- LLT Group Support
- allergies, dehumidifier, humid, humidity, Indoor Air Quality, mildew, mold, odor, seasonal
What is a Dehumidifier? Why do I need one for my home?
Types of Dehumidifiers
How to Choose the Perfect Dehumidifier
1. Moisture or Humidity Level
First, determine the moisture level in your space. The moisture or humidity level in your space refers to the amount of water vapor present in the air. This can vary from being moderately damp, very damp, wet, or extremely wet depending on the location or your situation. The moisture level is typically higher during spring and summer seasons because hot air tends to hold more water vapor. The dampness level of the environment is an important factor when picking the right dehumidifier pint size for excess water removal.
2. Room Area (Square Feet)
The next most important factor in determining the perfect dehumidifier is the size of your space. Dehumidifiers remove the excess water measured in pints per day, and the sizing of your room can impact the performance or moisture removal rate.
You can use this as a guide to help you classify the approximate size of your space:
- Dorm Rooms, Boats, RVs, Crawl Spaces, Attics
Small Spaces: Up to 1,500 sq. ft.
- Bedrooms, Apartments, Home Offices, Laundry Rooms
Medium Spaces: Up to 3,000 sq. ft.
- Laundry Rooms, Living Rooms, Bedrooms, Basements
Large Spaces: Up to 4,500 sq. ft.
- Basements, Garages, Whole House
3. Room Condition
The condition of your space can have a high impact on the type of dehumidifier you will need. Some environmental factors and questions you will need to ask yourself include:
- Are you experiencing musty odors? If so, how often?
- Is the air damp or humid?
- Are there any damp or wet spots in your space on the walls, ceilings, or floors?
- Is the floor wet?
- Are there any signs of mold or mildew?
Based on these 3 factors, here is our guide on how to choose the right dehumidifier:
4. Product Features
What features are important to you for your comfort and convenience?
Common product features for dehumidifiers include:
Continuous Drainage
Manually emptying a dehumidifier water bucket can become a hassle, especially if your designated space has high moisture levels. Many dehumidifiers have a continuous drainage feature where you can simply attach a garden hose and run it along any nearby floor drain for easy, no maintenance moisture removal.
Built-in Pump
If you want the option of continuous drainage but do not have access to a floor drain, look for dehumidifier models with a built-in pump! A pump will eject the moisture collected in the water bucket, up to 16’ of vertical distance. Simply set the end of the included hose in a sink or out a window and the pump will do the rest.
Digital Humidistats and Various Modes
Digital humidistats on dehumidifiers can help with precise humidity control to easily achieve a healthy humidity level of 30%-50%.
Programmable Timer
With built-in timers, you can customize when you would like your dehumidifier to operate. Typically, you can set these timers between 1-24 hours.
Automatic Defrost
For a prolonged product life, some dehumidifiers include an internal evaporator that will automatically defrost to prevent it from freezing
Bucket Full Indicator
This feature will automatically shut off the dehumidifier and turn on an indicator light when the bucket is full of water and needs to emptied. This feature allows the convenience of not having to manually check website the bucket and provides safety and product protection from any damage.
Eco-Friendly Filters
Most dehumidifiers include filters that are washable and reusable. This eliminates the burden and cost of replacements, and helps the environment by reducing waste. Many dehumidifier models also include a filter indicator light that will notify you when the filter needs to be cleaned so you don’t have to manually pull out the filter and check.
Quiet Operation
If you plan to keep your dehumidifier in your living or bedroom, you might want to consider purchasing a dehumidifier with whisper quiet operation. Quiet operation dehumidifiers do not produce disturbing sounds or noises, so you can enjoy peace and silence while the excess moisture is being removed from your space!
