Before diving into analyzing the best dehumidifier for wood floors, it’s important to review some issues. We all know that humidity is not only uncomfortable, but it also affects the quality of air in your home. There are a lot of harmful things in the atmosphere that can increase and thrive in this kind of climate. Certain harmful chemicals, like ozone, aren’t too toxic if there isn’t very much in the air. However, humidity can increase those levels. The same goes for any bacteria that can negatively impact your respiratory system. They can thrive in both high and low levels of humidity.
The Benefits of Getting a Dehumidifier
- Helps Prevent Mold: Mold can cause irritation of the eyes, itchy throat, sneezing, and much more. It also can increase the likelihood of asthma attacks for those who are prone. Mold, in and of itself, might be inevitable because a lot of items within and used to build your home will end up biodegrading over time. The main concern is the speed at which mold grows and its ability to thrive in an environment. Humidity helps to increase both of those factors because of moisture. As such, a dehumidifier could reduce the chances of mold by decreasing the dampness in the atmosphere.
- Assists in Reducing Dust Mites: Dust mites are another harmful element that could be in the atmosphere. They, too, thrive in moist environments. Dust mites can cause allergies, wheezing, and worsen asthma symptoms. Unfortunately, you can’t completely clear your home of dust mites. All you can do is make the environment they’re in difficult for them to thrive. That is where dehumidifiers come in, as those can lessen the humidity in the air.
See Also:
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Types of Dehumidifiers
Before you go out and buy a dehumidifier, you should learn about the different types. There are three variants: refrigerant, desiccant, and whole-house ventilation dehumidifiers. Each kind of dehumidifier has its unique way of clearing away the moisture in the air. It’s important to know what they are so that you know which one would be best for your home. This information will help narrow down your options. It’ll also help you save money by preventing you from buying the wrong type of dehumidifier.
- Refrigerant Dehumidifier: These devices operate similarly to a refrigerator. They use cooling to reduce the humidity in the air. A refrigerant contains a metal plate that is cooled. A fan, also within this device, then sucks in the humid air. The moisture-filled air is then passed over the cold metal plate, turning the humidity into condensation. The water then drips into the built-in water tank.
- Desiccant DehumidifiersHave you ever seen those little “Do Not Eat” packets inside of beef jerky or new shoes? These usually contain silica gel, which is called a desiccant. A desiccant is a material meant to absorb water in an area to keep that area dry. That’s why a particular type of dehumidifier utilizes this material. This device contains a wheel with desiccant that turns and, with each cycle, absorbs moisture from the incoming air. The resulting condensed water ends up in a collection tank or flows through a tube that leads to the outside.
- Whole House Ventilation DehumidifiersAs its name implies, this dehumidifier is a ventilation system that works throughout your home. Though usually more expensive to purchase than the other two types, it would substantially cost less to run each day most of the time. What’s great about this system is it doesn’t just reduce humidity in your home, but it also brings in fresh, filtered air from the outside. Through constant circulation, a whole-house ventilation dehumidifier can purify the atmosphere in your home. You don’t even have to spend extra money to have it installed. If you like doing DIY, then you’ll be able to set it up in your home yourself.
Which Dehumidifier is Best for You?
A refrigerant dehumidifier would be suitable for homes that are regularly at room temperature. It works poorly in colder atmospheres because the metal plate could freeze over while in use. A desiccant dehumidifier can work well in frigid temperatures. If you need to clear away atmospheric moisture in non-ventilated areas like garages, attics, or basements, then this device would be useful there. Unlike the first two types, a whole-house ventilation dehumidifier doesn’t just focus on one room or area of the home. You can get this system if you have a relatively big house or want most, if not all, of the rooms in your abode to be free of atmospheric moisture.
The Best Dehumidifier for Wood Floors – Reviews
2) Midea MAD50C1ZWS Dehumidifier
Devices usually measure humidity levels in percentages. The ideal measurement for humidity in the home is less than 50%. This way, the atmosphere is dry enough to prevent things like bacteria and mold growth. For wooden floors, however, the percentage range should be between 35% and 55%. That helps to make sure the wood floors aren’t too dry or absorb too much water from the atmosphere too often. With that said, Midea has built the best dehumidifier for wood floors that helps maintain the humidity levels in your home at a healthy range of 45% to 55%.
It’s no surprise that Midea, a significant global provider of air conditioning products, has developed a dehumidifier of their own. For this particular product, you can get parts and labor available for up to a year. The Midea MAD50C1ZWS covers up to 4,500sq/ft for its 50-pint variant. Thirty-five pints would be able to clear up a room that’s as big as 3,000sq/ft, and 1,500sq/ft is the furthest that the 20-pint option can reach. This dehumidifier would be great for bathrooms, bedrooms, basements, and crawlspaces. If you plan to put the dehumidifier in a larger room, then you may need to get a larger device for better accommodation.
Power outages can be frequent during a lightning storm. Once the power comes back on, so do your appliances. A slight inconvenience is having to modify specific devices to particular settings again, like resetting the digital clocks on microwaves and ovens. That’s why the Midea Dehumidifier has an auto-restart function that keeps any settings you have even after being shut off. It’s a useful way to maintain the atmospheric moisture in your home at proper levels. That is especially beneficial if you have wooden floors.
The Midea MAD50C1ZWS has built-in caster wheels. That will allow for ease of transport from one room to another if you plan on using it in multiple areas of your home. You might have some doubts about putting it in a bedroom or living room with guests because of how much sound you think it’ll make. Luckily, this device isn’t very loud while in use. Its quiet operation, in combination with its purification of the atmosphere, allows for a calm, soothing environment. So you could rest easy in your bedroom if you place the Midea there overnight.
This device is easy to maintain, especially when it comes to emptying the water tank. Yes, you can remove that component and pour that water out in an appropriate location. What’s great about this dehumidifier, though, is that it adds another convenient way to dispose of the water. You can use a female garden hose that’s .75 inches and connect it to the dehumidifier so that the water is continually draining out. Either way, you wouldn’t have to buy any replacement parts each time the tank is full. It saves money and time from having to go out and purchase other parts or waiting for it in the mail if you order it online.
3) hOmelabs HME020006N Dehumidifier
Some dehumidifiers take up a lot of energy. The ones from hOmelabs, however, do not. That’s because they are Energy Star certified, meaning they’re both energy-efficient and can help you save money on your electric bill. Due to the hOmelabs dehumidifier’s sufficiency in absorbing moisture in the atmosphere, you’ll be able to install this device in a large room. More specifically, the dehumidifier with a 35-pint water tank can handle rooms up to 3,000sq/ft. You can work this device in a cellar, attic, or basement.
Though functionality is critical, it’s not the only advantage of a hOmelabs Dehumidifier. hOmelabs made sure to produce a device that looks sleek and modern. Its visual appeal didn’t sacrifice any of its functionality, either. This machine is durable with caster wheels and handles for convenience. The fan is nice and quiet, so your yoga session won’t be disturbed. hOmelabs offers a 2-year warranty with their dehumidifier.
The dehumidifier for wood floors does not only have convenient features for transport but use, as well. You could easily input your preferred settings. It will then run continuously until the tank is all filled up. Once full, the dehumidifier will automatically turn off. Removing the tank, emptying it, then putting it back is pretty much effortless. You also have the option of attaching a hose to the dehumidifier for constantly draining out the water without needing to do it manually.
Humidity can worsen odors in the atmosphere. Usually, it’s the bacteria that thrive in moist environments that cause those odors. Even if it’s indirect, dehumidifiers can contribute to the reduction of odors by removing moistness. hOmelabs has developed their dehumidifiers with a Turbo mode setting. This setting allows for you to change the speed of the fan from Normal Air, or 165 cubic feet per minute, to High Air, or 188 cubic feet per minute. You can use Turbo mode if you want to remove odor and moisture much faster.
The way this and many other refrigerant dehumidifiers work is after the humid air passes through a cold plate, it is pushed further through heated coils. That is what causes the air to be dry when it comes out. It’s essential to keep this in mind because the hOmelabs dehumidifier emanates heat. That’s why you have to be careful when handling this device while it’s on, specifically, if you’re slightly adjusting its movement to a specific spot. Though the product covers spaces up to 3,000sq/ft, it’s not for areas less than 1,500sq/ft. It could make the air too dry, which can cause some severe damage to your wooden floors.
4) Frigidaire FFAP7033T1 Dehumidifier
If you live in a place like Florida, then you know your summers are going to be hot and humid. It may discourage you from being in areas like garages and workshops too often for too long. You might be one of the individuals, however, that have to enter those places regularly because your job depends on it. Luckily, you can get the Frigidaire FFAP7033T1 to clear a ton of the atmosphere moisture in these places. This dehumidifier is perfect for wood floors. It clears 70 pints of water particles a day. As powerful as this device is, it can plug into a typical 115V outlet with little to no issues.
Some of the previously-mentioned dehumidifiers have the option of allowing you to drain the water from their water tanks with a hose. You’d have to purchase one on your own, but they’re not that expensive, and doing so can save you time. What makes this unit unique is that it comes with a built-in pump. The pump pushes the water through the hose against gravity. That means that, instead of trailing the other end of the tube out the front or back door, you could put it through a window. You don’t have to install the dehumidifier near a door or worry about tripping over a hose.
The Frigidaire FFAP7033T1 is the device to get if there are bacteria in the atmosphere that cause respiratory problems. Though it’s a refrigerant, you’ll be able to operate this device at temperatures as low as 41 degrees. That works if you want to protect your wooden floors in the winter by maintaining levels of humidity. The electronic controls aren’t too difficult to understand and digitally displays the measurement of moisture in the atmosphere. There’s a timer that allows you to turn the device on or off for 24 hours. The control lock will prevent any small children from accidentally opening the water tank compartment.
If you don’t want to attach a hose to the Frigidaire FFAP7033T1, then you could still empty the water tank manually. That would be an option for those who use this excess atmospheric moisture to water their plants. The water container is easy to remove and put back. It comes with a handle for effortless handling and pouring. There’s also a splash guard to prevent you from getting wet while disposing of the water. The motor runs at 1,130 rotations per minute.
The filter is washable, so there’s no need to buy any replacement parts. Accessing it doesn’t require any special tools. You can open the compartment without too much effort. This product comes with a manual that has clear instructions on the controls. It’ll give you important details like how to clean the filter and how to maintain it to increase its longevity. Frigidaire also provides you with a warranty for this dehumidifier.
5) Honeywell TP70PWK Dehumidifier
Mold can appear in places you may not expect, like individual pieces of furniture, appliances, and even curtains. That’s why the Honeywell Dehumidifier can help prevent mold by removing the excess moisture from the atmosphere. In doing this, it could even help preserve food faster. As powerful as this unit is, it’s also Energy Star certified. It will remove 50 pints of atmospheric moisture a day without using up too much energy. You can use the Honeywell Dehumidifier for a room that’s about 4000sq/ft with wood floors to clear it up.
If you have any questions about your device, then you can contact Honeywell customer service. They’ll be able to help you if you have any issues with your dehumidifier, but only during their office hours. There’s an entire team that can help you; all you have to do is call. In the case that your dehumidifier needs to be repaired or replaced, Honeywell provides you with a five-year warranty. They make sure to test their products for safety before making them available for purchase. So you can rest easy knowing that placing a Honeywell Dehumidifier in your basement or living room with wood floors won’t be a fire hazard due to overheating.
There are thousands of different types of mold that can grow in your home. One of those types is mildew. Mildew commonly grows on living plants and wood. So to help protect your wooden floors, incorporate a Honeywell Dehumidifier in your home. No matter how many types of mold could grow in your home, all of them will grow faster if the atmosphere is humid. Some variations will cause or worsen allergies, so the Honeywell Dehumidifier is essential in helping to remove them.
This dehumidifier comes with an auto-drain pump. Additionally, it comes with a drain tube. The pump can then siphon the water up to 15 feet either horizontally or vertically. You can drain the water through a window or into a sink. When it’s time to clean your filter, the dehumidifier will display an alert. It is easy to clean; all you have to do is run it under a faucet.
The display contains other useful stats and controls. You’ll be able to put it in sleep mode and set a timer so the dehumidifier can run for 24 hours. It can run in relatively low temperatures. When you input your preferred settings, the auto-restart feature will prevent you from having to enter that data again during a power outage. The Honeywell Dehumidifier comes built with a large handle and caster wheels for convenience. This device not only operates quietly but transports silently due to the smooth caster wheels.
Each of these five high-quality products came from top manufacturers. They each have features that help make the dehumidifiers convenient and easy to use. You can consider any of them to be the best dehumidifier for wood floors. hOmelabs would be the best in terms of affordability. As far as the dehumidifier that covers the most ground, that goes to the Honeywell brand. Each of them has what is needed to help maintain and protect the humid levels for your wood floors, but the one with the most convenient features to you will be your best option.
What to Look for in a Dehumidifier
It’s essential to keep certain factors in mind when shopping for a dehumidifier. That will prevent you from buying a cheap product that could end up being a health hazard to you. Many dehumidifiers from top brands would usually already have most, if not all, of these factors. Some of these factors have to do with safety, while others have to do with convenience. Dehumidifiers that lack some of these elements may not even be because they’re low-quality. Some dehumidifiers are just simply not made for casual use in the home and may have unique purposes.
Not all of these factors are a requirement but are strong recommendations if you want a convenient device. Getting a dehumidifier with an auto-restart feature is more about convenience. The same goes with caster wheels, as it provides easy transport from one room in your home to another. You’ll want a dehumidifier with a collection tank or drainage option. As a recommendation, get one that can operate at low temperatures, as many standard dehumidifiers are refrigerants. The reason for this is that the ones that use desiccants are proven to be less reliable.
The best dehumidifier for wood floors can depend on various circumstances. One of these is the size of the room. However, there are some requirements for this particular category. The main one is the capacity to remove and maintain humidity levels in the air. Auto-restart and automatic shut-off can help with preventing your wooden floors from being too wet or dry. Don’t forget about the convenient factors, like caster wheels and a low noise level.