cover this hole.
- Fill this bucket with rock salt and place it on a stand.
- The salt will pull in water then release it, allowing the water to drip out from the top bucket into the bottom bucket.
Conclusion
If your humidity level has spiraled, a whole-house dehumidifier will meet your house’s moisture removal demands. Essentially, the best dehumidifier is the one that best suits your needs, budgets, and preferences.