Dehumidifiers are getting more and more popular each day and there are often discussions like what’s the best dehumidifier for crawl space, what’s the best dehumidifier for big open spaces… People seem to need them more and more with the number of respiratory illnesses growing, with the climate that we are battling with and the number of humidity-loving bugs as well.
So let’s go over some educational topics about how a dehumidifier may be beneficial for your home, and then we’ll move on and present some gadgets to you. In the end, we’ll inform you on the many topics related to the products.
The idea is that you find out a bit about them and that you have a clear image about what the buying process looks like. Let’s dive right into the beginning.
How Will A Crawl Space Dehumidifier Help?
Crawlspaces are ideal for bacteria, fungi, mold, and mildew. Why? Because they often aren’t cleaned as often and they’re exposed to water significantly more than other parts of the house. Because of that, you will often find that your walls can get very wet and the content of the room may be exposed to something harmful as well.
Improper ventilation, bad drainage systems, and poor build-quality are just a few of the things that can additionally add to the bad state of the room.
Getting a dehumidifier certainly helps because you’re removing the main cause of the issue: the water. If the area is dry and the air doesn’t bring the water through the room, you’ll be avoiding the long-term exposure consequences: mold, deteriorating, health issues of those who are in the room.
Best Crawl Space Dehumidifiers
AlorAir Sentinel HDi90 Basement/Crawlspace Dehumidifiers
The first dehumidifier we’re talking about is this powerful gadget from AlorAir. It works well thanks to the Hot Gas Valve Defrosting process that makes the dehumidifier powerful even when it’s operating at low temperatures.
The unit can work without stopping for a long time, and you can also work with the period stopping a process that helps you to save energy and make your energy bill lower.
The internal corrosion protection will save your unit from the possible injuries going on, especially related to freon leakage. The Epoxy coating will save you some money, that’s for sure.
This is one of the rare models that can be controlled with a remote, but you’ll have to buy it on its own because it does not come in the package. You’re getting a 5-year warranty that will make sure all of your worries are resolved.
This bad boy will cover up to 2600 square feet and it comes with a 5 m drain pipe, which means that you do not have to mess around with a tray. There are 4 adjustable wheels that make the thing portable so you can move it around easily.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Heavy Duty Condensate Pumps | Pumps often have serious issues such as overheating, detection failure, and rusting. Luckily, our engineers have developed a pump that is much more reliable. |
| Epoxy Powder Coating on Coils | To avoid Freon leakage, a fatal flaw for a dehumidifier, AlorAir has introduced epoxy coated coils. |
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Dri-Eaz PHD 200 Commercial Dehumidifier
Now we’re talking about a dehumidifier that does a good job both in your house and your company and it can remove up to 15 gallons of moisture per day! It doesn’t have to be switched off, which means that you can leave it working in the office at all times and you don’t have to worry.
The control panel is easy to use and it’s more than visible at night as well because it has a backlight feature. You just set the humidistat anywhere between 40 and 90 and you should usually aim for about 50%. This dehumidifier is also fantastic because you can set the goal temperature and use the dehumidifier for one more thing.
If the power ever goes down, this machine will start to work again on its own. You are also getting mounting accessories in order to put it up if you need it, but you can keep it on the floor as well. You also don’t need to empty out a tray because you only need to put in the hose so it gets emptied out by a drain.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Curb Moisture in Crawlspaces | Controlling humidity in crawlspaces plagued by musty smells, mold and even pests is critical to the health of your home and family. |
| Control Humidity in Work Areas | Protect your tools, plus ensure fast drying of paints and finishes. |
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MOUNT 80Pints
Next up on the list, we have the MOUNT dehumidifier that can take out about 80 pints a day. This means that it can cover up to 7000 square feet on its own. That’s a pretty good surface for a small device: it’s actually 3 times smaller than the regular dehumidifier! It fits in places where others won’t.
The control panel display will help you regular the temperature as well, which is another plus. You can transport the gadget easily with the handles.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Displays | Control panel displays inlet and outlet temp and RH plus grain depression in real time. |
| Big Capacity | Dehumidifies areas up to 7,000 square feet; Small, light Xactimate “Large” category dehu – more water removal than units 2–3 times its size! |
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Aprilaire 1820 Crawl Space Pro Dehumidifier
Our next gadget on the list is this machine, compatible with bigger spaces; it can do some heavy-duty humidifying wherever you want. There are small flaws to it, but they are more of a preference.
The product has been built with corrosion-resistant aluminum that will last you a long time. With this dehumidifier, you don’t have to do much work. You have to plug in the hose when you want to let the water out, but nothing else. No messy trays to carry around or anything like that.
You can remove up to 9 gallons of water daily. However, you may have to set the whole thing up yourself, which is not something many people want to do.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Built To Last | With corrosion-resistant aluminum coils, Aprilaire Dehumidifiers are designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. by Aprilaire, the leader in indoor air quality solutions. |
| Capacity | Removes up to 9 gallons (70 pints) of water per day. |
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Dri-Eaz Revolution LGR Commercial Dehumidifier
Again, we’re looking at a Dri-Eaz dehumidifier, but this time it’s an industrial one that can do much more than the one made for home use. It can work on 7000 square feet, even it’s an open space. That’s why it is often used at construction sites and at places that need extreme support.
It has a humidistat that is built-in and therefore it always displays the humidity percentage, as well as the temperature. Because of the hand truck, it can be moved around, but it does weigh 65 pounds.
You can fit it into small spaces as well and you’re looking at great warranty policy. With this strong machine you can remove up to 17 gallons a day, which makes it incredibly useful when you need to remove a certain amount of humidity from the floor or the walls quickly.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Dry fast after leaks and floods | Drying areas quickly after leaks, spills or floods prevents damage to floors, cabinets and walls. Pros use the Revolution LGR dehumidifier with Dri-Eaz airmovers to evaporate and remove moisture efficiently. |
| Prevent moisture-related issues | Removing humidity can help prevent mildew and mold growth or even rot in damp climates. |
Pros:
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AlorAir LGR 85 Pint Commercial Dehumidifier
Our last piece on the list is another dehumidifier usually for commercial use, but it can also be used for houses if you want something that’s built to last very long. You’re looking for a dehumidifier with a humidistat, a timer, and it has a pump for removing the water so you don’t have to move a tray.
There are handles on the units, but they still aren’t a real charm to move somewhere because of their weight. The dehumidifier works on any heat between 33 and 105 degrees and it is completely waterproof. If there is a catastrophe to happen, the rubber will protect the electrical parts.
The hot gas defrosting system will significantly improve the lifetime of your unit, which is certainly a good thing and it’s proof of the 5-year warranty. The coils are coated with epoxy and this will increase their life as well.
| Feature | Info |
|---|---|
| Waterproof Design | You can sink the unit in the water as the rubber strip makes the circuit board sealed. It is a great feature when flood coming. |
| Stackable | Its stackable design cannot only save flood restorer more space but also make numbers of the machine been transported to the destination for after-flood restoration tasks. |
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Why is Your Crawl Space So Wet?
To some people, it’s quite normal that some rooms in our house are wet or humid. Basements, attics, garages, for some people even bathrooms and kitchens. We assure you that just because the humidity does not bother you directly, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t leaving an impact.
We would suggest you get a crawl space dehumidifier if you can.
So, why do you actually feel more humidity in some rooms? The reason behind that is simple, they’re more exposed to water of some kind. Whether that water comes from the outside or the inside is really not that important, because the process of humidity removal is the same.
Having a dehumidifier in crawl space is a useful thing, especially if you are starting to see that it’s not only the rain and the weather that’s taking a toll on your things and your health. It’s pretty obvious that you cannot change the way the weather works or the amount of water you use in your bathroom, but you can still live a normal life with the company of a dehumidifier.
The Consequences of a Wet Space
So, what happens when a room is constantly humid or exposed to water? It’s simple.
- Things start to deteriorate. Wood is usually the one that starts to get wet, moldy and weak first. That’s especially bad and annoying if most of the construction is made out of it. Let’s not even talk about the metals starting to catch rust and the plastic getting smelly.
- It’s an unhealthy environment for both humans and pets. Yeah, yeah, maybe you don’t spend a lot of time in your garage, but you still spend some! And think about your pet may be running around every once in a while! Humid spaces are perfect for bacteria, viruses, fungi and more! You don’t want to be breathing all that in!
- It’s obvious that you’ll also get your rooms ruined by mold and mildew that will significantly decrease the aesthetics.
- Your whole home is no longer safe. The air that goes through the small rooms in your house travels more than you think and soon your whole house can be carrying dust mites, bacteria and more! If you have been having headaches and respiratory issues, maybe this is the secret cause.
What is the Ideal Humidity Level for a Crawl Space?
Even the best dehumidifier for crawl space won’t work well if you don’t set it at the right percentage. You’re basically paying for a machine to run with no real results. If you want to get the most out of your dehumidifier, make sure to be informed on the level of humidity that’s right for your house, according to the climate, weather, sea and other things.
Tips to Keep Your Crawl Space at The Desired Humidity Level
We’ll now talk about the things you should consider if you’re wondering about what percentage is perfect for your dehumidifier and how to keep it t the right level. That way you’ll be more informed and you’ll be able to create a decision based on science.
- Start with the right percentage. To begin with, it’s very useful to know where to start. Usually, setting the place at 50% is the right way to go, but you need to keep in mind a few things. If there are people with respiratory issues in the house, the number may vary up to 10% up. If you see that the air is too dry and you’re waking up with a dry and a sore throat, try to work your way up. It’s a trial and error process.
- Ventilate the rooms. This seems a bit weird, but you should ventilate your room even if you’re using a dehumidifier. If you’re not, you’re never getting healthy new air inside of your home and this can lead to possible issues like bacteria and more, and you haven’t really done anything to help the issue.
- Cover the ground. Using a plastic cover on the ground will prevent any groundwater from coming in or climbing inside of the walls.
- Seal openings by the windows and the doors. If you know that there are some loose places where water can get through or just humidity overall, especially if you’re living in a climate, make sure to put something there. Many people like to foam some edges.
- Check for any leaks. Even if you don’t know about any, there can still be some. It would be best if you could check for them right away and not risk the dehumidifier being worthless later on.
The Importance Of A Dehumidifier For Your Crawl Space
We have already discussed all of the possible concerns you may have, but we need to talk in detail about one specific thing now: mold. Mold is a big problem for many people as it grows in places that aren’t exactly extremely humid, but it’s still both an aesthetic and a health concern.
Some of the concerns you may have can be skin irritation, coughing, wheezing, nasal issues, respiratory issues, problems regarding allergies and more. So, let’s talk about whether a dehumidifier can prevent mold.
Does a Dehumidifier Help Prevent Mold Growth In Our Crawl Space
The short answer: yes. The long answer: mold loves humid places. It grows better in them, and as the humidity gets up and there is more and more mold, it grows faster. If you extract the humidity out of the room, you will lower and (possibly) completely remove it.
What is The Best Dehumidifier for Crawl Spaces?
We have done some research about these filters and although we can’t guarantee that one of these will be perfect for you, we have our two top picks. Our favorite one is surely the AloirAir Seninte HDi90 because it’s a powerful machine that can work without interruptions. It’s also not that pricey at all and therefore is a good choice for those that don’t want to make a huge investment.
Our second choice is the Dri-Eaz PHD 200 that doesn’t need a lot of maintenance and it turns itself back on if the power is down as well! It’s also a more budget-friendly one since the pricey units are usually the commercial use one.
Summary
Now that you know all about the science of humidity, how a dehumidifier should function and what are the things you need to focus on both with residential and commercial use dehumidifiers, we can summarize everything we have told.
Humidity is an issue for people on many continents and in many different countries and it’s not your fault that it does. It’s usually a result of the nature around you and the climate you’re surrounded by. Humidity helps bacteria, viruses, fungi and other bad things to grow in your homes and compromise your health.
You can use a dehumidifier to remove that humidity and you should air for a 50% rate. A good dehumidifier can remove more than 8 pints daily, can cover a lot of square feet and you don’t have to change out the water tray because plugging a hose in is good enough.
You should also take a few extra steps to maintain the level of the humidity you have worked your way to and make sure that you do a proper investigation and read reviews before you buy any gadget.
