Many US homes have basements that are used for numerous purposes. An unfinished basement offers the much needed space for storage while a finished one can offer a useful square footage to the living area of a family.
A basement humidifier helps tackle environmental concerns in basements that can lead to moisture in the said underground spaces.
But, will a dehumidifier in the basement help the whole house? Yes as there are now whole house humidifiers that can dehumidify not just your basement but even your entire home.
However, basements have their own share of issues as far as indoor air quality is concerned that makes it more challenging to control moisture in this room compared to other parts of the house.
Moisture Problems in Basements
Too much moisture is a concern that often affects basements more than other rooms in the upper levels of the house. A basement gets damp due to the moisture seeping through the foundation, entering through water leaks, or because of high levels of humidity inside the main home.
These moisture problems in basements can lead to mold growth that can cause structural damage to the house and health issues to its occupants.
Experts warn that levels of relative humidity of more than 80% in basements can lead to the development of mildew and mold.
The use of a basement dehumidifier can maintain the levels of humidity at less than 50% to prevent mildew and mold growth, protect the quality of indoor air, and prevent damage.
Signs It’s Time to Buy a Basement Dehumidifier
It is not always that easy and simple to detect high levels of moisture. This is why knowing the top signs you should watch out for can help you determine whether or not you should use a basement dehumidifier to solve moisture problems in this part of your house.
Some of the common signs that it is time to get a basement dehumidifier include the following:
- Walls feel damp every time you touch them.
- You observe visible mold growth on the ceilings, walls, floors, and other surfaces.
- Surfaces have signs of condensation.
- The basement has an odor of mustiness or mold.
- Items stored in your basement smell of mildew or mold or may even have visible growth.
- Water marks on the floors could be a sign that moisture rises through the foundation.
Whole House vs. Portable Dehumidifiers
Basement dehumidifiers could be differentiated depending on the function and size. The basic difference in size is between whole house dehumidifiers and portable varieties.
While a portable dehumidifier is meant to just get rid of moisture in a specific room, the whole house units work to lower the levels of moisture in an entire living area.
As a result, these units are a bit bigger and are also made from materials that are more durable like stainless steel. The portable versions are plastic-made with a removable bucket for collecting water from air.
Their functions are also different. You can move a portable unit from your basement to your bedroom or anywhere else in your home. The whole house units are installed in one area where they are meant to stay for good.
A whole house dehumidifier comes with a fan that will pull more air over its coils.
The coils will then pull more moisture from air. The smaller portable dehumidifiers lack the power to create an effect to bigger areas that make them more effective and efficient only in single rooms.
Basement dehumidifiers have compelling benefits, specifically if the said part of your house has the tendency to have excess moisture or has an insect infestation.
These units will not just lower the levels of moisture and provide several positive effects as these can also help you save money on your energy costs.
Depending on your home’s specific needs, you may choose to install either a portable or whole house dehumidifier.
While a portable dehumidifier has enough power to lower moisture levels only in one room, a whole house model can bring down the levels of moisture not just in your basement but also throughout your entire house.
Why Use a Basement Dehumidifier
It is not that difficult to install a basement dehumidifier. These units are quite portable. You just have to plug them in and they will be good to go. They are also available in different sizes for all forms of dehumidifying.
Thus, their first benefit is none other than convenience. Through getting rid of moisture in your basement, basement dehumidifiers not just prevent mold but can also protect your home’s inner integrity.
Once moisture accumulates, this can cause damages on the drywall, carpet, paint, and structural wood.
Reduction of moisture is another good reason to have a basement dehumidifier. Through moisture reductions, insects will not get the chance to thrive and grow.
Moisture reduction also eliminates the need for running your air conditioner as much when summer season starts. This directly reduces energy costs.
The overall moisture reduction can improve the quality of air in the basement and other rooms in the house.
Shopping for Basement Dehumidifiers
Basements need different systems of dehumidification than your main home. For an effective removal of moisture, you need to install a dehumidifier that has been especially designed for basement environments.
Basements are among those parts of your home that are not occupied all the time.
To make things more convenient on your part, make sure you get a basement dehumidifier which can automatically drain the excess moisture instead of a model that requires you to manually empty its reservoir every time it fills up.
Depending on your chosen model, the collected water in the dehumidifier can be drained into the floor drain, sump pump, or you can even pump this upward to the sink drain.
With the help of whole house basement dehumidifiers, it is now possible for you to keep in check the humidity levels in your basement and other parts of your house to lessen your worries about health issues and structural damage.
