Having a boat is pretty much a big deal these days, from just having a simple cruise to vacation purposes and primary transportation medium that beats traffic, there is an endless benefit of owning a boat. Many Frequent users have voiced displeasure over the growth of mold and mildew in their boats due to moisture, hence the need for the best dehumidifiers for boats.
Due to the average amount of time a boat is required to spend on the water, it is built with unique water-resistant materials and coatings, and although this may give the boat a good life span, it does not account for 100% prevention of moisture entrance.
Moisture accumulated by boats over time tends to cause damages to materials and lead to the development of mold and mildews, hence stressing the need for the best moisture absorber for boats. Moisture absorber, which is also called a dehumidifier, for boats, must be potent in rate and ability to pull moisture from the atmosphere.
The best boat dehumidifiers always possess qualities that aren’t found in conventional household Dehumidifiers, and more often than none, people purchase the home products for boats. Of course, this leads to poor performance, making most people go with the natural drying process.
If you are one of those, general dehumidifiers actually do work, but the best dehumidifiers for boat is the right choice in the market for the task. This is the reason why we have chosen to write this article in order to equip you before diving you into the market.
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Top 4 best dehumidifier for boats
1) Iviation IVVADM35 Powerful Mid-Size Thermo-Electric Dehumidifier
Special Features: compact and portable, Peltier technology, detachable water tank, item height: 8.7 inches, width: 5.1 inches, length; 6.1-inch weight: 4.85 pounds.
This is a top type dehumidifier, with a high level of effectiveness in dealing with the moisture in a very moist environment. It is specially built for small enclosed areas like basements and boats, being barely small and portable in size, with a relatively lightweight of just 4.85 pounds.
It spans very little off the ground in height, and wouldn’t prove difficult to move in cases where there is a need to, while its relatively small footprint ensures it wouldn’t take up much space around, in your boat.
The unit is built with Peltier technology, which is an innovative and technical design that allows the dehumidifier to perform with optimum effectiveness without being built with and moving parts.
The absence of moving part enables the device to work singlehandedly in a totally noiseless manner, affording the user maximum comfort in the night and days that would go by without taking note of its presence in the home.
A catchy feature in this unit is its ability to cover up to 2,200 cubic square feet. Sure this might be a little small for yacht level size, but is perfect for boasts, and would do a great job regardless of where it is being placed.
It has a high moisture extraction rate of up to 20 ounces per day, squeezing water effectively from the moist air, and unlike some humidifiers, doesn’t have to be piped out to a drainage system as this could be uneasy with boats. Below the unit is a water reservoir tank, which can hold up a whopping 2 litres of water, covering you for at least three days of dehumidifying.
The device is basically easy and convenient to use, having an auto feature that is useful in avoiding overflow of water from the tank as soon as it is filled up, you wouldn’t want to battle a drenched floor, would you? NO
As soon as the water tank gets filled up, besides shutting down automatically, the unit also powers an indicator light to alert the user since its ultra-quiet operating mode would not make it easy to tell when running and when not. The downside to using this device is its requiring power supply to run, though it consumes very little. For this reason, it cannot be used on boats without provision for power.
- high moisture extraction rate,
- ultra-quiet operation,
- auto shut off,
- full tank indicator light,
- a large area of coverage.
- runs on the power supply.
2) Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier
Special Features: compact and portable, Peltier technology
The pro-Breeze electric mini dehumidifier shares many qualities with the iviation IVADM35 type, with excellent features and a high amount of moisture collection rate from the air in the atmosphere.
The unit is pretty small and portable in size, at least it wouldn’t cause much of a fuss should in case you decide to move it to another part of your boat. It employs the Peltier technology also that guarantees ultra-quietness while the unit is in operation, effortlessly blending into the background.
Below the unit sits a water tank with a large capacity of about 52 ounces, which is very on and would save you from the regular stress of having to empty the tank every now and then. The unit itself is able to extract up to 18 ounces of water per day, which is good enough to keep the molds and mildew away from the corners of your boat. It cannot work in very low temperatures though.
It has a wide area of coverage (on a boat scale), being able to cover up to 2200 cubic feet or 250sqft which is a big deal size and more than adequate for most boats. On a full tank, the unit has been designed to automatically shut off its operations, preventing an overflow, while its indicator lights come up in order to alert the user.
Like the ivation type, the unit also runs on the power supply, which could be a real turn off for boat owners without a proper house wiring system.
Purchasing this unit comes with a one year warranty which is sufficient to encourage you in giving the product a chance, while the unit itself overall is easy to use and would be a good buy for any boat owner looking to pounce on it.
- a large area of coverage,
- auto shutoff,
- full tank indicator,
- ultra-quiet operation,
- one year warranty,
- runs on the power supply.
3) hOmeLabs small space Dehumidifier
Special Features: compact and portable, dimensions: 6.5 x 5.3 x 8.5, item weight: 2.6 pounds, energy-efficient.
The next on our list is the hOmeLabs small space dehumidifier, and as the name implies, this humidifier is very suited to reducing humidity levels of a limited small space, which is limited to a maximum size of about 150sqft.
The unit is pretty small in size, spanning about 8.5 inches off the ground and 5.3 inches in width, giving it a tiny footprint and portability that allows smooth movements around the needed area, which in this case a boat, depending on the choice of the user.
The marching takes in air, dries it up before, releasing it back into the room, which over time reduces the moisture content of the atmosphere in general. The unit comes with a water tank capacity of 16 ounces which is good enough for most small spaces, while it can extract up to 9 ounces of moisture per day, giving you a runtime of at least two days depending on the usage frequency and atmospheric condition.
The unit is also designed to it is essential you at least clean the device once a week due to the possible accumulation of allergens and dirt that are drawn in alongside the air. The eradication of high humidity levels also, in turn, prevent the spread of mold and mildew, which in itself gives a longer-lasting duration to clothes and furniture around the boat.
This device also employs the Peltier technology for total and absolute silence while in operation, alongside a specially certified ETL adapter which is put in place to prevent overheating of the unit.
Other safety features also have been set in place to further help the user, like the auto-shutoff feature which turns off the unit in case of the filled water tank, while turning on the full tank water indicator light.
- auto shutoff,
- quiet operation,
- limited two-year manufacturer warranty,
- full water tank indicator.
- only suitable for small to medium-sized rooms only,
4) DampRid FG83K Hanging Moisture Absorber Fresh Scent
Special Features: Product dimensions: 1 x 1 x 1, item weight 9.65 pounds, quantity (3 boxes of 3 bags), wireless,
Last of the dehumidifiers is the DampRid FG83K which is unlike most on our list. Its build is totally different from the conventional system of drawing in air, and drying the moisture in it before releasing out back to the atmosphere, like we would see in most dehumidifiers today, instead it is more like central moisture absorber, as you just need to place it in an enclosed space, and watch it do what it does best; absorb moisture.
The device comes in packs of threes and works like the silica gel in drawing moisture from the atmosphere. Unlike the silica gel, this unit cannot be easily recharged by plugging it into a power outlet socket, as such once the bag is saturated with moisture, there is nothing to do than to dispose of it.
The unit is cheap compared to others, and you shouldn’t be shocked by the duration it spans before a change is needed. It wouldn’t work as effective as all others on our list, and we recommend you use it as a support dehumidifier and not the primary that product in the area.
The unit lacks any sort of automated feature, with designs that don’t account for much electronics, but it is an excellent choice for price, efficiently working to control humidity level around a very small area, and have a zero running cost, though you would have to purchase a new pack every now and then.
- cheap,
- doesn’t require electricity for running or recharging,
- Cannot be recharged.
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Factors to consider before choosing the best dehumidifier for boats
- Boat size:
It would be pointless to purchase a really small dehumidifier for a boat with a large-sized cabin, wouldn’t it? Except you intend using more than one of them per room, you should always go for devices with the ability to serve your room capacity.
- Moisture extraction rate per day:
since the dehumidifiers would spend most of their life primarily on a boat, it is essential that they are able to cope with the demands of being in an environment with a constant rise and replenishment in moisture level. The device should be able to draw a large amount of water from the air at a reasonable rate.
- Material content:
Different materials react in specific ways when they are exposed to salty seawater, and depending on the dehumidifier you purchased, it could go a long way in determining the life of the unit. Devices with poor material build would decompose or rust under constant exposure to the saline water body, and it is for this reason we have chosen products with no moving metallic parts.
- Provision for fastening:
This feature is actually going to be challenging to adhere to, due to the face that conventional dehumidifiers are not designed to have provision for fastening. Hence, while sailing in the turbulent wind, there an almost absolute guarantee for the unit to turn on its heads, which is why we placed the silica gel type amongst our list, as it is pretty handy and small enough to survive the waves.
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Mildew and mould in boat cabin: likely causes
Moulds and mildew found in cabins are as a result of allowing damp in the environment for an extended period of time on surfaces in the boat.
In cases where there is also a presence of high humidity or warmth; generally, the growth rate of moulds is accelerated too, and if left unchecked would lead to a lot of damages in the boat. Eventually, every boat owner becomes an expert in battling humidity levels.
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Avoiding mildew in winter stored boat: boat mould preventions
In all, it is better to prevent moulds and mildew completely than to combat them; this is so because once they’ve found a way into the home, settling on various materials around, it could become challenging to eradicate them completely.
Many a time, they can last for years before they are finally defeated.
- Reduce humidity alongside circulating air around the home.
- Be at an alert for and deal with leakages at an early stage.
- Reduce mould and mildew conducive material to avoid growth, like books and clothes. If it is necessary, they remain there, then arrange strategically for proper airflow and a never out them close to walls.
- Always keep the entryway flooring dry in wet seasons
- Having an exhaust fan in an area with a certain high level of humidity.
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How to remove mildew stains from boat upholstery
- Firstly, it is essential you hit maximum air circulation around the area in which the furniture is, and if you can, it should be detached and taken outside for proper sun drying and cleaning process.
- You should also clean or sweep areas in which are affected by the mould. But you should be careful while cleaning, for the mold not to be spread to uncontaminated areas.
- Use a vacuum cleaner with filters to clean up the upholstery. When done, empty the vacuum canister and discard the bag, as keeping it round would risk the further spread of mould around the home.
- In order to properly clean the upholstery, use a mixture of soap or detergent and water until it forms a surd, which you should use in wiping thoroughly through the fabric.
- After proper cleaning and scrubbing, allow the upholstery to sit under direct sunlight for hours in other to ensure complete drying and elimination of mould and mildew.
Final Verdict: best moisture absorber for boats
IVADM35 comes out as the top product on our best dehumidifiers for boats although it performs the precisely the same function as the next two. It is suitable for large-sized boat spaces and has a reasonable, moisture extraction rate which would do well in keeping mould away. The water tank also possesses an impressive capacity that could hold water for days.
Going for the next choice or ours is the Pro Breeze Electric Mini Dehumidifier, which poses a similar performance rate to the IVADM35, and wouldn’t be a wrong choice because these two only differ in comparisons like the water tank sizes and rate of moisture extraction.
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