Dehumidifiers: One for Every Situation

Excessive amounts of humidity can feel extremely uncomfortable. When the levels of humidity are high in your home, ad250 it can make rooms feel stuffy and perhaps even smell musty. Besides stuffiness and mustiness, an overly humid home can lose its structural integrity, attract pests like silverfish and centipedes and even make you sick.

Dehumidifiers remove excess moisture from the air to improve the comfort and health of your home. There are many different types to help remove moisture in a variety of environments. They vary in the type of technology they use and how many pints of moisture they can remove in 24 hours.


Mechanical

With a Compressor Technology: These dehumidifiers are the most commonly used. Some are very similar to air conditioners, and utilize compressors to remove excess moisture , except they have hot and cold coils inside the same box. A fan that collects air from the surrounding area and pulls it into the dehumidifier. As the air passes through, it comes into contact with the dehumidifier's cooled coils. The coils use condensation to pull moisture from the air. The collected moisture remains on the coils and drips into the dehumidifier's reservoir. Then the air is reheated and exhausted back into the room.

With Thermo-Electric Technology: Mechanical dehumidifiers can also utilize thermo-electric technology to lessen the amount of humidity. Instead of coils, an electric current passes through two dissimilar metals which transfer heat. There are no moving parts when thermo-electric peltiers are used, so the fan is the only component that makes noise. This makes them perfect for smaller, noise-sensitive environments even though they aren't as energy efficient as compressor units.


Desiccant

These dehumidifiers use neither a compressor nor thermo-electric peltiers to reduce humidity levels. They pull in air and pass it over a desiccant material such as a silica gel, which naturally absorbs moisture. The air doesn't need to be cooled before being dehumidified and they are perfect for sub-zero conditions. Desiccant dehumidifiers complement mechanical units well or can be used on their own in environments with relatively low humidity levels.


Portable Dehumidifiers

When you need more dehumidification in one part of your home than others, portable dehumidifiers are the way to go. These lightweight units are extremely maneuverable and ideal for homes with stairs. They often come with long power cords so they can be used anywhere and sometimes have a built-in humidistat that helps you gauge relative humidity in each room.


Whole Home Dehumidifiers

A lot of research should be done before purchasing a whole home dehumidifier. They require higher purchase prices and proper maintenance, but are more than worth it if you find an appropriate unit in terms of size and functionality. They protect your home from mold, mildew, rust, cracking and warping and can also preserve objects like furniture and artwork. These are high capacity units that can remove up to 100 pints of water per day.


Basement Dehumidifiers

Basements are the most susceptible area in your home to mold and high humidity. Sometimes a portable unit is sufficient, but basement dehumidifiers are designed especially for basement conditions. Some even have direct drain-off hoses to eliminate the need to run up and down the stairs making sure the water tank isn't full.

For more facts about the different types of dehumidifiers or to browse a wide selection of models, feel free to visit Air Conditioner Home.