As the name suggests, the best dehumidifier is a household appliance that removes excess moisture from the air in the environment where it is kept. In other words, it reduces the humidity of the room where it is kept for comfort or health reasons. By reducing the amount of moisture in the air, the appliance helps to eliminate musty odor. Just like other appliances, it is available in a number of sizes. There are commercial grade sizes used in the commercial establishments and also home grade dehumidifiers used in the homes.
There are today many brands and models of dehumidifiers in the market. Some brands and their models are known for their superior performance and better features than others. Though the basic operating features of dehumidifiers are the same, some products come with better features than others. There are some products that gets rid of excess moisture in the liquid form while there are some that removes them in the form of vapor. As with other home appliances the energy efficiency of dehumidifiers are not the same. Some products consume little or no energy while some consume more energy. So, when it is time for you to buy one, it is advisable that you look for a superior product with useful features, impressive functionality and better energy consumption rate. Using dehumidifier in your home will give you a lot of energy. Here are some of the benefits that you should obtain if you have a dehumidifier in your home or office.
Refer here if you are looking for a best dehumidifier for your basement.
The benefits of using the best basement dehumidifier
Dehumidifying your home or office is very important for a number of reasons. Human beings are terrestrial animals and do not need a highly humidified environment to survive even though their bodies are up to 60 percent liquid. Thus, high humidity in the air around our homes and rooms can result in a number of health problems. High humidity creates a favorable environment for bacteria, mites, viruses, fungi and some other microorganisms to develop. Some of these microorganisms are diseases causing organisms. Thus, living in a highly humidify environment exposes you to infection. Besides, high humidity can cause your clothes to become moldy. It can affect optical equipment, computers and wood materials. From the above, you can see why it is important that you have a dehumidifier in your home especially if you are living in an area with relative humidity more than 60 percent. In the light of the above, owing a dehumidifier will give you the following benefits.
It helps to frustrate the development of allergy triggers as well as disease causing microorganism like mold, mildew and dust mites. As mention above, these microorganisms survive in areas with moist. They can cause allergies and symptoms like asthma, skin rashes and other irritations, stuffy nose, sneezing, wheezing or difficulty breathing, itchy and watery eyes and stuffy nose. By reducing the level of humidity in your home, the device makes your home less hospitable and unfavorable for the survival of these microorganism.
Let list down some more points:
- Dehumidifiers operate quietly without causing any disturbance or distraction in your life or the life of people around you.
- Installing the appliance in your home is a veritable means of reducing odor, musty and rusty smell caused by mold and mildew.
- It eliminates or reduces the possibility of mold developing on your clothes, books, furniture or wood items.
- It helps you to breathe in clean air and easier, eliminating the irritation of the respiratory system and of the skin.
- It makes you feel comfortable in your office or home.
- Having less moist in your environment will help to preserve your foods such as breads, cereals and the likes as they will not be exposed to mold or get stale. It will also make your clothes to dry quickly. Your computer and other electronics including wooden and metal materials and furniture will not become rust or corrode.
- It reduces your cleaning task because it is capable of sucking dust together with the moisture. In other words, your home will remain clean.
- High humidity in a home makes your air conditioner to work harder because it has double function of cooling and removing moisture to do. This will increase your energy bill because the harder your air conditioner works, the more energy it consumes. Also doing multiple tasks puts more pressure on your air conditioner and this means that it will wear down easily.
Who needs a basement dehumidifier?
Though a basement dehumidifier is a very important home device but it is not everybody that should have it. In other words, there are homes or offices where dehumidifier should not be kept while there are homes or offices where it is a must have. The question that should be answered here is who needs a dehumidifier. Any person that lives in a place with high humidity should have a dehumidifier. The problem most people are having is to know if the humidity of their homes is higher than normal. Below are signs that you need a dehumidifier.
1. Having condensation on your window and patio door
One of the signs that indicates high humidity in a home is the presence of vapor or something like a fog on the glass in a home or condensation on the interior glass as well as water beading on a window. If you notice this signs in your home, it is an indication that your home’s humidity is very high. If you allow the condensation to continue, the wooden or metal casing as the case may be of your window sill will begin to rot. If you are having this sign in your home, what you need is a dehumidifier and not a humidifier. So, you have to turn it off and put on a dehumidifier.
2. Mold spots on ceiling or corners of the walls
Mold can only survive in moist environment. So, if you notice mold or mildew spots on the corners of your walls or ceiling, it means that the humidity of your home is high and allows for the survival of molds. You will need a dehumidifier in order to suck excess moisture and kill the mold.
3. Musty smell or odor
You will definitely have to install a dehumidifier in your home if you perceive musty odor in your garage, basements, entrances and crawl spaces. Musty smell indicates the presence of mold in your home even if their physical presence has not been manifested. It has started developing and you have to stop that by installing a dehumidifier in your home.
4. Recurring spring water run-off dampness
The humidity of your home is definitely high if you experience spring ground water dampness on regular basis in your home. So, you will need a dehumidifier in order to eliminate excess water from your home.
5. Mold spores or small black spots in areas with high humidity such as shower or bathtub or their presence on the walls
If you notice the presence of mold spores on your wall, bathtub or shower, you will need a dehumidifier because it is a sign that the humidity of your home is high.
6. Occupants of apartments
Those living in apartments will also require a dehumidifier owing to the fact that mildew and mold spores can develop in the walls between apartments or move through ventilation systems. Your home may be clean but you’re vulnerable to these allergens coming from the other apartments around.
How does a dehumidifier work?
A basement dehumidifier works in similar way with a vacuum cleaner. The device pulls the air in your home into its system, extract the moist in it and then releases the air back in your home making it to be less humidified. A dehumidifier comes with a collection tank where the moist is pushed to. You have to empty the tank when it is filled up. But the moisture in the air suck by the dehumidifier goes through some process before it is removed. Here are the process through which it is removed from the air.
The appliance uses the same process like a refrigerator to cool the air in order to eliminate excess wet from it. It can also rid the air of moisture by absorption or adsorption.
1. Refrigeration process
The appliance has a grille on its one side through which warm, moist is pulled into the system. The electric fan in the system pulls the air inward. The air which travels through a coolant circulates over a freezing cold pipes. The cooling of the air changes the moist it contains in liquid water which is pushed out of the system through the pipes into the collection tank at the rear side of the machine. The dehumidified air will be moved through a heating element which works in a similar manner with the fan heater in order to bring it back to it initial temperature. There is another grille at another side of the dehumidify through which the warm air is pushed out to the room again. The process will continue. If the collection tank is filled up, there is a plastic float in the machine that rises up as the level of water in the tank rises up. The plastic float will trip an electric switch when the reservoir is filled. The fan will be turned off and the indicator light will be switched on as the float trips the electric switch. In this way, you will know when it is time to empty the tank.
2. Absorption/adsorption process
There are some dehumidifiers that works by adsorption or absorption. This process is different from refrigeration process. The system pulls in the moist air through its duct. The system has a large rotating wheel which is created with a material that is able to absorb water. The moist air travels through this wheel. The system comes with fan powered by an electric motor. The fan pulls the air which is pushed out of the system into the room again. This type of dehumidifier comes with an electric heating element that keeps the air duct underneath hot. The wheel that absorbs moisture keeps rotating via the heated airspace with the hot air passing it in order to be dried. The dry air is blown out through the exhaust duct by the fan and electric motor that works in similar manner like the fan described above in the refrigerator process.
The system comes with a thermostat that enables users determine how hot or dry they want their air to be.
3. The components of a dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is a system that comprises different components. These components work together for the system to perform effectively. Here are the important components of a dehumidifier.
Re-heater: This is the part that traps heat generated by the cooling process.
Fan Compressor: This part helps in cooling the coils of the dehumidifier by compressing and expanding the refrigerant gas.
Reservoir: This is a tank where the moist extracted from the air drips into.
Compressor cooling coils: It is the part that pulls moisture from the air using condensation. The moist extracted from the air will be dripping into the reservoir of the dehumidifier from the coils.
Humidistat: This may not be available in all products but many dehumidifiers have it. It is the part that makes it possible for users to set relative humidity to the level they want.
The difference between dehumidifier and humidifier
Dehumidifiers and humidifiers are not the same as they perform different functions which are contrary to each other. Here are the basic differences between them.
Dehumidifier reduces the moist in the surrounding air in your home while the humidifier does the contrary. The former is used during warm and humid climate while the latter is used during winter or when the air is dry and cold. Dehumidifier is normally installed in places with relative humidity higher than 50 percent while a humidifier is used in places with relative humidity less than 35 percent. In other words, a humidifier is placed in areas with low relative humidity while a dehumidifier is placed in areas with high relative humidity. Humidifier is utilized in order to moisten dry skin and nasal passages which common cold has dried up. But dehumidifier on the other hand is used to eliminate mold, mildew, dust mites and other allergen triggers in order to alleviate allergen.
Types of dehumidifier
As mentioned above, dehumidifiers are available in a number of types. They include the following.
Mechanical/refrigeration dehumidifier: This type of dehumidifier comes with refrigerated coils that cools the air and trap moist in the air. The moist that collects on the coil drips into the reservoir. This type of dehumidifier is the most common type. It sucks warm air using a small fan. It is most suitable for use in areas where the air temperature is higher than 65 degrees F and where the relative humidity is above 45 percent.
Absorption dehumidifier: This type of dehumidifier is also known as desiccant dehumidifier. It makes use of desiccants rotated through a heated air field on the belt to absorb moisture from the air. Desiccant dehumidifiers are suitable in areas where the temperature is low and the relative humidity is high. They are the also suitable for industrial processes as they are able to reduce the humidity below 35 percent.
Electronic dehumidifier (Peltier dehumidifier): This type of dehumidifier creates a cool surface where condensation can pull moisture from the air using a Peltier heat pump. The advantage of electronic dehumidifier is that it offers outstanding quiet operation owing to the absence of moving parts. But its efficiency rating is low. Given this, it can be used in restricted and small areas.
Ionic membrane: This is a type of dehumidifier used for fuel cells, chemical engineering and water filter.
Makeshift: Air conditioners can temporary be used as dehumidifiers since they remove moisture from the air. The major difference between air conditioners and dehumidifier is that air conditioners do not release warm air. The make use of the same process but they do not reheat the air to its initial temperature.
Ideal spot for a dehumidifier
If you have a dehumidifier, it is important that you place it at the right spot so that it will operate finely and deliver the best result. The ideal spots to place a dehumidifier include the laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, indoor pool areas, crawl spaces, garages and other areas that have moist problems. But nowadays, owing to improvement in technology, there are dehumidifiers that can be placed at any spot including warehouses, living rooms and bedrooms.
1. How to choose the right dehumidifier
If you are looking to buy a dehumidifier, it is important that you choose the right dehumidifier. The right dehumidifier is always one that offers alluring performance, getting rid of excess moist in the air of the area where it is kept. It also means choosing the right size for the space you want to dehumidify. In order to to choose the right dehumidifier, there are a number of factors that you should put into consideration. Here are some of the factors to consider.
2. The size of the area for the best dehumidifier
The size of the area that you will like to dehumidify is a very important factor to consider when it is time for you to buy a dehumidifier because the products are available in a number of sizes. The size of the dehumidifier determines its capacity and the dimension of the place where it will be kept. If the area that you want to dehumidify is small, then you should go for a small size and if the area is large, you should go for a large size. There is no need buying a big size dehumidifier for a small area. It will amount to a waste of money since big size dehumidifiers will cost more. If you are living in an area with high humidity, you may consider buying a whole-house models since you will have a need to dehumidify your entire home.
3. Consider brand and model
As with other home appliances, there are different brands of dehumidifiers and each brand has different models of their products. When it is time for you to buy one, it is recommendable that you choose a product of a reliable brand and a model that boasts of impressive performance. Some brands are more reliable than others and are known for quality products. Buy the products of such brands because they are more likely going to be superior quality.
4. Take time to read the reviews of previous consumers
Before you choose any product, it is advisable that you first read the reviews of the products to know more about it and its features and also the reviews and comments of previous consumers. From these reviews, you will be able to distinguish between inferior products and quality products.
5. Consider cost
Cost here is not only the purchase cost but also the operating cost. Some models of dehumidifiers are more energy efficient and thus cost less to operate than others. There are also some models that may require more maintenance than others. These models are more costly to operate and maintain and thus will cost you more. As a rule of the thumb, look for a quality product that will not cost you much money to operate or to maintain.
6. Consider the humidity condition of your area
The humidity condition of your locality will determine the capacity of the dehumidifier that you should buy. If you are living in an area with very high humidity level, you should consider going for a type that is capable of removing 16 pints of water from the surrounding air of an area of 500 square feet. For additional square feet of 500 in any area, you should add 7 pints to the 16 pints.
7. Buy from a reliable sources
Whether you are buying online or offline, it is advisable that you buy from a reliable sources. Good and trustworthy sellers sell quality products and do not remove any parts from it. But unreliable and dubious sellers sell fake products and remove important parts from the product and replace them with fake ones.
Conclusion
A Dehumidifier is a must-have home appliances for homes and offices in an area with high humidity level or areas with damp problems. Using the best dehumidifier to remove excess moist from the air of the surrounding environment is very important as it gives a lot of benefits both health and architecture benefits. It protects your building from the effect of mold and protects you from allergy triggers. As it is available in a number of sizes and types, make sure that you buy a suitable size and a super grade type whenever it is time for you to buy one.
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