Benefits of a dehumidifier
Truly, dehumidifiers offer many benefits. However, most buyers are unaware of all their advantages, so we have compiled the most important ones here for some much-needed motivation.
Helps reduce allergies – Many allergy and allergens triggers, like mold, dust mites, and mildew, usually favor humid environments. Rooms with poor air circulation or rooms where water is usually used, such as laundry rooms, basements, and bathrooms, may be particularly prone to allergy-causing substances, which are usually quick to spread throughout the house. Fortunately, a dehumidifier is capable of helping to reduce the moisture that aids the growth of allergen, thereby improving the quality of air and helping to prevent some sorts of virus and bacteria growth also.
Reduces pest-related issues – Allergens are not the only unpleasant things that humidity favor. Many pests like roaches and spiders usually enjoy living in moist environments. If you have been seeing some creepy guests in your room, a dehumidifier may prevent their visits. Ensure you are paying attention to the places where you usually find the most pest activity. If those rooms are spaces where humidity is high or you usually use water, then that may be the roof of your pest problem.
Controls humidity levels – High moisture levels can, over time, lead to structural problems in a home. Condensation can accumulate, which may cause the development of mold and mildew, as well as deterioration and warping. Due to decreased air flow, homes that are properly sealed for energy efficiency can have the worst issues. If you notice wallpaper or paint peeling, a moldy or musty odor, or unusual stains, then you may require a dehumidifier to help stop further damages.
Improves comfort – Generally, homes with good humidity levels are more comfortable, which can be particularly detectable in muggy or tropical climates. Most times when you use a dehumidifier, the quality of the indoors air improves, and the air remains cooler.
Reduces energy costs – Another advantage of a dehumidifier is that it may help reduce energy costs by allowing your AC unit to function more efficiently. Since a dehumidifier operates to get rid of the moisture in the atmosphere, it means your AC unit likely does not need to work too hard to maintain a comfortable temperature. Therefore, this will help save energy usage and wear and tear on your AC unit. Make sure you look for ENERGY STAR certified dehumidifying units as they provide more energy savings since they utilize a whole 15% to operate.
Features to consider when choosing an energy-efficient dehumidifier
There are many factors you need to take into consideration when buying an energy-efficient dehumidifier, some of which we have listed below.
Dehumidification performance
Your dehumidifier’s performance level has to be determined by your home’s level of humidity. If the level of humidity in your home is high, then you’ll need a model that is capable of removing a lot of moisture every day, such as the Ivation 4,500 Sq Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier. However, if the humidity level in your home is mild, then you can go for models with lower dehumidification performance. In fact, some people are fine with 30-pint models, so it all depends on the humidity level of your home.
Coverage area
One of the first things you must consider has to be the amount of space the machine you want to buy is capable of dehumidifying at once. To do this, you have to determine the size of your space, and then find a model that can effectively process the air volume in that area. This’ll prevent you from buying a device that just won’t be enough. Since most manufacturers often specify the rated coverage area of their products, you aren’t likely to have any issue here. Both the Ivation 4,500 Sq Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier and the hOmeLabs 4,500 Sq. Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier are the best in this regard, with both being rated to cover up to 4500 square feet.
Continuous drain option
The chief function of the continuous drainage is to determine whether you need to empty the tank manually or not, or if you can connect the tank to another outlet, for it to autonomously drain itself. This way, you won’t need to be performing maintenance regularly. Besides, continuous drain will hugely depend on if it’s connected to an outlet or a drainage system so that the water collected can be disposed. If you can find a model with this feature, it will be a massive plus, especially if you use the device a lot.
Drain bucket capacity
The tank’s capacity will be one of the factors that determine the amount of humidity you can eliminate from the atmosphere every day. If your tank is too small, then it will be a lot of stress as you will be needing to be emptying the tank every now and then, which surely won’t be convenient. If you don’t see yourself enjoying this task of emptying tanks frequently, then you should go for a model with a larger container tank.
Dimensions
The truth is that the size of the room you want to dehumidify will determine the size of dehumidifier you will need to be looking at. Obviously if you want to dehumidify a small room, then you can go for a smaller and more compact model. However, if you are intending to use it in a larger space, then you should go for a larger unit, as larger sizes usually come with higher performances.
Weight
You also need to consider the weight of the unit you want to buy. In most cases, the weight doesn’t have a direct effect on the performance of a dehumidifier, but you still need to consider it for another important reason, which is mobility.
If you intend to be moving the device a lot from one room to another, then you will be better off with a lightweight model as heavier models will quickly wear you thin. If you won’t be moving the device, then you may not care about the weight as much.
Warranty
Whenever you’re buying anything, it’s important to check if it has a warranty. When it comes to dehumidifiers, different manufacturers usually offer different warranty lengths and terms, so you need to be very careful here. Our Editor’s choice, the hOmeLabs 4,500 Sq. Ft Energy Star Dehumidifier, is the model with the longest warranty length on our list, but that shouldn’t be surprising. It’s backed for a period of 24 months.
