Portable vs. Whole House Dehumidifiers

With the rising cost of living in the US, many people are being forced to make difficult financial choices. In a struggling market such as our own, people often make the decision to purchase less-expensive lifestyle products. However, when it comes to home appliances an extra up-front investment could end up saving you cash in the future. All too often homeowners decide to purchase the cheaper home appliances, which end up costing them more in the long run. This is often the case with the purchase of dehumidifiers. While portable dehumidifiers require a less substantial up-front investment, the whole-house dehumidifier is a more energy-efficient and cost effective alternative in the long run.

You may already know how much high levels of humidity can harm your home—from splintering wood to the seemingly unstoppable growth of mold. Many homes have such problems, especially in basements. If you are a homeowner, it is important to guard against the loss of equity which can result if such problems are left untreated.

If you've ever looked into buying a dehumidifier you may have noticed the price difference between portable and whole-house dehumidifiers. A portable dehumidifier will cost around $200, while a whole-house dehumidifier costs around a thousand. Ouch. And after all, you're not made of money.

For those of you who only need a temporary solution to the humidity in your home, or want to use the dehumidifier in a small room, you'll be glad to know you should be fine getting a portable dehumidifier. These so-called "crawl space" dehumidifiers work fine in certain situations. But if you require a dehumidifier for a large room, like the basement, and if you need it to be used on a more permanent basis, than handing over that $1,000 would be the best decision for both the health of your family, and the girth of your wallet.

Although both dehumidifiers work the same way, the whole-house type is built sturdier than the portable.  About 40% of the portables are damaged in shipping, but 99% of the time the whole-house dehumidifier arrives in working order. It also manages to suck up more moisture in the air.  Unlike the portables, you wouldn't have to worry about any clean-up or buckets being filled with water because the whole-house type doesn't have a bucket.  A whole house dehumidifier is also better equipped to handle sudden temperature changes. A whole-house dehumidifier will also run less and be more energy efficient than a portable.

Depending on your situation the portable dehumidifier could certainly be adequate. However if you are in need for the dehumidifier to be working on a more permanent bases I recommend buying a whole-house dehumidifier, which will be a better investment down the road. Indoor Air Quality Source has many high-quality models of dehumidifiers for you to choose from.