Dehumidifiers For Home Use - What's Available?

What is humidity? Well, water comes in three forms: liquid, vapor, and ice. Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air, known as relative humidity (RH). If humidity exceeds 100%, moisture will begin to condense from the air. So if the air contains only half the water it can hold at a certain temperature, the relative humidity would be 50%.

We can measure the RH with a hygrometer. If you keep your air conditioning unit on all summer and the windows and doors closed, check the relative humidity in various rooms throughout your house with a hygrometer. A good rule of thumb is, if your relative humidity reads above 50%, you really should have a dehumidifier to take away excess moisture.

Choosing the type of dehumidifier you need depends on your environment. Lets look at the more popular types of dehumidifiers on the market for home use.

A dehumidifying ventilator works with an exhaust fan and sensor controller. The sensor controller is adjusted to turn on when humidity rises to a predetermined level. This can be very effective in a basement or crawlspace.

Another type of dehumidifier is the chemical absorbent, which is best suited for hot and human climates. An example of this is silica gel.

Theres' also a heat pump dehumidifier. These machines usually have two sets of coils, a motor fan that moves air through it, a control panel and a water bucket or drain system. These types of the humidifiers are very efficient, but can be fairly expensive, use a fair amount of electricity, and may be noisy.

One thing to look for is a high efficiency factor rating. The Energy Star ratings can save you some money in the long run. A Look for a dehumidifier with frost free option. Also, the better dehumidifiers have a built-in humidistat and shut off feature.

Having casters on your dehumidifier can turn out to be very handy when you want to move the unit to a different room or a different spot in the basement. A dehumidifier that has a capacity of around 60 pints would weigh almost 55 pounds, so rolling it instead of carrying it to a new location is highly desirable.

There are several manufacturers of home dehumidifiers. Popular manufacturer names are Kenmore, Santa Fe, Home Comforts, Soleus, Fridgidaire, and others.

Expect to pay anywhere from around $140 for a 25 pint dehumidifier to $250 for a 60 pint model.

See http://dehumidifiershome.com for more information on dehumidifiers and how to keep your home dry in the summer!

I've always enjoyed doing home improvements and with a basement full of valuable tools and other items, I can keep the air at the proper relative humidity with a good dehumidifier.

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