Sylvane - Solutions for a Healthy Indoor Environment

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Basement Dehumidifier

Adding a dehumidifier to your basement can help keep it clean and dry. Because the foundation of most homes are mostly or at least partially underground, they are often darker, cooler and more moist than other parts of the home. Even whole-house heating and air conditioning systems can have a difficult time keeping up with the high levels of humidity in basements. In addition, waterproofing the foundation of the home will not completely solve the problem either. With a wet basement - mold, mildew and an unpleasant musty odor can quickly become a problem.

First, you will want to consider what size unit to purchase. All dehumidifiers are rated for their water removal capacity per day. This is not a measurement of their water tray size – but of the amount of water the unit can take out of the air per day under specified conditions. You will want to take into account the size of your basement and adjust from there depending on how bad your moisture problem is. In addition, please be sure to always compare “apples-to-apples”. Most small consumer units list their capacity at saturation (100% relative humidity – similar to a rainforest) while larger more commercial grade units rate their capacity at AHAM (80% relative humidity, 60 degrees F) which is more realistic. Lastly, typically the larger the unit the more energy-efficient the compressor is – so larger units are usually preferred.

*A rough guide for sizing a dehumidifier for the “average” basement:
Less than 350 square feet: 25-30 pint @ saturation
Less than 700 square feet: 40 pint @ saturation
Less than 900 square feet: 50 pint @ saturation
Less than 1200 square feet: 65 pint @ saturation
Less than 2500 square feet 100 pint @ AHAM
Less than 3000 square feet 135 pint @ AHAM
* = Please call us for a detailed consultation on your environment.

When choosing a basement dehumidifier you will want to consider how you will remove the water. The simplest way of doing this is simply to remove a physical tray or bucket from the unit in question and empty the water manually. If you do not spend much time in the basement, a continuous gravity-drain system or drain-pump system are the most convenient. All dehumidifiers will allow a drainage hose connection for this purpose. Some units feature optional condensate pumps which can be connected to the dehumidifier. Other units feature a built-in pump.

Product	Name	Price	Comments
	Soleus CFM-25E Dehumidifier	$205.00	25 pint unit - the smallest model that we carry. Good for very small areas.
	Comfort-Aire 30-Pint (BHD-301) Dehumidifier	$245.95	30 pint unit - entry level unit for small basements.
	Soleus CFM-40E Dehumidifier	$225.00	40 pint unit - well-priced unit for small area moisture control.
	DeLonghi DE400 Dehumidifier	$249.95	40 pint unit - well known brand with a 5 year warranty on compressor. Energy-star rated.
	DeLonghi DE400P Dehumidifier	$289.95	40 pint unit from a well known company. Energy-star rated. 5 year warranty on compressor.
	Comfort-Aire Low Temperature 50-Pint (BHD-501) Dehumidifier	$274.95	50 pint unit, energy star rated, with a 5 year warranty on the compressor.
	Whirlpool AD50USS Gold Dehumidifier	$279.00	50 pint unit, energy star rated, with excellent low temperature operation (for very cold basements).
	DeLonghi DE500P Dehumidifier	$329.95	50 pint unit with a built-in condensate pump for the most convenience.
	Comfort-Aire Low Temperature 65-Pint (BHD-651) Dehumidifier	$295.95	65 pint high capacity portable unit, energy star rated.
	Comfort-Aire Whole House Dehumidifier (WHD-130A)	$1265.00	130 pints @ AHAM. Quality unit that is meant to be run as part of a ducted solution either with or independent of your existing air conditioner system.
	Santa Fe Dehumidifier (Classic)	$1285.00	110 pints @ AHAM. Highly recommended unit for large or moist basement environments. This unit is highly reliable, can run standalone or ducted, and is the one of the most energy efficient units on the market. This unit is the highest quality unit that we carry for residential dehumidification.