Basement Dehumidifiers and How They Can Save Your Basement

Basement dehumidifiers offer a great solution for persistent moisture problems. We all know that the basement is one of the house's problem areas when it comes to indoor air quality issues and mold problems. There are lots of measures you can take to reduce the humidity down there and a fairly easy and cost-effective one is to use a basement dehumidifier.

What Basement Dehumidifiers Do

There are two types of dehumidifiers. One type cools the air to remove moisture while the other absorbs the moisture from the air. The cooling apparatus works pretty much like your refrigerator. It uses a fan to draw in warm, moist air and runs it over cooling pipes. When the air cools, the moisture turns into water and drips down off the pipes. The dehumidifier then reheats the air and it passes back out.

The other type draws in the air and passes it through a rotating wheel of material that absorbs moisture. The dry air is then blown back into the room while the moisture is released through an exhaust duct.

Shopping for a Dehumidifier

There are two specs to consider when you buy a dehumidifier. One is size and the other is the amount of humidity you need to remove.

Dehumidifiers come in all different sizes. If you have a large-sized basement, you need a big machine to get rid of its moisture. You can also do the job with two smaller ones. Before you go shopping for a dehumidifier, measure the square footage of your basement and compare it with the unit's CFM rating.

Finally, look for durability. If a dehumidifier is built tough, you won't have to buy another one for years to come. Read some online reviews of dehumidifiers or talk to the sales rep when you go to purchase one.

The Root of the Problem

If you have a particularly humid basement, and especially if you live in a coastal or other humid climate, you'll need to run your dehumidifier a lot. You can determine how much to run it by checking the relative humidity in the basement. When it rises above 50 percent, it's time to dehumidify.

Even though dehumidifiers work well to remove moisture, you should always attack the problem at its root. Removing the root causes will naturally lower the moisture level. Look for cracks in walls and foundations and consider upgrading your basement waterproofing.