What is a basement dehumidifier system?

A basement dehumidifier system is a device that treats the air in your home to create a less humid environment. In other words, a dehumidifier draws the moisture from the air in your house or building to make it drier. Now, you may be wondering, why put the dehumidifier in the basement instead of another room?

Typically, the basement is the most likely to house excess moisture. This moisture hotspot is due to water creeping into your home from the foundation. Since the basement is underground, this puts it at the highest risk for unwanted humidity.

Do you need a dehumidifier system?

Before investing in a dehumidifier, you may wonder if one of these devices is a good choice for your property. Generally speaking, yes, you should get a basement humidifier. It is essential for any building to ensure that your air is safe and that your home’s foundation remains in good condition.

Removing humidity from your home or building’s air can help with several problems, but the most important is your air quality. Air that carries too much moisture is a perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria, viruses, and other harmful pathogens. Continually breathing in this air can spread sickness and lead to long-term health issues, requiring basement mold remediation services.

Basement Dehumidifier System Features

If you’re shopping for a dehumidifier, you must know what features to look for. Luckily, many dehumidifiers offer similar features, so finding the best one for your home is typically not too challenging.

That said, some features of a reliable basement dehumidifier system are:

• A suitable pint capacity (the amount of moisture your dehumidifier can hold). Typically, humidifiers manage less than 70 pints for a home and over 70 pints for a commercial building.
• A collection tank or storage container for condensation. If you plan on running the dehumidifier constantly, you may want to consider a model with a built-in drainage system rather than a collection tank that requires manual emptying.
• A humidistat.
• Electronic or manual controls. Many models today feature electronic controls, but note these may require manual restarts after a power outage.
• Tolerable noise level.
• Automatic shut-off. These shut-offs occur when the collection tank is full to prevent overflowing.

How Dehumidification Works

Dehumidifiers collect moisture from the air by drawing warm air currents into the machine using a fan. The coils inside the machine are refrigerated, which causes the warm air to contract, leaving condensation inside the dehumidifier.

Condensation collects in a storage container inside the machine. Handlers must empty the container when it fills up for the humidifier to continue working.

Benefits of Installing a Basement Dehumidifier System

Now that you know what a basement dehumidifier system is and how it works, you may wonder why you should get one. Realistically, there are numerous reasons to regulate the moisture content of your home’s air. Here, we will dive into the four most important reasons why getting a basement dehumidifier is essential for any home or building.

Mitigates Biological Growth

Biological growth, like mold, is common in basements because they are generally humid. Humidity plus some form of the food source — such as pet dander or dust — is a simple recipe that typically results in more than a few unwelcome growths in your basement.

Unfortunately, mold is difficult to remove and can cause lasting damage to your health without proper basement waterproofing services. Keep an eye out for the signs of mold, and address the issue as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of lasting health effects.

A dehumidifier reduces the moisture in your air. Basement dehumidifier systems lessen the likelihood of mold and other biological growth, such as harmful bacteria, so you do not have to worry about negative impacts on your health.

Reduces Your HVAC’s Workload

Houses that do not have dehumidifiers rely on their HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems to process the air in their homes. This means this system is responsible for drying, cooling, and heating your air. Unfortunately, air with too much moisture can be incredibly hard for your HVAC system to process, and leaving all of this work to your HVAC can drain a lot of power and even lead to failure.

Dehumidifiers help your HVAC system by ensuring that the air in your home is not too wet. Allowing the HVAC to focus on heating and cooling your air can increase its longevity and reduce the power this system needs.

Better for Wood

If you’ve ever seen a pile of firewood after a good thunderstorm or even left a wooden spoon in your sink for longer than you should have, you know that wood and water do not mix. Many homes and buildings use lumber frames, walls, and floors. When wooden structures undergo lengthy periods of exposure to moist air, they will soften or possibly deteriorate.

Mitigates Risk of Water Damage

We know wood and water do not mix, but what about water and paint? Water and drywall? You’d be right if you guessed that these pairings aren’t exactly made in heaven, either. Water is essential to all life on Earth, but it is not solely helpful for our homes and buildings.

When the air in your home is too humid, it can lead to peeling paint, mold, mildew growth on walls and ceilings, and even cracks in the walls from excess moisture. Bottom line? Moisture and buildings do not mix; a dehumidifier removes that moisture, so you do not have to worry about significant damage that requires basement waterproofing solutions.

Why Moisture Loc?

Moisture Loc is a family-owned & operated company that has been serving the Carolinas since 1988. So whether you notice mold in your home, too much humidity in your building’s air, or standing water in your basement, Moisture Loc is here to help. No project is too big or too small for our family-owned and operated business, and we are here to help the members of our community.

So, if you do not already have a basement dehumidifier system or are looking for a replacement system, contact Moisture Loc today to start improving your air quality.

ENERGY STAR DEHUMIDIFIER

The Santa-Fe Dehumidifier is designed specifically for crawl space or basement applications. The fan draws moist air through a cold evaporator coil, which cools the air below its dew point. Moisture forms on the evaporator coil and is collected in a condensate tray, which features a permanent drain to discharge the collected water.