Things to Know Before Buying a Dehumidifier

If the air in your home is too muggy for your liking, let a new dehumidifier come to your rescue! Keeping moisture out of the air not only means a more comfortable living space - it means lowering risk of mold and mildew, minimizing musty smells, and reducing dust buildup in your home. We've got the info you need about how humidifiers work, and some tips on how to choose a dehumidifier!

What Does a Dehumidifier Do?

A dehumidifier draws in humid air, collects its moisture, then expels the newly-dried air back into the room. This improves the room's air quality and can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

How Does a Dehumidifier Work?

The process begins when the machine's fan blows the humid air into the dehumidifier chamber and passes it across cooled coils. The temperature of the coils allows moisture to collect on them in the form of condensation, and the water trickles down into a bucket inside the dehumidifier or drains externally through a hose. The slightly-warmer and dryer air is released back into the room, and over time the room's humidity is gradually reduced to a comfortable level.

What Does Dehumidifier Capacity Mean?

It's important to know that the capacity doesn't refer to the bucket size of the dehumidifier. Rather, it's an indication of the maximum amount of moisture it can pull from the air over the course of 24 hours. For example, a 50-pint dehumidifier may have a bucket that only holds 16 pints. This is not an issue if you've got a dehumidifier with pump that uses a continuous drainage option; however, if you're planning on manually emptying the bucket, keep your eyes open for the "Full" indicator light. After the dehumidifier has been working for a while and the space begins to get drier, you won't have to empty the bucket as often.

What Size Dehumidifier Do I Need?

It's important to make sure to get an appropriately-sized dehumidifier to ensure adequate removal of moisture from the air. Using too small of a unit will result in insufficient ability to keep the area dry. Conversely, a unit that's too powerful for a small space can result in an uncomfortably warm environment, since dehumidifiers slightly heat the air before releasing it back into the room. Measure the square footage of the room you're looking to dehumidify, and use this handy chart from Friedrich to figure out the best capacity size for your dehumidifier.

Does a Dehumidifier Cool a Room?

Dehumidifiers actually warm the air slightly, but if you're using a dehumidifier in combination with an air conditioner, a dehumidifier can actually help your air conditioner run more efficiently! It takes significantly more energy to cool humid air than dry air, so a dehumidifier will definitely ease your AC's burden. A dehumidifier can also help reduce water buildup inside the air conditioner to reduce dripping from the back of the unit.

Don't deal with a humid, uncomfortable living space for one day longer than you have to. Get started on your dehumidifier search now!