dehumidifiers - recommendations?

[Bob Noel]

and now for a question that should be non-controversial:

I need a dehumidifier for a 20' by 30' basement. In the winter the temps get down to just below 50 deg F. Anyone have a recommendation for one that will last more than a year? Or will I need a system rather than one of those room dehumidifiers?

Thanks

 

[RV10flyer]

Check for sloping ground to provide proper drainage and downspouts ran away from house.

If you already have an HVAC system, is there at least two supplies and one return in basement? A new variable speed blower/coil, 2-stage outdoor unit can be made to remove a lot of moisture by adding a dehumidistat. This makes the blower run at a lower airflow/colder indoor coil temp to remove more moisture. Whatever you do, do not oversize an HVAC system. Do a proper load calculation.

I can get indoor humidity down to 40% when it is 100% humidity outside during the summer. You can replace just the blower and coil to match an older R-22 outdoor unit, but will not gain as much dehumidification.

Normal lifespan on the junk dehumidifiers is about 1-2 years. I bought one from an HVAC supplier for my father in laws motorcycle garage that cost a little more. It is still going strong 9 years later.

 

[Bob Noel]

Check for sloping ground to provide proper drainage and downspouts ran away from house.

The ground is almost perfect from a drainage point of view. I was there when the (huge) hole was dug for the addition and, once through the top soil, it was nice sand all the way down.

A couple of times I've tested for ground water penetration and came up empty. The humidity appears to be a result of the basement being completely below ground level and unheated.

If you already have an HVAC system, is there at least two supplies and one return in basement?

Have an HVAC, but no feeds into the basement.

Perhaps I should call the company that installed the HVAC system and see if they have any effective solutions.

Whatever you do, do not oversize an HVAC system. Do a proper load calculation.

I'm not an HVAC person, but I do understand the need to properly size the system.

I can get indoor humidity down to 40% when it is 100% humidity outside during the summer. You can replace just the blower and coil to match an older R-22 outdoor unit, but will not gain as much dehumidification.

Normal lifespan on the junk dehumidifiers is about 1-2 years. I bought one from an HVAC supplier for my father in laws motorcycle garage that cost a little more. It is still going strong 9 years later.

I'm jealous.

Thanks

 

[Henning]

Move your house to Arizona.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I've never had a dehumidifier roll over an die after just one year. And, they pretty much run full time in my basement. Do you clean the filter / coils ever? Dust gets stuck on the wet coils and the capacity / efficiency go way down.

 

[Matthew]

Dehumidifiers are pretty much a use and toss item anymore. My basement has enough humidity that I use one year round. It doesn't run continually except the in the spring, when humidity rises and before I turn on the AC. Other times of the year it may or may not run continuously. I do not have a return in the basement, so that air doesn't go through the AC system.

I noticed that it didn't have to work as hard after we installed a radon system - that fan pulls a lot of the humidity out of the space under the slab.

I think most brands are made by the same Chinese mfr. Get the extended warranty, you'll need it. They seem to only last a couple years before the compressor fails, or the coolant leaks out and they ice up. The one I have now is 1.5 yrs old and is rattling itself to death. The one before that lasted 2 seasons before it would ice up solid within a few hours and the one before that lasted just over a year before it got a dead short somewhere and would trip the breaker immediately. I think the one before that lasted about 8 yrs.

And I do keep them clean. In a week or two I'll call Lowes and use my extended warranty to get this one replaced.

 

[Jim_CAK]

Dehumidifiers are pretty much a use and toss item anymore. My basement has enough humidity that I use one year round. It doesn't run continually except the in the spring, when humidity rises and before I turn on the AC. Other times of the year it may or may not run continuously. I do not have a return in the basement, so that air doesn't go through the AC system.

I noticed that it didn't have to work as hard after we installed a radon system - that fan pulls a lot of the humidity out of the space under the slab.

I think most brands are made by the same Chinese mfr. Get the extended warranty, you'll need it. They seem to only last a couple years before the compressor fails, or the coolant leaks out and they ice up. The one I have now is 1.5 yrs old and is rattling itself to death. The one before that lasted 2 seasons before it would ice up solid within a few hours and the one before that lasted just over a year before it got a dead short somewhere and would trip the breaker immediately. I think the one before that lasted about 8 yrs.

And I do keep them clean. In a week or two I'll call Lowes and use my extended warranty to get this one replaced.

There is a recall on most of these units. I just checked the one I bought from Lowes and it is on the list.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/12/dehumidifier-recall/2803251/

I go through a unit every two or three years. These things are junk.

 

[Matthew]

There is a recall on most of these units. I just checked the one I bought from Lowes and it is on the list.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/12/dehumidifier-recall/2803251/

I go through a unit every two or three years. These things are junk.

Thanks. I checked mine earlier in the week. Not on the list. But I bought the extended warranty so I'll get a new one anyway. For the cost of the extended warranty I get a new unit every other year. And my first one, an old Kenmore, lasted nearly 10.

 

[bbchien]

Bob, avoid the LG brand. I had two fail early, and warranty backup was noplace to be had.

 

[kyleb]

I've had LG's and GE's that worked for years on end. I've also had one that was DOA (and replaced for free). I bought all of them (3, I think) off of a guy on Ebay who was selling factory refurbs for about 60% of retail.

To the OP - do you think moisture is coming through the block walls? There are concrete sealers (B-dry for one) which work for that, but they are labor intensive to apply. Long term, they are a great solution, but require 1,000x more up-front labor than a plug n play solution.

 

[Bob Noel]

To the OP - do you think moisture is coming through the block walls?

No. I painted the walls with a sealer (I don't remember which one).

 

[Tony_Scarpelli]

My kenmore did too.

So are you getting standing water? What is the problem symptoms you are getting?

Are you trying to make it dry storage or living space?

Thanks. I checked mine earlier in the week. Not on the list. But I bought the extended warranty so I'll get a new one anyway. For the cost of the extended warranty I get a new unit every other year. And my first one, an old Kenmore, lasted nearly 10.

 

[Matthew]

My kenmore did too.

So are you getting standing water? What is the problem symptoms you are getting?

Are you trying to make it dry storage or living space?

It's just an unfinished basement, no standing water, sump pump only runs after heavy rain or after the spring thaw. But there is a humidity level that I don't want, so I keep a dehumidifier going. It'll run in the spring, part of the summer, and part of the fall. Right now I don't think it's run for a couple weeks. If I don't have one, I get that 'basement smell'.

 

[Kiddo's Driver]

I'm still running a GE unit that I bought 5-6 years ago.
The Frigidare unit I bought in August died three weeks later.
I now have two GE units in my house.

Jim

 

[Henning]

If it's a permanent need installation, why not just bit the bullet and instal a proper HVAC system?

 

[denverpilot]

So weird even thinking about dehumidifying anything.

We are well into "Holy crap, did I just destroy that piece of consumer electronics?" and "Sorry I just shocked you in the nose, doggy," and "Good lord, touch my arm before you kiss me! Ouch!" season, here. LOL!

 

[Chip Sylverne]

I had one of the recalled 70 gal recalled Soleus units. Worked great for two years, now sitting unplugged. Didn't even burn the house down.

 

[Bob Noel]

I ended up getting an AprilAire 1750A (would have purchased the 1730A, but it was out of stock with no known stock date). Kind of overkill, but it definitely works GREAT. 5 year warranty. I simply set it up as an unducted "installation".

 

[RV10flyer]

I ended up getting an AprilAire 1750A (would have purchased the 1730A, but it was out of stock with no known stock date). Kind of overkill, but it definitely works GREAT. 5 year warranty. I simply set it up as an unducted "installation".

Now you're talking. Most of us HVAC guys are very familiar with Aprilaire products.

 

[Bob Noel]

Now you're talking. Most of us HVAC guys are very familiar with Aprilaire products.

I finally was able to talk with the guy who installed the central heat/air system in my addition, and he was the one who steered me toward the Aprilaire product. And he knew enough about the "installation" to know he didn't need to instal it. I really love establishing a good relationship with contractors like plumbers, electricians, HVAC, etc.