Dehumidifier selection guide & Tips to Naturally Dehumidify Your Home

Dehumidifier selection guide & Tips to Naturally Dehumidify Your Home | How does a dehumidifier work | Choose the Size of a Dehumidifier | how to pick a dehumidifier | Dehumidifier Review  | dehumidifier features

What is a dehumidifier used for?

Houses with humidity levels above 60 percent can become breeding grounds for Dust mites, Mildew and Mold. A dehumidifier can help to significantly remove moisture and improve the air quality. Consumer Reports routinely test dehumidifiers for moisture removal energy efficiency noise and how they perform in cooler temperatures.

This dehumidifier buying guide video is taken from Consumer reports youtube channel..

Here's what you need to know to find the best the humidifier for your house if you're looking for something specific.

As its name implies a dehumidifiers job is to remove moisture from your space.

How does a dehumidifier work?

A fan pulls moist air over two sets of coils. one cool and one warm. that cool coil causes the moisture in the humid air to condense into water which strips into a bin then the air passes over the warm coat and flows back into the room. when afloat indicate the bin is full the fan and compressor turn off. once the bin is empty the process begins again.

If your dehumidifier is equipped with an under draining hose or a pump that moves the water out to your sink or floor drain for instance that been never fills up.

why you shouldn't drink the water that comes out over the dehumidifier?

you can use it to water plants with the exception of vegetables you're going to eat that water may have contaminants.

How to Choose the Size of a Dehumidifier?  <<how to pick a dehumidifier?>>

Here's what to take into account when you pick a dehumidifier.

Dehumidifiers are generally classified by the amount of water they can remove in 24 hours.

Small dehumidifier: 

Small dehumidifier units can take out about 25 to 40 pounds and moisture per day that's about the same as three to five gallons milk. consider this size if you're putting it in a smaller area with low humidity.

Medium and large dehumidifiers:  

Medium and large models that draw from 45 to 75 pounds water a day are well suited to basements and high humidity conditions definitely up for a larger one if you've got a wet carpet, wallpaper or musty smells in the room they all take up about the same footprint around a square foot. make sure to leave some space around it to allow for airflow usually about 12 to 14 inches from the wall.

Whole house dehumidifiers: 

there are also whole house dehumidifiers they claim to handle an area up to 3,000 square feet. some are portable while others can be hooked into your central heating or air conditioning system. if you place a dehumidifier in your basement noise might not be an issue but in Consumer Reports tests the units ranged from 50 decibels about the level of a typical box fan such too low to 68 decibels - equivalent a box fan set too high. Definitely a consideration if you plan to run it in living spaces.

<<whole home dehumidifier systems >>
In humid environment the bin can fill up in 8 to 12 hours and may need to be emptied by hand several times a day to save you the trouble. you can attach a hose to most dehumidifiers and divert the condensed water directly to a nearby drain. if you don't have a floor drain consider a model with a pump this one for instance can pump water upward up to 14 feet using a small tool that can run up the window or two utility sink. to find out how specific brands and models stack up in our readings check out full report on consumerreports.org

Meantime here's a look at the science behind Consumer reports Dehumidifier testing.

Dehumidifiers are placed in a sealed temperature and humidity control chamber that has brought it 80 degrees with 60% relative humidity first we assess capacity. technicians run the dehumidifiers continuously on the highest fan setting and gauge how much moisture is removed from the air in seven hours. because a new federal energy efficiency standards.

<<Dehumidifier Review >>  

 Most of the dehumidifiers in consumer reports latest test read very good or excellent for water removal that means newer models cost you less to operate than older ones.

The unit energy consumption is measured and factored into the overall score. look for an Energy Star rating when you buy these models will generally use 15% less energy to remove the same amount of moisture then we test for humidistat accuracy to see if the machine turns off when it reaches your desired setting we also make sure it turns back on when the humidity rises. some models in our test are only fairly accurate.

Consumer reports also test for dehumidifier noise using precision sound measuring instruments in a quiet chamber some models have fans that run continuously to stir the air even after the compressor shuts off affecting energy performance the fan typically uses about the same energy as a 60-watt incandescent bulb turned on. you won't find this information on the box so it's something Consumer reports test for and include in their ratings.

Most dehumidifiers have a frost Center to account for what might happen in a cool basement. we checked performance by lowering the chamber temperature to 50 degrees ideally if frosts forms on the coils the machine should automatically defrost then continue to work.

Dehumidifier features:

Some recommended dehumidifier features on the models Cutomerreprot.org tested include:

1. A digital display - which lets you program specific humidity levels.
2. Auto restart - in case of a blackout it turns the dehumidifier back on with the same settings, useful if you're not home.
3. Multiple fans piece let you adjust the operating speed of the unit based on the relative humidity of your space.
4. An external viewing slot lets you see the bins water level washable filters will help keep the coils clean look for a tank that's easy to slide in and out.
5. A handle makes it simpler to lift one full.
6. A timer allows you to run the unit while you're not home you can also 7-2 run during off-peak hours to save electricity
7. And finally wheels forecasters can help you maneuver a heavier model.

How to Naturally Dehumidify Your Home? <<dehumidifying a house naturally and Improve the Efficiency of a Dehumidifier>>

Even with a high-performing dehumidifier it's best to try and reduce moisture at the source naturally to improve dehumidifier efficiency.

Here are a few simple natural dehumidifying tips.

Natural dehumidifying Inside your house:

• When cooking cover steaming pot and turn on your exhaust fan.
• Make sure your clothes dryer duct is properly vented to the outside with no clogs or leaks.
• when you shower open the window or run the exhaust fan and wipe excess water from the shower door.
• If your basement wall gets damp you can apply a waterproof coating when they're dry and check the plumbing for leaks and condensation.

Natural dehumidifying Outside your house:

 Is rainwater collecting too close to your foundation?
 clean debris from your gutters and make sure the downspouts leave at least three feet away from your house.

For information and a full list devour dehumidifier ratings check out ConsumerReports.org. they are a not-for-profit and pay for all the items they test.

Best Dehumidifier Buying Guide