The problem of humidity and moisture is common in homes with basement and crawl spaces. It can also occur in other spaces in the home. Sometimes, there may not be noticeable signs of damp and increase humidity but yet, it is happening on the walls and floors of the home.
The indoor air which we breathe comes internally and not from outside of the home. Given this, the warm air in the basements and crawl spaces comes out from these spaces and gets to other spaces in the home. This is the problem with basements and crawl spaces because if the warm from them are not controlled, it can result in colossal bills if they get to other spaces.
In the same manner, cold air enters inside crawl spaces in your house. Researches have revealed that about forty percent of air entering our living room comes from crawl spaces. Thinking about everything that live inside the crawl space will definitely make you feel disgusted.
Basement dehumidifiers
The structural integrity of your house can be affected by high basement humidity and this can destroy your electrical installations resulting in fire outbreak. Fixtures and features in the house made from metal will begin to corrode while wooden items and features will rot. The floorboard in your living area will start creaking and bending. Damp spots and peeling paint will start appearing on your walls. These are some of the problems of high humidity in a basement.
The occurrence of any of these signs in your home is a clear indication that you will require a basement dehumidifier. If you want to shop for a basement dehumidifier, there are certain features that you should look out for in a basement dehumidifier. One of the major features which a good basement dehumidifier should have is the auto-defrost feature which shows the ability of the system to function when the temperature is quite low. Basements normally takes much floor space and they are cooler than other parts of the house.
Another important features to look out for when shopping for a basement dehumidifier is the capacity of the system that you will like to shop which is given in point. There are 30 and 70 pints capacity basement dehumidifiers. These show the amount of water the system is capable of extracting from the basement. A good basement dehumidifier should be able to extract enough pint of water from your home the air in a space of about 2,000 square feet. The humidistat is another important feature to look out for. This feature helps you to set the humidity level rightly or to the level that it will suit you.
Check the article on how to choose the basement dehumidifier in order to get tips that will help you choose the right size of dehumidifier.
Crawl space dehumidifier
There is no doubt that you will want to know the difference between basement dehumidifier and crawl space dehumidifier. The truth is that there isn’t any different between the two in terms of the function they perform. The major difference between the two is the place they are meant to be placed. As implicit from the name, Crawl space dehumidifier is designed to be placed in tight areas where the traditional dehumidifiers cannot perfectly fit. It performs the same function of removing water, damp musty odors and preventing mold and mildew from developing. Like basement dehumidifiers, they are available in a number of sizes and also differ in their capacity. There are different brands of crawl space dehumidifier which include DeZAir, Ebac and others.
Generally, the cubic feet of crawl spaces are lower than those of basement dehumidifier because of the lower ceiling height. This makes crawl dehumidifier to require more airflow and harder to dehumidify. This is because the low ceiling makes the circulation of air throughout the crawl space to require more air pressure. If you are trying to decide on the right size of crawl space dehumidifier suitable for you crawl space, we suggest about double the airflow. You should prevent the air outside from coming inside to increase the moisture by closing the vent windows. It is also advisable that you create a vapor barrier in order to lessen the amount of moisture that evaporates from the ground. This advice applies if your crawl space has a dirt floor. This explains why crawl dehumidifier sells at a higher price than basement dehumidifier.
Another difference between crawl space dehumidifiers and basement dehumidifiers is that basement dehumidifiers are normally available in horizontal design so that will be able to fit into tight spaces. Check the article on dehumidifier sizing in order to learn tips on how to find the right size of crawl space dehumidifier suitable for your home.
Summary
There isn’t any significant difference between crawl space and basement dehumidifiers in their functions as mentioned earlier. So, you shouldn’t worry about their difference in name. All you need to remember when purchasing your dehumidifier is to take the capacity into consideration as well as the dehumidifier’s ability to operate in a low temperatures.
Leave a Reply