Before purchasing a dehumidifier, address the specific humidity issue in your home. High humidity levels can cause mold, structural damage, and an increase in allergy symptoms. First, address the location of your moisture issue. Do you have moisture issues in one location (like a single room or small basement) or in multiple rooms/throughout your entire house?
Keep reading to learn more about whole-house dehumidifiers, their effectiveness, and who should consider one instead of a portable dehumidifier.
- General Dehumidifier Information
- Whole House Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
- Portable Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
- Questions and Considerations About Your Needs
- Other Considerations
General Dehumidifier Information
Both portable and whole-house dehumidifiers offer various benefits to your health and home, including:
- Fight mold, mildew, and other allergy and asthma symptom triggers.
- Keep homes at a healthy and comfortable humidity level.
- Improve general indoor air quality and the home's structure.
Portable dehumidifiers work like this: You set your desired humidity level, and then the unit senses it. The dehumidifier turns on when the room's current humidity level rises above the set humidity level.
For example, we suggest setting your humidity level to 45 or 50 percent. If the humidity level in your room goes above 50 percent, the dehumidifier will kick on to remove moisture until the level is back below 50 percent.
Portable dehumidifiers are great solutions for solving moisture issues in one location.
Whole-house or HVAC dehumidifiers are installed in conjunction with existing HVAC ducting to remove excess moisture from any room your HVAC system reaches.
Whole House Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
Pros
- Automatic Operation
- Controlled by Remote Humidistat
- Installs into HVAC Ducting
- Extends the life of HVAC
- Optional Fresh Air Ventilation
- Generally offer longer warranties
- Can add value to Home
Cons
- Professional Installation Required
If you think a whole-house model is the best option for you, consider one of these popular brands:
Santa Fe Ultra Series Dehumidifiers are made in America and backed with 6-year warranties.
Aprilaire also offers multiple American-made options that work in homes of any size.
Portable Dehumidifier Pros and Cons
Pros
- Less Expensive to Purchase
- Easy Plug-and-Play installation
- Easily relocated as needed
Cons
- Can only dehumidify one room/area at a time
- Condensate must be emptied/drained frequently
- Can be Noisy
- Require floor space in the room/area
Looking for a portable model? There are a variety of popular brands to consider. For single rooms, consider Danby or Friedrich dehumidifiers.
Santa Fe also offers heavy-duty options for crawl spaces or basements.
Which is best for you? Answer these questions.
- Are you having humidity issues in one room or throughout your home? This is the main question you need to answer.
- Do you have humidity issues year-round? Year-round issues likely lend themselves to whole-house options.
- Do you need a portable option? If so, a whole-house model isn’t for you.
- What is your budget? In general, portable dehumidifiers are far more affordable and can be purchased for as low as $200.
Regardless of the option you choose, we're confident you'll find the best dehumidifier for your needs.
Other Considerations
Ground Water
Moisture issues often start from the ground up. Moisture enters through the ground and cracks in a home's foundation. Adding a crawl space dehumidifier may help with basement and crawl space mold and moisture problems.
Crawl space dehumidifiers are typically rugged and designed for tough conditions. Santa Fe offers a variety of crawl space options that are customer favorites.
Ducting
Select basement and crawl space dehumidifiers can be ducted for use in two rooms or a room where the unit isn't located. Consider ducting options if you only need dehumidification on one floor (like your basement).
In Summary
In general, whole house dehumidifiers cost more but dehumidify every room your HVAC system reaches. They are less maintenance after initial install and tend to last longer than portable dehumidifiers.
However, portable dehumidifiers work well for single rooms, small basements or crawl spaces.
Still Have Questions?
Still not sure which type of dehumidifier is best for you? Contact one of our product experts at 1-800-934-9194.
