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What factors should be considered when choosing the capacity of a dehumidifier

High humidity one of the biggest threats to your home and your belongings value. The humidity levels vary throughout the year depending on the different seasons. Homeowners with basements or crawl space understand these spaces have lots of humidity problems. 

Crawl spaces and basement are mostly built completely of partially underground. This makes them cooler and less air circulation. This makes most of these spaces damp and stuffy.

Here are some of the signs of high humidity in the crawl space or basement:

  •  Dampness and musty odors.
  •  Mold and mildew growing on items in the space.
  • Increased mold and strains on the walls and floor.
  • Wood rot in the space.
  • Structure destruction of the foundation like cracks.

You can also buy a hydrometer to measure the exact humidity levels in the basement or the crawl space

If you can spot any of the above sign of high humidity, you buy a BaseAire dehumidifier!

A dehumidifier regulates the levels of humidity in the air in the basement. Dehumidifiers pull the moist air from the basement. The air is then directed over coolant-filled coils that condense the moisture. The dry air is then directed out of the dehumidifier back into the basement. This process is repeated till the overall level of humidity in the basement or crawl space are at 50%.

What are the sources of high humidity in the crawl space and basement?

  • Activities in the house – research has proven household activities like cooking, laundry or showers can produce over 2 liters of water vapor. This moist air is dense and heavy. This mean air will automatically be lowered to the lower rooms like the basement.
  • Diffusion through the material – this problem is most common in crawlspaces and basements. Moisture enters the basement by diffusion from the soil, by air leakage via unmaintained vents or joints and cracks in the basement floor and walls or by flooding and water drainage problems.
  • Plumbing leaks – it is important to have all your plumbing maintained and checked often.
  • Construction moisture – this mostly affects newly built houses or recently renovated rooms. Most houses are built from lumber that is normal concrete which requires lots of water and numerous other construction products. This moisture escapes into the house as the concrete dries gradually.

 

How to choose the right size of dehumidifier?

When choosing the right dehumidifier, you should consider the following factors?

  1. The area size to be dehumidified – the capacity of any dehumidifier is the amount of moisture (measured in pints) extracted in a span of 24 hours.

This means that smaller capacity dehumidifiers are only ideal to remove moisture in smaller rooms. It therefore important to ensure you buy a dehumidifier whose capacity is directly correlated to the square feet of the house.

Here is a simple guide from the association of home appliance manufacturers (AHAM) for the recommended dehumidifier’s capacity to house size.

AHAM dehumidifier sizing buying guidelines: room size versus current dehumidifier

The condition of the basement

1500 Sq. Ft.

2000 Sq. Ft.

2500 Sq. Ft.

3000 Sq. Ft.

4000 Sq. Ft.

Moderately damp room with a musty smell.

55/90/90X

90/90X

100X

120X

140X

Very moist room with damp stains on the floor and walls.

55/90/90X

90/90X

100X

120X

140X

Very wet room with clear wet walls and floor.

55/90/90X

90/90X/100X

100X/120X

120X/140X

140X

Extremely wet room with puddles of water on the floor and dripping water on the walls

90/90X

100X

120X

140X

140X

 

  1. Airflow volume of the dehumidifier – you can choose a dehumidifier depending on the amount of air it is able to clean at a period of time.

Dehumidifier measures this in cubic feet per minute (CFM). The recommended CFM is calculated based on the level of humidity in the house and the square footage of the house.

Air changes per hour (ACH) refer to the number of times the air should cycle through the dehumidifier to decrease the level of humidity in the room.

The recommended ACH levels according to the humidity level are:

  • 60 – 70 %( damp air) – This is the normal humidity level in most crawl spaces and basements. The ACH = 3
  • 70-80 %( very damp air) – The room has visible moisture drains on the floor and walls. The ACH = 4
  • 80 – 90% (Wet air) – Visible wet spots on the walls and floor. The ACH = 5
  • 90-100 %( Very wet air) – Puddles of water can be seen clearly on the floor. The ACH = 6

On most dehumidifiers, you find their Air changes per hour (ACH) values clearly indicated.

Note: it is important to ensure your basement or crawl space is tightly air sealed to ensure moist outside air does not end up in the basement. if more moist air is able to get into space it would render the dehumidifier unless.

Want To Learn More?

Control the humidity levels anywhere inside your home with BaseAire products.

Whether you're located in the Atlantic coastline states, the central states, or the Pacific coastline states, humidity remains an important factor in our daily lives.
The humidity levels change throughout the year depending on different seasons changing. You will never see the increase in humidity, but you will feel it.
Most warm regions, especially along the coastline, are known to have high moisture and humidity levels.
High humidity is not only the biggest threat to the structural integrity of your home, but it can also affect your household belongings and physical health.
At BaseAire, we show our dedication to helping you control the humidity level in your home and commercial workplace by offering a variety of dehumidifiers, different in:

- Capacity
- Size
- Airflow capabilities

Our specifically designed dehumidifiers will:

- Decrease the humidity level to below 50%
- Eradicate mold, mildew, and dust mite infestation
- Cleanse the indoor air of any mold spores, odor, and other impurities
- Reduce allergy triggers

The effects of high humidity:

i. High humidity levels in your home will make it feel warmer and stuffier.
ii. Increased humidity will make your home the perfect environment for mold, mildew, and dust mite growth! Known as some of the most common allergy triggers, this can cause health issues.
iii. Skin allergies.
iv. Wood warping – since wood can absorb some of the excess moisture, this makes the wood warp, causing wooden floors to feel uneven as well as wooden doors and windows not closing properly.
v. Appliance failure – in your home, if the excess moisture can condense inside the appliances, this can cause fluid damage to said appliances.
vi. Wallpaper and paint will peel within a space with excess humidity.
vii. Wood rot – wet wood provides the perfect place for fungi growth which causes the wood to rot at an accelerated rate.
Repairing the appliances or replacing the rotting wood can be expensive for many homeowners, hence the importance of a BaseAire dehumidifier.

Common signs of high humidity in the house:

You can easily determine the humidity levels of your home using a hygrometer. But if you do not have access to one, here are some of the signs that show the presence of high humidity in your home:

- Constant reoccurring condensation on window planes and glass doors, especially in the morning.
- Water spots on the walls and ceiling.
- Black mold growth on the walls or ceiling.

In heavily moisturized spaces, like the basement, you will see condensed water on the walls or floor.

How does a dehumidifier work?

Dehumidifiers are electric appliances that extract excess humidity from the air.
We designed our dehumidifiers to pull the air from the house into the unit where it then passes over a series of coolant coils that condense the excess moisture. This removes odor, mold spores, and other impurities from the air. The unit then collects condensed water in a collection tray or pumped out of the unit depending on the model of BaseAire dehumidifier you buy.
The air is then warmed up and pumped out of the dehumidifier back into the room. This process repeats until the relative humidity level of the space lowers below the set level.

Why should you invest in a BaseAire dehumidifier today?

We have a wide variety of dehumidifiers designed for residential and commercial use. Our engineers have gone a step further, designing need-specific dehumidifiers for the basement, crawlspace, garage, office, and storage room. BaseAire dehumidifiers will lower the humidity levels in your home, making it impossible for harmful allergens like mold, mildew, and dust mites to grow. So, if a customer needs a humidity issue in their home fixed, our dehumidifiers will exceed their expectations. Improve your indoor air quality today! Speak to us about your humidity issues and our water damage & restoration experts will help pick the right dehumidifier for you