The question ‘How big dehumidifier do I need’ arises often among dehumidifier buyers because they need to be assured and reassured that they are purchasing the perfect dehumidifier size for an exact space.
Having a dehumidifier at home is one of the best ways to get rid of excess moisture, hence regulating humidity levels to a healthy point for human while extending the life span of furniture around the home.
Before purchasing a dehumidifier, there are several factors to put into consideration, some of which are the capacity, room size, automatic features, etc. Amongst these, the most important one to consider is the size of the dehumidifier and the size of the room it can serve, which is directly tied to its moisture removing capacity.
After deciding to go for a dehumidifier; the research and knowledge about what specific type you need is essential to help you navigate the market, picking the best that would suit you.
In this article, we would be discussing several concerns pertaining to the size of dehumidifiers, which would all come in handy when it is time to pick the one of your choosing finally.
Also Read: Good Housekeeping Dehumidifier Reviews
Types of dehumidifier according to their water tank capacity
The several types of dehumidifiers are classified according to different categories, some of which are the type, capacity, mounting options, and so forth.
Now talking according to the water tank capacity, it is what determines the basic moisture-absorbing level, hence the capacity of the unit and room size it can serve in general. Dehumidifiers are classified according to their water tank capacity into;
- Small capacity:
Units under this category have been designed to remove a fair amount of moisture from the atmosphere per day. It is able to remove around 30 to 35 pints of moisture per day, and are more suitable for small enclosed areas that are rather damp then literally wet.
- Medium capacity:
The medium capacity units are able to perform at a level above the small type, being suitable for slightly large room sizes and can remove up to 50 pints of moisture per day. They would do well in damp environments, and although poorer in wet areas, it generally performs more than the small capacity type.
- Large capacity:
When a unit is able to remove from 60 pints of moisture and higher from the air per day, it falls under the large capacity sized dehumidifier. Most of them are able to handle quite a broader range of humidity than the medium and small type, while being quieter and boasts better features.
- Whole-house dehumidifiers:
Just like the best dehumidifier for crawl space, sitting on the top of the domestic dehumidifier food chain is the whole house dehumidifiers. This type can be installed as a portable unit or as add on to your central heating system, and can conveniently handle spaces of up to 5000sqft.
They are expensive though, but would really do an excellent job where ever they are placed, while helping you run your air conditioner less due to the high amount of moisture it removes, hence conserving energy and energy bills.
Also Read: Best Dehumidifier with pump for basement
Can one dehumidifier do a whole house?
Can one dehumidifier do a whole house? Yes, of course. But for a dehumidifier to serve a whole house, it must be the whole house dehumidifier type. As earlier said, these units are able to serve up to 5000sqft or more, which is around the typical size of most homes today.
For it to efficiently cover the home, it is the best one installs it with an existing HVAC system, where it can effectively draw moisture from each room in the home simultaneously.
How to select dehumidifier size: major factors to consider
- Water tank capacity:
So far, it has been established that dehumidifiers are rated by how much pints of water (hence moisture) they can draw in per day. In choosing a dehumidifier; hence, it is important you consider its ability to draw sufficient water from the atmosphere, enough to serve the size of the room you intend using it in. Generally, larger room sizes always require a higher unit rating.
- Airflow capacity:
This is simply the rate of how much air a unit is able to move per minute. Some dehumidifiers make use of this rating type, wherein unlike the water capacity, its moisture absorbing rate measurement is based on the amount of air it is able to cycle through the atmosphere per minute.
Moisture is removed from the air passing through the unit during the air circulation process, while the square footage of the room dictates how many times the dehumidifier can process all of the air in the space.
What size of dehumidifier do I need for a mobile home?
Mobile homes are mostly for people with a regular need to move around very frequently while wanting to retain the comfort of their home. For this reason, this type of home is always very small and portable enough for easy mobility. Hence it can be easily humidified by using a small to the medium-sized unit. It is important though that you also ensure the capacity of the dehumidifier matches that of the interior size of your mobile home.
Depending on the rating of the manufacturer, each unit is labeled with the number of square feet it can cover. If the unit is too small, it would be helpless in doing its job, and when too large, its power consumption rate would lead to spiked bills. Hence you are overpaying for what you don’t need.
What size of dehumidifier do I need for a 2 bedroom house?
When dealing with a two-bedroom house, it becomes a bit trickier in the sense that you would have to take into account the size of each individual room, as well as the overall size of the house in total. Most two-bedroom homes also feature some curves and demarcations in its design that could hinder the effectiveness of using a dehumidifier.
What is most important, though, is the overall square feet capacity of the home in general. In choosing a dehumidifier, going for the stationary type could be what is most economical when the room sizes aren’t too large. Placing a large capacity dehumidifier could do a good job for your two-bedroom home in general, especially when it possesses a good moisture removal rate, apart from the size of the room it is able to serve.
The disadvantage of using this type though is that the impact of the dehumidifier reduces with distance; i.e., you wouldn’t expect the immediate atmosphere where the unit is placed in, to be on the same moisture content level as the other environment far from the unit.
On the other hand, you can choose to go for a whole-house humidifier, but in most cases is your home capacity is less than 5000sqft (as in the case of host 2 bedroom homes today), it would be uneconomical to go for this option due to the larger energy consumption levels as well as the additional installation costs that come with purchasing it.
In conclusion, we would advise you go for a large-sized capacity unit that is on par with the total room size of your home (the two rooms combined), and it should be mounted in an area where it can effectively circulate air around the home, instead of just being stationed in a room where it performs effectively, while the other parts of the home suffers as a result.
What size dehumidifier do I need for a 3 bedroom house?
In a three bedroom type, your effective options are more limited in the sense that it is either you go for mobile capacity units that should be strategically placed around the rooms of the home, or you just deal with having to purchase a whole-house dehumidifier type.
Since it is a three-bedroom home, purchasing a single large capacity unit and placing (even if in a centralized location) just wouldn’t cut it. Most times, the unit’s effectiveness would be limited to its immediate environment.
For this reason, you can either choose to purchase several dehumidifiers, three precisely, in order for each to be placed in each room. The picking of these units, of course, should be done with respect to the size of each room in question, hence a small capacity type when necessary, medium-size or the large type accordingly.
On the other hand, in order to save the stress of monitoring and maintaining several dehumidifiers simultaneously, you can take the better option of purchasing a whole-house dehumidifier type. As earlier said, this type of unit is able to cover grounds above 5000sqft, and are installed with the HAVC system of the home.
For this reason, it is able to cover all rooms of the home at the same time (since it is connected to the ducts which are piped to each area of the home), and even accounts for extra spaces like the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet. As far as there is a duct outlet in that space, then this unit would effectively do its job of dehumidifying.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right size of dehumidifier for your home is the most important process in the whole of picking a unit, which is why it is important you know the available types as well as their suitability.
You should also know the size of your home in general, as it would help you pick the right size of unit required. If you are considering up to a three-bedroom house whole dehumidification, then the whole house type is certainly for you, while for lesser sizes, you would need a corresponding small or large capacity type unit.
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