Are you thinking about buying a dehumidifier and don’t know anything about the ins and outs of it then you are at the right place as I will guide you through the process of buying the perfect dehumidifier according to your needs. I’m guessing you’ve found my site because you have a humidity problem that needs immediate treatment, and believe me I know how distressing this can be. I also understand what a difficult job it can be to find the right dehumidifier, so let’s get started.
Dehumidifiers reduce the amount of unnecessary and unwanted moisture in the air in your home, making it more comfortable and healthier. Although it can’t be seen, humidity plays an important role in our everyday lives. For warm regions with high levels of moisture to dark, damp spaces that are prone to mold and pest infestations, investing in a dehumidifier is the best way to keep your home’s humidity level both comfortable and healthy. Unwanted allergens—such as dust mites, mildew and mold—thrive in humid climates, which can lead to a wide spectrum of issues. Aside from skin irritation and other allergy-related symptoms, excess moisture can cause wallpaper to curl, floorboards to warp, musty odors and much more.
So, to keep such things away from your living space a dehumidifier can be a good investment. A dehumidifier can take that damp feeling out of a basement or laundry room and prevent a few other sticky situations: humidity levels above 50 percent can breed dust mites, mildew, and mold, triggering allergies or other health problems. Typically, the damper your space, the more capacity you’ll need in a dehumidifier. To remove moisture, dehumidifiers use a fan to move air over refrigerated coils, which pull moisture from the air and drip it into a tank.
What is a dehumidifier?
Dehumidifiers remove moisture and humidity from the air. It’s like a small vacuum cleaner that vacuums a small particle of water from the air. It makes the air dryer.
What is it good for?
Dehumidifier deals with moisture and humidity. Humidity is only good if it’s balanced. A dehumidifier can help you dry the air around it. It’s good for protecting your walls and furniture from moisture. Especially good to have in a close area like bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and closets.
In the closet, it will protect your cloth from getting moldy. For businesses, it’s good to keep in closed storages or servers.
Health issues:
Humidity can encourage a flourishing of bacteria, viruses, mites, and fungi, and more respiratory infections and sicknesses. It is suggested to maintain indoor humidity levels between 40 and 60%.
How to choose the right dehumidifier?
First of all match the dehumidifier to your need.
Area size:
There is a large variety of dehumidifiers. Each of them details the area that it’s good for.
A mini dehumidifier will be good for a small bathroom, closets, and so on. A small dehumidifier will be the good kitchen, living rooms, and sometimes basements (depends on how big the basement is). A medium-size dehumidifier will be good basements, closed storage, or server. Larger than that will be good for industries.
Efficiency:
Some dehumidifiers have Energy Star symbols, which means they are energy efficient. It can save you money and it’s better for the environment. Also, check how much water it can remove from the air per day. If you have a moist problem choose a medium-sized dehumidifier.
Features:
Sound. If you are planning to use it in your bedroom or living room pay good attention to the noise level. Some dehumidifiers have Ultra-Quiet Technology which makes it extra quiet.
Also good to check Auto shut down, water tanks capacity, and Special features.
Different sizes of dehumidifier according to your needs
A dehumidifier’s size matters. Dehumidifier capacity is one of the two most important characteristics to look out for. Capacity is the dehumidifier’s ability to collect moisture from the air, and it’s expressed in pints per day. Small room dehumidifiers have the ability to remove up to 30 pints of water a day, larger whole-house models can collect 70 pints or more. Also, you need to look out for its coverage area, which is measured in square feet. These two factors tell you what size dehumidifier you really need. The size of the room and amount of moisture you want to remove determine the type of dehumidifier you need.
Portable dehumidifiers
Sometimes you just need to treat localized humidity issues and you don’t need a large or expensive unit, this is where portable dehumidifiers are used. These are small, silent in operation and make no noise and also energy efficient. In a way these are the smaller siblings of the powerful dehumidifiers. For a bathroom or bedroom, choose a small dehumidifier that is portable and can be positioned in an area where it isn’t a safety hazard. Just because a dehumidifier is small, it doesn’t mean it can’t handle high-moisture environments.
Home dehumidifier
If you are looking for a whole-home or basement dehumidifier, you need a high-capacity unit that can remove at least 70 pints of water a day. Dehumidifiers that are able to collect up to 30 pints of water per day are very common on the market. This size is ideal for homes or areas of up to 2,000 square feet, provided the space you’re treating is moderately damp. 40 to 50-pint dehumidifiers tend to fall somewhere in the middle of the range as far as capacity is concerned.
The largest home dehumidifiers can collect up to 60 or 70 pints of fluid in a single day, and they are suitable for homes, basements, or crawl spaces larger than 2,000 square feet regardless of the conditions and level of humidity.
Basement dehumidifier
Although they’re largely similar to normal household dehumidifiers, there are still some features that set them apart. The most important characteristics to look for in a dehumidifier of this type are the ability to work in a low-temperature environment (auto-defrost is a must) and large capacity. Obviously, basements are cooler than the rest of the house, and they can cover a fairly large amount of floor space.
There are no major differences between these two types of dehumidifiers, so you don’t have to worry about what they’re called. Just remember you should make sure you consider capacity as the basements are more humid.
Importance and health benefits of using a dehumidifier
High humidity in your basement can compromise the structural integrity of your house, and damage electrical installations which can even lead to a fire. Wooden beams will begin to rot, and corrosion will settle in on everything that’s made out of metal. Inside your living area floorboards will begin to creak and bend, and you’ll start to notice damp spots on your walls as well as peeling paint.
So, if you have still not thought about investing in a dehumidifier in spite of severe humidity then think about it as humidity has the following health hazards
Excess moisture doesn’t just make you sweaty and uncomfortable. It can have a whole bunch of adverse effects on your health, the structure of your home as well as your wallet. A humid environment is a breeding ground for all sorts of microscopic organisms that can harm your health. Mildew and mold spores thrive in it, and they can be highly toxic once they get into your body. If mold is clearly visible inside your home, you have a problem that needs immediate attention.
Dust mites also love humidity, and they’re one of the biggest enemies for people who suffer from asthma and allergies. Asthma sufferers also experiences more frequent attacks. By getting a dehumidifier, it is possible to solve these problems. So, stop thinking and get one.
