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Air Cleaners Dehumidifier Buying Guide
If you’re looking to get rid of excess moisture in the air, a dehumidifier will help. It will either condense or absorb the moisture. Many new humidifiers are stylish and compact and may even pay for themselves in keeping water damage at bay from damaging appliances inside your home. Here is everything you need to know before buying a dehumidifier.
Select The Best Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is going to help with any issue related to humidity levels within our home. As is the case with many home appliances and tools, a lot of the selection process will come down to personal choice. But, there are a few things to consider on the practical side.
- surface area or volume of the room in square feet
- Air flow rate: Higher numbers correspond with efficiency
- Moisture extraction capacity:the number of gallons of water extracted every day depending upon the amount of moisture in the air.
A few convenient features include:
- A humidistat that controls humidity automatically
- A quieter model
For running a dehumidifier fully automatically without the need to monitor it:
- Hot gas defrost dehumidifiers which keep working in very cold temperatures
- A compressor will work at optimal capacity when the pressure and horsepower are at the proper ratio
Moisture Absorber
An extremely inexpensive and efficient option to dehumidify is to use a moisture absorber. These little units are perfect for small rooms measuring up to about 129 square feet. Just remember to empty the tray and refill it often.
Advantages Of Moisture Absorbers
Moisture absorbers absorb humidity without the need to hire someone for installation. They require no electrical connection. They are made up of a plastic tray in a variety of sizes to choose from and contain silica gel or tabs to absorb moisture, turn it into the water, and collect it into a tank. Moisture Absorbers are truly cost-effective and convenient, but they only last about 2 months and require constant maintenance of emptying the tank regularly. They are recommended for small spaces that have only minor humidity issues.
How To Use A Dehumidifier to Protect Your Space
While nobody wants a ton of moisture in their homes, some amount of humidity is needed. Too much humidity will encourage mold and could even peel wallpaper off of the walls. High levels of moisture in the air can also cause a lot of health issues for asthma sufferers, rheumatoid arthritis, allergy and respiratory infections. A dehumidifier is a simple, efficient and economical way to protect your space. These units help to dehumidify the air which makes it healthier and can speed up drying after water damage, painting, or other renovation work. A dehumidifier is an excellent way to sanitize crawl spaces. They also help save energy since wet air costs more to heat than dry air.
Types of Dehumidifiers
Choose from two main kinds of dehumidifiers:
- Compressor (or refrigerant) dehumidifiers
- Desiccant (or absorption) dehumidifiers
Compressor Refrigerant Dehumidifiers
The most common type of dehumidifier is the compressor, also known as refrigerant. They are perfect for domestic use since they are efficient, compact, and when mounted on wheels it becomes mobile. They work best in warm environments. The way the compressor dehumidifier works is to draw in damp air through a condenser which is a coil cooled by a refrigerant and compressed with a compressor. After the air is cooled, the moisture is then extracted into a tank. Before returning the dry air back into the room, the dry air is reheated. The only downside to this type of model is that it tends to be a bit noisy and expensive.
Desiccant Absorption Dehumidifiers
This type of dehumidifier works by using a fan to send air through a desiccant wheel. This wheel is usually made of silica gel to absorb moisture. It is cost-effective and very quiet but is not used in homes as often as the compressor type. Homeowners would probably change their tune if they fully understood that this type of dehumidifier does a much better job. Using it at 68 degrees F and 70% humidity is considered normal use.
How to Select The Right Dehumidifier
The first step in deciding which dehumidifier is best, first determine the exact nature of your needs such as The volume of air to be dehumidified, the existing humidity level, the temperature of the room, and any moisture sources present in the room. Keep in mind that the capacity of the unit needs to exceed the amount of moisture that the room creates. First, estimate the airflow rate, extraction capacity, range, humidity, and noise level as well as aesthetics and portability.
Air Flow Rate
Airflow rate is the amount of humid air that the unit is capable of processing over a certain amount of time, either per hour or per minute. Higher airflow rates mean the dehumidifier is more efficient which indicates its capacity to renew the air.
Extraction Capacity
The number of gallons of water that the unit is able to extract over a certain period of time is extraction capacity. About 1 to 8 gallons per day in damp of average volume is good for home use.
Size of Room
Dehumidifiers are often needed in the kitchen or the bathroom. Whatever dehumidifier you choose will need to accommodate the size of the room you are using it in. Measure the surface area in square feet or cubic feet to obtain volume.
Humidistat
The ideal humidity rate inside is about 45 to 60%. Humidistats are humidity regulators that offer either manual or electric automatic control of desired humidity levels.
Noise Level
Ideally, a dehumidifier should maintain a low level of noise. Compressor dehumidifiers are the noisiest option, and moisture absorbers are by far the quietest. The airflow rate will determine the amount of noise with higher airflow rates meaning the device will be noisier. Finding the perfect balance is ideal.
Hot Gas Defrost Dehumidifiers
Cold temperatures call for a model that offers hot gas defrosting to run more efficiently and are recommended in areas that are unheated.
Design and Portability
Of course, efficiency and working properly are the most important issues, but the way it looks and the ability to move it from room to room are factors to keep in mind. Dehumidifiers on wheels allow easy movement.
Additional Dehumidifier Features
Some additional options and considerations when buying a dehumidifier include:
- Auto shut-off
- A timer or programmer
- External water extraction
- 3-speed fan
- A special drying mode
- A night mode
- A child lock
- A wide operating temperature range
- A clogged filter warning light
- Continuous mode
Combating Moisture With A Dehumidifier
Moisture absorbers are an efficient, reliable, adjustable, silent, and compact way to tackle low-humidity rooms and small spaces. There are additional solutions to reduce the amount of moisture produced in the first place that includes using anti-humidity paint for humid rooms, insulate well, keep the room heated, install extractor hoods in the kitchen, and air out humid rooms or use air conditioning.
Maintain And Clean The Dehumidifie
Of course, the first step before conducting any kind of maintenance is that you must unplug your dehumidifier.
Cleaning Grids and Casing
The outer casing can be cleaned with soapy water. Use a small brush nozzle on a vacuum cleaner or a brush to clean the air inlet and outlet grids.
Cleaning The Air Filter
Clean the air filter regularly to get rid of impurities like pet hair or dust. Check the manufacturer’s guide for filter removal. Rinse the air filter using clean water.
Cleaning The Water Tank
Prevent mold and bacteria growth by keeping the water tank clean. Remove it and then rinse it under water and wipe it down.
Prepare Dehumidifier For Storage
Not everyone uses their dehumidifier year-round. When it is not in use, get it ready to store with these four steps before storing it away:
- Empty the tray no more than 24 hours after its last use.
- Clean the casing, air grids, filter, and tray.
- Wind up the cord before you cover up the device with a protective cover. Or, place it in the original packaging.
- Store the device away from any sources of humidity.
