For over 20 years, Sylvane has worked with customers to resolve air quality issues, and we’re often asked which dehumidifiers we recommend for basements and crawl spaces. When it comes to removing humidity from the toughest residential spaces, the Oasis105 dehumidifier from Santa Fe is one of our top recommendations for efficiently removing excess moisture.
How Sylvane Reviews Dehumidifiers
Look at any dehumidifier, and you'll quickly see that the features and functions each unit brings to the table are endless. Instead of giving you a rundown of everything the Oasis105 does, we wanted to let you in on the secret of what we look for in dehumidifiers when we're adding new products to our site. Before a dehumidifier ever makes it onto Sylvane, we first review six main areas:
- Coverage Area and Where It Can Be Used: What types of rooms is the dehumidifier typically used in, and can it hold up to its stated coverage area?
- Efficiency and Moisture Removal Capacities: Knowing its total dehumidification capacity is great, but how has the dehumidifier performed in tests at different temperatures?
- Placement and Installation Options: Does the dehumidifier need to be installed? Can you set it on the floor? How hard is it to set up the dehumidifier?
- Controlling The Dehumidifier: How easy is the unit to control? Does it require additional controllers or is everything you need included with the product?
- Included Air Filtration: Does the dehumidifier have the ability to provide clean dehumidified air to your space?
- Cost: Is the cost of the dehumidifier worth the investment as compared to similar products?
| Sylvane Reviews The Santa Fe Oasis105 | |
|---|---|
Maximum Coverage Area |
Basements: Up to 2,600 Square Feet |
Efficiency and Moisture Removal |
Efficiency: 7.6 Pints/kWh |
Placement and Installation Options |
- Floor Placement |
Controlling The Dehumidifier |
- Onboard Controller |
Included Air Filtration |
MERV-13 Air Filter |
Where To Use The Santa Fe Oasis105
With its corrosion-resistant base that features recessed handles and molded glide rails, plus plugging into a standard 115-volt electrical outlet, the Oasis105 is a commercial-grade dehumidifier that delivers easy installation in tough residential areas like basements and crawl spaces.
Sized For Low-Clearance Applications
We’ve found that most residential dehumidifiers marketed for basement and crawl space use are tall, bulky units that struggle to fit in low-clearance locations. On the other hand, the Santa Fe Oasis105 is perfectly engineered for these tough environments. With a horizontal cabinet design, and measuring only 14.5 inches tall and 16 inches wide, our experience with this product showed that it is uniquely designed to fit into tight spaces where other dehumidifiers just can’t.
Room Sizing
It doesn’t matter how well-designed a dehumidifier is if it’s not able to cover the area you need it to. Eliminating up to 105 pints of excess moisture per day, the Oasis105 works best in the following sized spaces:
Location Type |
Maximum Coverage Area |
|---|---|
Basement |
Up to 2,600 Square Feet |
Crawl Space |
Up to 3,300 Square Feet |
Moisture Removal and Efficiency
Dehumidifiers are independently tested under Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) conditions (80°F and 60% RH) to determine their maximum efficiency and moisture removal. In real-world use, the actual moisture removal performance delivered by your dehumidifier will depend on the conditions of your space including temperature and current humidity levels.
Performance at Various Temperatures
The Santa Fe Oasis105 was tested at three different temperatures and the performance results are found below. It’s important to remember that dehumidifiers are tested under specific controlled conditions that you are unlikely to replicate within your own home.
Testing Conditions |
Efficiency |
Moisture Removal |
|---|---|---|
80° F and 60% RH |
7.6 Pints/kWh |
105 Pints/Day |
73° F and 60% RH |
6.5 Pints/kWh |
82 Pints/Day |
65° F and 60% RH |
6.1 Pints/kWh |
69 Pints/Day |
One thing we’ve learned in our tests over the years and the key point you should keep in mind when looking at the Oasis105, or any other residential dehumidifier, is that a dehumidifier’s efficiency and moisture removal capacity decreases as the temperature of the space decreases.
Placement and Installation Requirements
While classified as a freestanding dehumidifier, we’ve found that the Oasis105 actually offers a versatile range of placement options depending on your specific needs and space.
- Floor Placement: When used in areas that are free from flooding potential, the Oasis105 can be placed directly on the floor. Use the included leveling feet to ensure the unit remains level at all times.
- On Risers: The first of two ways to keep the dehumidifier away from any potential water damage, is to place the dehumidifier on optional risers (sold separately), which adds 6 inches of clearance.
- Hanging Kit: Another option to avoid damage by potential flooding, is to suspend the unit using a hang kit (sold separately). Hang from the floor joists using the provided leveling feet to hold the hanging kit bracket in place.
Optional Ducting
This dehumidifier isn’t a ventilating dehumidifier, so it cannot be ducted to your home’s HVAC system. However, thanks to an optional ducting kit you can place the unit in an unfinished area and supply dry air to a finished area through a cut-out in your wall. Its return ducting provides for a circular air flow throughout your space.
Controlling The Dehumidifier
Located conveniently on the side of the Oasis105, its onboard controller makes it easy to find the right settings for your space. The dehumidifier is factory set at 55% relative humidity; however, you can easily adjust the humidity to your desired level. You can change the fan setting from low, high, auto, and high overdrive with just the press of a button.
The controller is also your central hub for monitoring error codes, filter replacement reminders, and more.
Optional Terminal Control
The Santa Fe Oasis105 doesn’t come with a remote control or included remote dehumidistat, but it can be controlled with an optional remote or digital controller like the Honeywell HumidiPRO or other controller with a 4-volt to 30-volt signal in AC or DC configurations.
When operating in terminal control, the dehumidifier will no longer use its onboard sensors and will turn on and off when a signal is sent.
Included Air Filtration
While most dehumidifiers only use one washable pre-filter to clean the incoming air, the Santa Fe Oasis105 Dehumidifier comes standard with a MERV-13 air filter. This high-capacity filtration is going to keep more dust out of your dehumidifier -- improving operating efficiency and extending the life of your dehumidifier. At the same time, it ensures that the air circulating your crawl space or basement is clean and healthy.
The filter should be replaced every 3 - 6 months depending on use. Replacement filters are sold separately.
Price
The Santa Fe Oasis105 is one of the higher-priced dehumidification options here at Sylvane. It’s important though to look at everything you’re getting for your money.
Foremost is its efficiency. Removing up to 7.6 pints per kilowatt-hour, it’s the most efficient dehumidifier that Santa Fe has ever developed. It’s even more impressive when you compare this unit against similarly-sized dehumidifiers that have earned Energy Star ratings. When we looked at other models, we noticed that most Energy Star-rated 105 pint-per-day dehumidifiers are operating at an efficiency of less than 5 pints/kWh. That means the Oasis105 is over 50% more efficient than models that are considered the most efficient. Those are real money savings over time.
Your investment in the Santa Fe Oasis105, or any other Santa Fe dehumidifier, is protected by their 6-year limited warranty, one of the best and longest warranties available on the residential dehumidifier market. For the first two years of the warranty, Santa Fe will replace any malfunctioning dehumidifier. Over the remaining four years, they'll replace any faulty parts to ensure your unit continues to run effectively.
The Bottom Line From Sylvane
Removing 7.6-pints of moisture per kilowatt-hour, the Santa Fe Oasis105 is the most efficient freestanding Santa Fe dehumidifier to date. From our own tests and review, we recommend this dehumidifier for customers looking for cost-effective, powerful dehumidification performance for large residential spaces such as basements and crawl spaces.
| Santa Fe Oasis105 Key Specifications | |
|---|---|
Moisture Removal at AHAM (80°F and 60% RH) |
105 Pints/Day |
Efficiency at AHAM (80°F and 60% RH) |
7.6 Pints/kWh |
Basement Sizing |
Tightly Sealed: Up to 2,600 Sq. Ft. |
Crawl Space Sizing |
Tightly Sealed: Up to 3,300 Sq. Ft. |
Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) |
16 x 14.5 x 24 in. |
Unit Weight |
59 lbs. |
Who Is Sylvane and Why Should You Trust Us?
Since 2000, Sylvane has delivered customers the best indoor air quality products available. Believing in the idea that better air begins with knowledge, through employees who are in-house and hands-on with every product we sell, we provide customers with detailed product information, air treatment learning articles, reliable product comparisons and personalized consultation on indoor air treatment issues.
