Dehumidifiers

[JayWltrs]

I generally buy big-box dehumidifiers for the home garage. They run a lot & last ~2 yrs, so they’re quasi disposable. They use an embarrassing amount of energy & generate too much heat. The price jump from these to even the smallest commercial units is huge. Anyone have good recommendations or experience? Some suggest a mini-split HVAC unit ad better value long run, but I wouldn’t get direct dehumidifying w/o AC running.

 

[TodB]

Ditto on the cheapie big box units.

I have a 22*30 detached garage with 15 foot high ceilings at the peak. Its fully insulated also. I'm in northern FL, 5 miles from the coast, so it can be pretty humid. We moved down from MA 18 months or so ago. I shelf mounted my existing cheapie Haier basement unit I brought with me to drain directly outside. I figured I'd get a better one when it broke. Except it hasn't broken! I've got it set at 50% and it runs and cycles off when it hits 50%. I don't notice any huge spike in electricity costs though electricity is 40% cheaper here than on MA. Seems to work pretty well though I know it will not last forever.

I thought about AC but the insulation seems to work pretty well. Its rarely above 85 compared to our attached garage which must be > 100 every day.

 

[JFENG]

I have a cheapy Haier in the lowest level of a 24x36 barn (2/3 of the foundation is below grade). It is just finishing up it's 7th year in that barn without problems. Like TodB, I've got it setup to drain directly outside and I put it away from November to mid April (MA). I've got mine set to 60% RH. The barn is only modestly insulated and lacks moisture barrier in the walls (it's a couple hundred years old, but there's a good moisture barrier under the concrete floor. There's no way to keep it dry in the summer in the barn because it's always cooler than ambient because 2/3's of the main level are recessed into a hillside. I'm delighted with the value (I think I paid $150), and while it does use electricity I am not aware of a cheaper way to keep the air dry other than installing a big solar panel.

 

[JimV]

We keep a Boxster in our hot & humid south Florida garage over the summer months. Last spring I installed a (can't recall brand) dehumidifier from Lowe's, drained it outside to stone driveway edging, set it at 50% and placed a humidity gauge on a workbench. A year-round neighbor checks our house twice monthly and we've had +/- 50% readings at every check. My biggest concern was mildew so as an added precaution placed absorbent material in both footwells. He has pulled the cotton cover back to peek inside and it's all good. Don't yet know how long it will last but so far think of it as a good cost/benefit expenditure.

 

[adawil2002]

Bought a combo AC/Dehu unit for our family room this summer. It was over $500 USD & works great, still uses tons of power. I run a plain dehumidifier in my garage year round.

 

[Markos]

I keep a dehumidifier in my car. It costs $10 and uses nuclear fusion or some other type of independent power source.

 

[CSteve]

I keep a dehumidifier in my car. It costs $10 and uses nuclear fusion or some other type of independent power source.


View attachment 53380

Markos, et al, this summer here in SE PA has been the worst ever for humidity and mold, and the first time the odor has been really noticeable. T111 siding, no insulation, brick floor, vapor barrier under the brick, ceiling 12 feet. Sliding barn doors so no way to seal if that is even a factor.
I see the name Haier in at least two posts. Can anyone add anything more + or -?
thanks, Steve

 

[steve in reno]

Or.
You could move to Reno, Nv. The average humidity level in summer is less than 20%.
And has been in the less than 10% several times in the last month.
It has rained twice since mid July.
No mold

 

[JFENG]

Markos, et al, this summer here in SE PA has been the worst ever for humidity and mold, and the first time the odor has been really noticeable. T111 siding, no insulation, brick floor, vapor barrier under the brick, ceiling 12 feet. Sliding barn doors so no way to seal if that is even a factor.
I see the name Haier in at least two posts. Can anyone add anything more + or -?
thanks, Steve

I've also had good luck with LG dehumidifiers. This brand should be easy to find anywhere.

 

[NilsH]

I keep a dehumidifier in my car. It costs $10 and uses nuclear fusion or some other type of independent power source.

Cat litter (silica sand) is cheap and works well inside the car. Put it in a bowl or sock.

 

[TodB]

I see the name Haier in at least two posts. Can anyone add anything more + or -?

I don't think Haier has the best rep for appliances but then what manufacturer does these days, everything is generally crappy consumable grade and considered throw away. Negative Nelly aside, I never expected my dehumidifer to last as long as it has but it just keeps chugging along and is doing the job. Other than cleaning/blowing out the filter every once in awhile, having it drain outside makes it set and forget. Based upon my experience, I'd buy another one.

 

[JFENG]

I just looked at some warranties and noticed Frigidaire dehumidifiers come with a 1/5yr warranty. I'm not sure exactly what's covered by the 5 year "closed system" warranty, but I would infer that they have spend a little more $$ than other brands which only have a 1/1 warranty. I guess if mine fails someday I'll buy based on warranty and get a Frigidaire.

 

[Sooner]

Funny, here in NM we put Humidifers in our houses, 10% and people go crazy because it is so humid!

 

[Markos]

See if you can get one from Costco. That way you can return it in two years when it inevitably fails. I bought my power washer from costco for that reason. No matter how nice the motor is the pump eventually dies. I exchanged my 4yo Blendtec blender this summer with no questions asked. It just took them 10 minutes to find it in my purchase history.

 

[Gary Knox]

I bought a Hisense dehumidifier last spring. Had my e9 parked int he hobby garage most of the summer. Ran the dehumidifier all the time when I was not doing something in the garage (then I probably had the split unit heat pump/AC active and that removes moisture very effectively in AC mode). I was gone from mid-August to mid-September and the dehumidifier was turned on all that time. I do not have an easy drain from this garage, but do have a sink with a drain, so I bought a dehumidifier with a pump. It kept the humidity in the ~60% range all the time we were gone (cycles on and off in the 65-55% range).

Previously, I've had cars in that garage during that month when we are away during those same times and mildew/mold formed on the leather and some vinyl. NOTHING on the e9 this year and the temps/humidity in our area was higher than usual this year). I've also produced about 12 gallon of distilled water with this unit during the summer. I just put the hose with the pump output into a clean gallon container and it fills within about 1-2 days.

Just my experience. I'm very pleased with the unit.

 

[TodB]

I looked up the stats and even on the smaller units (50 pint) they are rated for 2000-2500 sq feet of space which explains why the seem to be so effective.

 

[JayWltrs]

I have the same Frigidaire in my basement and garage, drains to sump and outside, respectively. When I looked last it was identical to one of the Haier, Hisense or LG. Perhaps it isn't using that much energy, but they're louder than my prior one (Hunter? Honeywell?) and seem to run more. I'm probably just crankier .

 

[autokunst]

I searched for a unit that would work well even in a colder garage. Most of the big-box store units aren't rated for cooler temps. But the Frigidaire unit I found is good to 40 or 41 degrees Fahrenheit. I have one in the garage, hard piped to a drain in the house. It has served me well for at least two or three years. It cost a few dollars more than than the "normal" units I'd buy previously, but much less than the big commercial units. But I think it works better than the "regular" models and functions year round. In the dead of winter I keep it 50 degrees in the garage. I actually bought it online from a place that specialized in items for allergy sufferers. I can go look up the model number if anyone is interested.

 

[CSteve]

I searched for a unit that would work well even in a colder garage. Most of the big-box store units aren't rated for cooler temps. But the Frigidaire unit I found is good to 40 or 41 degrees Fahrenheit. I have one in the garage, hard piped to a drain in the house. It has served me well for at least two or three years. It cost a few dollars more than than the "normal" units I'd buy previously, but much less than the big commercial units. But I think it works better than the "regular" models and functions year round. In the dead of winter I keep it 50 degrees in the garage. I actually bought it online from a place that specialized in items for allergy sufferers. I can go look up the model number if anyone is interested.

Autokunst, my garage is uninsulated and unheated and I live in SE PA where our winters are getting colder and the summers are turning tropical. Is there any advantage for someone like me to have a Dehumidifier that works in lower, 40 degree, temps? Thanks, Steve

 

[autokunst]

Hi Steve. How cold does your garage get, and for how many weeks/months is it below 40? I'd think that if the sub-forty degree weather is measured in weeks or at most a couple of months, then it would be worthwhile. If it is freezing out there 6-months of the year, then the extra $100 for the 40-degree unit may not be worthwhile.

The interweb says the average low temp is PA is 47. Not sure if that is accurate, especially where you are. But if so, maybe your garage stays above 40 often?