Tips on Choosing the Right Dehumidifier for your Home
If you have noticed that the air inside your home feels stuffy, or that you smell a musty odor and no amount of cleaning seems to eliminate that odor, then it is time for you to consider how to lower the indoor humidity you have.
To put it another way, lowering the humidity levels in your home is the only way you are going to get rid of the excess moisture in the air. The condensation on your windows and the wet spots on your walls and ceiling are present because of the moisture in the air. Of course, lowering the moisture level will improve your situation. Therefore, you need to pay attention for choosing the right dehumidifier for your home.
The Benefits of Controlling Humidity Levels
Obviously, you realize that when you buy a dehumidifier for your home you will improve the air quality. However, you might not know that using a dehumidifier can make your house last longer. Also, using one of these devices can reduce the number of viruses your family is made sick by.
When the humidity level is controlled you will also save money on utility costs. In fact, most people who have dehumidifiers in their homes say that they keep their thermostats set on higher temperatures than they did before. In addition to the lowering of the thermostat settings, homes with dehumidifiers use fewer fans, ceiling fans, and extra cooling sources.
Some of the other benefits to humidity control are:
- Prevention of mold and mildew growth
- Reduction of dust mites and dust bunnies
- Less condensation on windows means less window cleaning
- You will have fewer watermarks left on tables by glasses of drink
Choosing the Right Dehumidifier for Your Home
Once you have decided that you do want a dehumidifier unit in your home you have to decide what size unit to purchase. You do not want a unit that is too big for fear that you will remove too much moisture from the air. You also do not want a unit that is too small, because, the device will not be able to remove enough moisture.
25 – 40 Pint Unit
The dehumidifiers that are labeled as having a 25 to 40-pint capacity are the perfect size for small rooms. For example, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and storage pantries are small rooms.
These units are meant to be operated for short periods of time, such as a few hours in the afternoon on, particularly hot and humid days.
We recommend Vremi 30 Pint Dehumidifier
40 – 59 Pint Unit
The units that are capable of a 40 – 59 pint capacity are better suited for medium-sized areas in your home, such as, bedrooms, small dens, or office areas. You would also use this size unit if the moisture levels are extremely high in a room. People who live in the Southern states, such as Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi would most likely buy this size unit even if they were placing it in a medium room like a bathroom or laundry room.
We recommend hOmeLabs 50 Pint Dehumidifier
60 Pint or Larger
A unit that can handle 60 points or more is perfect for larger rooms. For instance, living rooms, dens, basements, and kitchens.
There are dehumidifiers that are specifically designed to handle the heavy concentrations of moisture found in areas like basements. These specially designed units can handle larger volumes of moisture, and consequently, they are designed to run longer than the smaller units are.
We recommend Danby 60-Pint Dehumidifier
Whole House Units
The units that are designed to maintain the perfect humidity levels in your entire house are best if you live in one of those high humidity states. If you live close to the Gulf of Mexico, then you know that the humidity is usually 80% or more. Of course, people in areas that have that much humidity will want their entire house to be controlled by one unit.
We Recommend Frigidaire 70 Pint Dehumidifier
Removing Too Much Humidity
On one hand, too much humidity can make you miserable, and increase allergens in your home. On the other hand, too little moisture can cause you to be uncomfortable, have nosebleeds, headaches, and other problems.
You want to have a hygrometer so you can accurately measure the humidity in your air. These devices are usually less than twenty dollars and are available at most hardware stores.
Generally, if your humidity level is between 35% and 50% you will be comfortable.
Final Thoughts
The humidity levels inside our homes determine how comfortable we are. High humidity is more frequent in the summer months, unless, you live in the deep south where the humidity levels are almost always high.
Keeping the moisture levels down helps you to keep the room temperatures comfortable without running your air conditioner on a costly setting. It also helps keep you from losing your temper so quickly or being irritable. So, choosing the right size dehumidifier is quite important to get better results.
In conclusion, lower humidity means more smiles on your family’s faces.