Choosing the right size of dehumidifier

Are you trying to get rid of the molds around your house? Is your basement walls peeling and ceilings patchy? Wondering which would be the best basement dehumidifier? Or are you wondering what size dehumidifier for the basement is ideal? These are some of the thoughts, running through the mind of every man, when faced with the choice of purchasing a dehumidifier.

We’ve all heard the sayings like “great things come in small packages or the bigger the better”. However, none of this applies in the case of dehumidifiers. When selecting a dehumidifier, always remember that the physical attribute of a unit is the last point for consideration. Instead the capacity or its effectiveness at removing the excess atmospheric moisture should be the primary deciding factor.

Hence, in this article I’m going to give you two main pointers on selecting the right size of dehumidifier suited your needs.

Rule 1: The capacity!

As I said, size in relation to a dehumidifier is not its physical dimensions but rather the capacity of the unit. The capacity of the unit is determined by the quantity of atmospheric moisture (measured in pints) removed within a twenty four hour time period. Some units with large capacities may look to be more on the bulkier side, but this is not the case for all models of dehumidifiers.

Rule 2: What is the measurement of your home?

A dehumidifier’s capacity is always measured with regard to the area or space it dehumidifies. Hence, when selecting a whole basement dehumidifier the first thing to be aware of is the total area or space requiring dehumidification and how to calculate it. Everyone who follows elementary mathematics can quickly calculate the area using the standard formulae.

The simple equation to follow for calculating the area is the length of the room multiplied by its breadth. Hence if your basement was to measure 50 feet in length and 10 feet in width, the total space to dehumidify would be an area of 500 square feet.

However, in some cases, a point to note is the height of the room. While measuring for the purpose of dehumidification, the height of the room may also need to be included in the equation as the process of dehumidification is not just restricted to the floor space, but for the whole room.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) has come up with a dehumidifier sizing table to improve our understanding about the correlation of the capacity of the dehumidifier in relation to the measurements of your basement. I have given the table below.

AHAM measurements in reality!

Although the numbers mentioned above are as per AHAM’s calculation, in real life there is a slight difference. For instance consider the example of a dehumidifier easily available in the commercial market like a 30 pint unit.Ideally they are suitable only for a house measuring 2,000 square feet and which has mild to moderate dampness.

But, if dehumidifying the basement is the area of target, a model of 30 pint capacity is not sufficient. This is owing to the increased humidity content or dampness within the basement when compared to other areas of the house. Hence for a basement or a crawl space with a 1,500 square feet measurement, the optimal model of dehumidifier will be one with a 30 pint capacity.

Similarly the capacity of the unit should increase in direct proportion to the increase in area. For instance a dehumidifier with a capacity of 40 to 50 pint falls in the mid ranges; meaning they are ideal for spaces measuring up to 2000 square feet.

The largest among the basement dehumidifier systems are those that can absorb over 60 to 70 pints of moisture within a day. These systems are also ideal for homes, crawl spaces or basements which are larger than 2,000 square feet, regardless of the intensity or degree of humidity.

Lastly!

The important point to bear in mind in when choosing the unit is the amount of moisture within the atmosphere. All of these units are ideal provided the basement exhibits clear symptoms of excessive moisture. To recap, the three main signs of increased humidity are stale or musty smelling rooms, dampness stained surroundings and presence of molds or mildew.

As always there are a few other non significant factors also to be borne in mind during your selection and these include aspects like total number of individuals occupying the house, the speed of the fan and the extent of damages.

To summarize, always remember that the area of your space and the capacity of a unit are the primary factors that determine the answer to the question what size dehumidifier for the basement do I require?”

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