How to Choose a Dehumidifier

If you are trying to prevent mold in your residential or commercial building, it is wise to invest in a good dehumidifier. If you’ve never looked at dehumidifiers, you may not know what you need. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of dehumidifier options to help you choose the one that is best for your situation.

Price: If you are investing in a large, commercial dehumidifier, the cost can reach $1,000 or more. However, the typical in-home dehumidifier costs anywhere from $40 to $300. It is true that you get what you pay for when choosing a dehumidifier. If you’re looking to eliminate mold risk, it’s better to spend a couple hundred dollars at least.
Size: To understand how big of a dehumidifier you’ll need to successfully dehumidify, you’ll need to know the square footage of the area and the relative humidity already present. You may want to buy one that is bigger than recommended to err on the side of caution. Some dehumidifiers are meant for whole-home use, but others can only handle a small room.
Output Bin: If you have a small output bin and humid conditions, you’re going to have to dump your dehumidifier often. Larger bins will need this less frequently.
Drainage System: You don’t have to rely on an output bin, and many dehumidifiers come equipped with drainage systems. They can run continuously without ever needing to be dumped.
Humidistat: In order to remove mold risk, you must get your relative humidity below 60 percent. You have no way of knowing your humidity if you don’t have a humidistat. If you already have a separate device to measure humidity, you don’t need one on your dehumidifier.
Durability: You want to check out some reviews or talk to an expert prior to purchasing a dehumidifier to make sure you are buying a dehumidifier that will last. Some have cheap parts or tend to freeze up. Others have short cords that make them inconvenient.
Noise: Just like you don’t want to have to have kitchen appliances drowning out your voice, you don’t want a noisy dehumidifier. Buy quiet, and enjoy the countless hours that you may spend with your dehumidifier turned on.
Multipurpose: Lastly, there are multi-purpose dehumidifiers and air purifiers. Air purification systems will clear mold spores from the air and improve indoor air quality.

When you are out looking for a new dehumidifier, there are many things to consider. It isn’t a purchase that you make everyday, so make sure you look at the specifications of each model.