Dehumidifiers can be a wise addition to almost any home. Not only do they whisk away unwanted excess moisture in the air around them, but they also possess other added benefits as well. When you remove that excess moisture from your home, you’re helping to prevent mold from growing. Do you need a dehumidifier? Also, you are going to notice it can get rid of that unpleasant musty odor, even in the basement.
However, how do you go about choosing between the many different dehumidifiers on the market? It’s simple, so long as you know what to look for. These devices can be chosen based on many personal preferences and needs.
Table of Contents
What to Look for When Buying A Basement Dehumidifier
Capacity: The water that collects inside a dehumidifier needs to be emptied out at times. However, you don’t want to have to empty it too often, so capacity is important. Some of the most popular dehumidifiers can hold enough water to only need to be emptied once a day.
Size: A bigger humidifier is going to be needed in more moist areas of your home. Chances are good, this includes your basement as well. However, if your basement is small and just a little wet, a smaller one can get the job done as well.
Power: You don’t want to purchase a dehumidifier and find out it doesn’t suck enough moisture out of the air to make a difference. Dehumidifiers can remove between 20 to 50 pints of moisture from the air daily. Of course, a larger basement is going to need a dehumidifier with more power, so that it can suck enough moisture from the air.
Noise: A lot of dehumidifiers can range from 58 to 67 decibels when they run, so you’re going to want to consider noise as well. For comparison, a washing machine runs at about 70 decibels. You don’t want it to be too loud in a living area of your home, so trying to find a quieter dehumidifier might be a great idea.
Controls: Most people really want to have a dehumidifier that is user-friendly. Complicated controls or a difficult-to-open moisture tray will just make using the machine more complicated. In some cases, a dehumidifier can be programmed to restart automatically, giving you the ability to forget it, except for when it needs to be emptied.
Another thing that can make it more user-friendly is a hose. Some dehumidifiers can be connected to a hose, which can run directly into a floor drain. This will allow you to not have to worry about emptying the device at all, truly letting you set it and forget it. Pumps can be added to these hoses to send the water up to a sink or window just in case your basement does not have a floor drain.
Timers can be used to set when the dehumidifier will run. This can help to save energy used, which in turn can lower your power bill. This is a great feature for those who may want a dehumidifier, but won’t want it to run all the time.
Simple Cleaning: Every so often, the filter inside a dehumidifier will need to be cleaned. Many of these devices can show you when it needs to be done via an indicator light. However, even if you know it needs to be cleaned, you’re still probably going to want it to be simple to remove the filter for cleaning. Otherwise, it may stay dirty and stop removing moisture, even when it’s running.
Sensors: Some of the more modern dehumidifiers have sensors that will monitor the level of moisture in the air. Once the air reaches a desired level of moisture, the machine will automatically shut off. This can help to save power. It also helps to prevent the machine from working too well and causing the room to have so little moisture it’s undesirable as well.
Other features: Auto-defrost can be important if you live in colder environments, along with a low-temperature setting. This low-temperature setting will allow the device to run even in cold winter temperatures. Auto defrost can also help you to run your machine during the winter. In temperatures under 65 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re more likely to find your dehumidifier freezing over. This is prevented in machines that can sense when frost starts forming and can get rid of it on their own.
Portability: Many different types of dehumidifiers can be portable. These are convenient to use because they can be plugged in almost anywhere you need them. Still though, getting a big enough one for your room is important, so remember that efficiency is going to for the most part beat portability.
Practice Comparison
To make sure you know what to look for in your brand-new dehumidifier, comparisons between them should be made. Take the MIDEA MAD50C1ZWS dehumidifier and the Frigidaire FFAD7033R1 dehumidifier for example. The MIDEA works quieter than the Frigidaire at only 51 decibels. It has a large water capacity and is simple to maintain. The warranty offered by MIDEA is sure to keep you protected if you’re not completely happy with your purchase. However, it is heavy and may be more difficult to move than the Frigidaire dehumidifier.
The Frigidaire is efficient when it comes to the amount of energy needed to do its job every day. IT boasts an auto-shutoff feature that can also help to conserve energy. The digital readouts on this device make it easy to follow what the machine is doing at all times. However, there have been complaints about the noise this machine makes when it runs, so it may not be the best for all homes.
