Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Dehumidifier

High humidity can cause mold and mildew growth and structural damage in your home. A dehumidifier removes excess moisture from the air, protecting your home from damage and safeguarding your family’s health.

Learn more about dehumidifiers from Stone Heating and Air, your trusted home heating repair expert.

When Do You Need a Dehumidifier? 

Central air conditioning doesn’t do much to keep your basement and crawl space dry. Your home likely has humidity problems if you’re seeing mold and smelling a musty odor. Other signs include condensation on windows and damp stains on walls and ceilings. Warm, moist conditions and uneven floorboards can also indicate excessive humidity.

At Stone Heating and Air, we can assess your home’s energy performance to determine if it’s losing or wasting energy. As one of your leading HVAC maintenance companies, we guarantee to find the best heating and cooling solutions for your home.

How They Work

Dehumidifiers pull in damp air, cool it and condense the moisture, then distribute drier, dehumidified air into the room with a fan. They’re often placed in basements, crawl spaces, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, warehouses and indoor pool areas.

You can achieve the optimal balance of cool and dry air by running a dehumidifier along your air conditioner. This will also help maintain the quality of your indoor air.

Choosing the Right One for Your Home

There are four categories of humidifiers, which are distinguished based on their capacity. Small-capacity models are best for bedrooms, small basements and offices. Medium-capacity units are suitable for larger rooms and crawl spaces. Large-capacity models are for use in spacious bedrooms, basements and crawl spaces. Whole-house capacity dehumidifiers can handle homes up to 3,000 square feet, and are integrated into an existing HVAC system.

In addition to capacity, you should also take note of any moisture problems you may be experiencing at home. There are humidifiers made specifically for crawl spaces, indoor pool areas, water damage restoration and industrial use.

Features to Look For

Look for a unit with a digital humidistat that lets you specify the humidity level, to which the unit will automatically adjust. A programmable timer is also helpful for saving energy. In addition, consider units with continuous drainage options. Energy Star®-labeled dehumidifiers offer excellent performance while using 10-20% less energy.

Turn to Stone Heating and Air for services that can improve your indoor comfort and your home’s energy efficiency. We offer HVAC replacement, duct cleaning, whole-home comfort evaluations and more. Call us at (541) 203-2399 or fill out our online form to request an appointment.