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Best de-humidifier?
Hey all,
The house we just moved into is 150 years old, complete with a full, dungeon like basement. VERY moist...no standing water or sump pump, but very humid. It's a potential mold factory for sure and we need it for storage but would rather not have all our possessions just rot away!
I would like to get a dehumidifier to dry things out, but since it is a full basement I am sure I would need two or three Home Depot specials. Are there any decent larger units out there that can do the whole thing? Our exterminator also sells Sani-Dry which looks perfect but WOW...talk about sticker shock! $1700 for a frickin' de-humidifier?!
Suggestions?
Check out **** for some dehus. Restoration companies will usually sell older units when exchanging out new.
Dehus are not cheap. All depends on how low a moisture content your looking for.
Jondon.com
Magicwandco.com
Both those sell dehus for the restoration industry.
Great links! I am sure the smallest of those would be more than enough since they are designed for restoration/water damage work. And a lot cheaper than sani-dry. Not as pretty, but I can work on that!
How do I figure out the size I need? I saw calculators on the page...is there a formula for sizing dehumidifiers?
A lot of what you'll pay premium for is 'digital' controls and clever controls
My advice is to buy 2-3 simple (<$100) units and place them at different locs around the basement.
I'd also mount each on a small pedestal, and then run hoses from the collection bins (make sure there are easy threaded adapters for this purpose) to a central condensate pump (since you don't have a sump) and have the pump evacuate up to the outside. Else, you'll be cursing yrself everyday when you have to trudge 3 buckets of water up the stairs to empty.
(important note: I'm not a pro)
There is a formula but i would have to kill you
Its not as easy without any of the meters but measure up the cubic ft and give Taf a call at Magic wand ( of chicago). He will be able to steer you in direction you need to go. I would reccommend an apo to nearest drain save you from going down once in while to drain.
Last edited by D.Smith; 06-11-2007 at 09:13 AM.
DEC makes the Sierra or it may be now called the Santa FE (or vice versa). Expensive yes, but it is supposed to be energy efficient. Also, since baements tend to be cool, you need one that will work at lower temperatures.
It might be a good idea to also seal the walls and floors to stop moisture migration. That way you can probably get by with less equipment and once it is dry it will not take much to maintain. If the floor is allowing water liquid or vapor into the bottom of things (boxes) sitting on the floor the box will absorb and wick it. A dehumidifier won't fix this.
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