Dehumidifiers: A Boon To Damp Homes
By Gabriel J. Adams

While humidifiers are a boon to moisture deprived homes during cold weather, dehumidifiers remove moisture that can condense in the cooler rooms of your home, such as the basement or crawl space. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture from the warm, humid air of your home. Warm air is moved past two coils in a similar fashion to an air conditioner. Moisture from the air condenses on one set of coils. The water then drips into a reservoir or through a hose to a drain. The other coil warms the air which is then expelled into the house or room.

Although the dehumidifying unit does not cool the air, it makes it more comfortable by decreasing the humidity that can cause mold and mildew to accumulate and cause health problems for your family and your pets.

There are several signs that will let you know that you need a dehumidifier in your home. First, if you see condensation on your windows, there is too much moisture inside your home. Check for wet spots on the ceiling and walls. A musty smell, stuffiness in the room, or an increase in allergy symptoms can all be signs that that there is too much humidity in your air. Dehumidifiers are also used quite often when there has been flooding in a home, such as a hot water heater leak.

You need to check a dehumidifier’s reservoir capacity if you are buying a new one as a larger capacity reservoir works more efficiently and would need to be emptied less frequently than a smaller unit. If your dehumidifier has an air vent on top, you can place in against a wall. If it doesn’t, you’ll want to make sure that it sits away from walls or furniture so that the air can circulate properly. Make sure that all windows and doors are closed when you are using your dehumidifier as this will allow it to work most efficiently. If you use a hose drainage system, make sure that you do not create an electrical hazard by allowing water to flow near plugs or wires.

Dehumidifiers are an excellent way of making the conditions in your home more comfortable and healthy.