What to Look for When Purchasing a Dehumidifier

Most people understand what dehumidifiers do – that is, remove humidity from the air – but not many people understand exactly how dehumidifiers work, and more importantly, what factors help or hinder the dehumidifier's operation and filtration. These are important details to understand when deciding which type of dehumidifier to purchase. This article will show you what to look for when deciding on a dehumidifier.

We have all witnessed water condensation on the outside of a glass. Essentially, a dehumidifier uses this same principle to extract moisture from the air.  When warmer air is exposed to a colder surface, water collects from the air onto the colder surface, forming condensation.  A dehumidifier uses methods just like an air conditioner – a fan is used to pull air across a metal coil that is cooled by a compressor.  The dehumidifier removes this water from the air which has collected on the cold coils, which falls into a reservoir where it can be drained.

The amount of air a dehumidifier is able to pass through its system is a very important factor to consider when deciding which one will be most suited to your needs. This amount of air is measured in cubic feet of air per minute (CFM). The more CFM a dehumidifier can work with, the better job it can do removing moisture from larger spaces. With a low CFM, the dehumidifier can only dehumidify air from the space directly surrounding the unit. Portable dehumidifiers generally move less air and have a lower CFM, which makes them best suited for use in one single-room. Large whole house units are equipped with larger fans and can extract moisture from much more air, and therefore are more suited for much larger spaces.

The quality of the air extracted from dehumidifiers is almost directly a result of the dehumidifier filters and accessories that accompany the machine. The removal of moisture from the air will already guard against the growth of mold, but it is important to make sure that the dehumidifier has a clean filter which will work to remove dust and allergens from the air.