| y is not only uncomfortable, it could damage your | | | | Next we have a heat pump dehumidifier. This |
| home and contents. Let's take a look at humidity. | | | | type has a bucket or drain system. It uses a |
| There are three forms to water: liquid, vapor, and | | | | motor fan which draws air through the machine, |
| ice. The measured amount of water vapor in the | | | | complimented by a control panel and two sets of |
| air is known as relative humidity. When humidity | | | | coils. However, this type can be expensive |
| goes over 100%, condensation starts to occur | | | | because they use a fair amount of electricity and |
| from the air. So for example, when the air is | | | | they can be noisy as well. |
| holding half that water that it is capable of, the | | | | Look for the rating on the unit; if it's a high |
| relative humidity level is 50% | | | | efficiency rating, that's a good thing! If possible, |
| We measure the relative humidity with a | | | | try to buy a unit that is Energy Star rated. This |
| hygrometer. Use this tool to measure relative | | | | will save you money in the long run. Another nice |
| humidity at various parts of your house during the | | | | option is frost free. Also, the better dehumidifiers |
| summer months, if you keep your A/C running | | | | have a built-in humidistat and shut off feature. |
| with windows closed. A good rule of thumb is, if | | | | Imagine you want to move your machine to |
| your relative humidity reads above 50%, you | | | | another room. Rolling it versus lifting it, would |
| really should have a dehumidifier to take away | | | | definitely be preferred. So look for a unit with |
| excess moisture. | | | | casters. A typical dehumidifier with about a 60 pint |
| Choosing the type of dehumidifier you need | | | | capacity weighs around 55 lbs! Think about that |
| depends on your environment. So let's look at | | | | when looking for casters on the unit. |
| some dehumidifiers you can purchase. | | | | There are lots of manufacturers of home |
| A dehumidifying ventilator works with an exhaust | | | | dehumidifiers. Popular manufacturer names are |
| fan and sensor controller. A sensor controller will | | | | Kenmore, Santa Fe, Home Comforts, Soleus, |
| tell the dehumidifier when to turn on, based on a | | | | Fridgidaire, and others. |
| preset level of humidity that it looks out for. This | | | | Expect to pay anywhere from roughly $140 for a |
| is very efficient in a crawlspace or a basement. | | | | 25 pint dehumidifier to $250 for a 60 pint model. |
| Another type of dehumidifier is the chemical | | | | Go to for more information on a good |
| absorbent, which is best suited for hot and human | | | | dehumidifier. |
| climates. The prevalent material used is silica gel. | | | | |