If you’ve ever considered a dehumidifier for basement areas, then the air in your basement, or upstairs in your home, may feel or smell damp. Many basements present a perfect environment for growing mold, mildew, fungus, and are even a hospitable environment for dust mites.  As warm air comes in, it quickly cools in the typical basement environment. This is especially true near masonry foundation and walls. Condensation may or may not occur, bu humidity is increased, creating a perfect place for mold to take hold.

Short of having leaks and standing water, high humidity in basements is the main factor that makes air quality in such spaces poor. The mold presents repiratory dangers for people and risks damaging stored items. The higher moisture can even damage wood working and the structural integrity of a home. Furthermore, if it’s too high, the odor created by mildew and so forth can filter upstairs, into your living space.

Lowering the relative humidity in a basement can be important. Whether it extends your living space, allows you to store items with confidence, protects your home, or simply improves the overall air quality and decreases your health risks, time and attention to the issue is warranted.  A dehumidifier can often be all that it takes to remedy the problem of excess humidity.

Not every dehowever can handle the basement environment. Because your basement may have much more moisture than the rest of the house, you’ll need a dehumidifier that can remove more moisture from the air. A dehumidifier that can remove only 30 pints of water/day often won’t be sufficient. If the fan isn’t powerful enough it also won’t work. If the dehumidifier isn’t designed to operate efficiently at lower temperatures, say 55 degrees and below, then it also won’t be effective.

For these reasons, dehumidifiers designed specifically for the basement are important. They can handle the lower temperatures and higher humidity.  A basement dehumidifier should be able to remove at least 65 pints of water/day, have a fan with 200 CFM or better, and be able to operate at 30-55 degrees.