Basement Dehumidifiers and Home Dehumidifiers
Reduce Basement Moisture Levels with a
Basement Dehumidifier
By: Mark J. Donovan
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Basement dehumidifiers
dramatically reduce moisture levels in basements and can protect homes from
mold and mildew growth. A basement dehumidifier, or home dehumidifier, can
also protect your family’s health by reducing the risk of harmful allergies
caused by the growth of mold spores. Basement dehumidifiers also protect
your home from rot and insect damage caused by high moisture levels in the
basement.
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They can also protect your home’s
value as a moldy mildew basement, or a home suffering from rot caused by
high basement humidity levels, is a big negative with most home buyers and
home inspectors.
If you are fortunate enough not to
have a basement that leaks after a heavy rain storm, your basement most likely
still has high moisture levels. Ground water sitting just below your home’s
foundation can easily penetrate through cracks in your basement flooring and
even directly through a non-cracked concrete floor.
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To resolve high basement humidity
levels first eliminate any problems that maybe causing standing water
puddles in the basement. Standing water may be the result of water leaking
up through cracks in the basement flooring or foundation walls. It may also
be associated with leaky pipes or sweating pipes. Also make sure laundry
hoses are not leaking.
It is also important to check around
the outside of the home. Make sure the grade of soil around the basement walls
is designed such that water drains away from the foundation walls. Also make
sure the gutter drain spouts drain water away from the home.
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After resolving any issues that
could lead to standing water problems in the basement next install a
basement dehumidifier. The purpose of the basement dehumidifier, or home
dehumidifier, is to reduce the relative humidity (RH) in the home to below
50%. Relative humidity is the ratio of the water vapor density to the
saturation water density. A simple piece of test equipment known as a
hygrometer can check the moisture levels in your basement. Ideally the
relative humidity in a home should be between 30 to 50%.
| It is also important to point out
that highly moist air has the tendency to work its way up from the basement
into the upper levels of the home. Consequently the affects of high basement
humidity levels is not limited to just the basement. It can affect your entire
home, and consequently the need for a good basement dehumidifier or home
dehumidifier. |
Photo By Mark Donovan |
Buying
a
Basement or Home Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers remove moisture from
air by drawing the moist air into them via a fan and then cooling the air below
the dew point. This process causes the moist air to condense into water
droplets. The water droplets are then collected in a small drain pan within the
dehumidifier or drained off outside the basement or home.
There are a variety of basement
dehumidifiers or home dehumidifiers that are available to homeowners. The price
ranges for dehumidifiers are quite large and the price you pay depends upon the
features you are looking for.
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Inexpensive basement dehumidifiers
have a collection drain pan that allows recovered moisture to be collected.
When the water reaches a certain height in the drain pan the basement
dehumidifier automatically shuts off. The unit will not restart until the
water has been emptied from the drain pan. Consequently these types of
dehumidifiers need regular monitoring.
Other types of basement
dehumidifiers or home dehumidifiers have optional drain hoses. The drain hose
allows the collected water to automatically drip into a drain system. As a
result, no emptying of drain pans is necessary and the dehumidifier will
operate independently and only shut off when the moisture levels within the
basement or home reaches the desired RH level.
When buying a basement dehumidifier
it is important that you select one that is right for your basement. Basement
dehumidifiers are not all created equal. When selecting a dehumidifier check to
see how many cubic feet per minute (CFM) that it can support. This
specification determines how much moist air it can be pulled through it and how
quickly it can reduce the moisture levels in the basement. A small, inexpensive
basement dehumidifier may not be able to keep up with the moisture infiltration
levels associated with a large basement.
So if you have a clammy feeling basement, chances are your basement has a high
relative humidity level and is an incubator for mold, mildew and rot. A
basement dehumidifier will not only eliminate these dangerous items, but also
make your basement a much more comfortable place to enjoy. If your home is on a
concrete slab, then a home dehumidifier maybe the right choice for you.
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How to Finance your Basement Remodeling Project -
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