Give the Dehumidifier a Boost With These Tips

If you have noticed condensation in your home’s windows, creaking floors or musty smells, a portable or whole-house dehumidifier might be the answer for you. If you already own one and you’re still experiencing these problems, you could be using it incorrectly. Remember, even the best dehumidifier won’t work if you’re not using in correctly. Follow these tips to get the most from your device.

Control Conditions

For your portable device to work properly, you must have it located in one enclosed area with doors, windows and other openings closed. For whole-house dehumidifying systems, have an expert choose the right size to remove excess moisture from your home. Undersized systems will not give you the moisture-removing results you need.

Correctly Set the Humidistat

The best level of relative humidity for your home is 30 to 60 percent. This level is best for your home, health and energy efficiency. However, if your family has health issues such as asthma or allergies, 40 to 50 percent humidity levels are better. Higher levels of humidity encourage mold and dust-mite growth, triggering asthma and allergy reactions.

Ensure Proper Placement of Portables

In addition to placing the room dehumidifier in the room where moisture is a problem, leave space between the appliance and surrounding walls and furniture. Different models have different requirements for air intake and discharge and won’t work properly without this “room to breathe.”

Solve Moisture Problems

If your home has mold and mildew odors, standing water or water seepage, these problems need to be solved first. All dehumidifying systems, both whole-house and portable, have their limits and can only remove a certain amount of water. And of course, it’s better to not have a problem at all than to have to figure out and pay for solutions.

Solve your home’s problems by using exhaust fans and sump pumps, or repairing foundation problems. Once the problems are solved, check with a professional to see if a portable or whole-house system works best for your home.

By following these tips, you can give your dehumidifier a boost, making your Lorain area home more comfortable and healthier. Please contact us at Energy 1 Heating and Air Conditioning for further questions about getting the most from your dehumidifier.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about dehumidifiers and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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