Basement dehumidifiers offer an efficient and cost effective way to dry out your basement. Check out my reviews of the best basement dehumidifiers.

When I was growing up one of my best friends had a nice big basement in his home. Back then, basements were at the height of their popularity, because they proved to be highly convenient and a true space saver. It was great to have a functional area under your house without having to build an addition. The problem though with many basements is that they tend to get very moist and damp. This is especially true in the high humidity summer months. Because they are below ground, basements will be cooler than the other parts of the house and that creates condensation and moisture.

Many people use their basement as a storage room or a place where they’d put their old stuff in. But my friend liked living in the basement even though they had 3 other bedrooms in the house. My buddy really liked the privacy and the feeling that it was his own separate part of his home. But because he was living down there, his parents had to make sure that the space was dry and the air was fresh. The last thing he wanted was a moldy room!

What Makes Basement Rooms Work

Many basements feel stuffy and smell very musty. My friend’s basement however was not like that at all. It generally felt pretty fresh and airy, even if he didn’t open the windows. I wouldn’t sweat and feel sticky, and I can remember during the summer how cool it felt. The air wasn’t humid at all thanks to the basement dehumidifier they kept down there. Due to their strong and efficient basement unit, the room would feel cool, dry, and almost too airy for a basement.

What Are Basement Dehumidifiers?

Sometimes, our rooms can get too humid or too hot because of the varying temperatures, especially in places that are tropical by nature. When it comes to houses, increasing humidity can occur in the usual cramped places such as our basements, attics and small storage areas, and other spaces where there is no air conditioning. You can see from the diagram how air flows in your home and causes moisture to form in the basement. As the air flows up, moisture is pulled into the basement from the outside.

Usually, a feeling of a little stuffiness due to compressed air inside a room can be tolerated. But when the humidity level increases to at least fifty percent, it starts to get very uncomfortable for you. You should certainly start to look for basement dehumidifiers when humidity levels reach this level for several days. You better act quickly, because before you know it, mildew and mold can start to grow in your basement damaging the walls and foundation of your home, not to mention the negative health effects, such as respiratory disease and even toxic mold poisoning.

Basement dehumidifiers serve the essential purpose of removing excess moisture from the air. Not only can they improve the quality of air and the atmosphere in your room, they can also prevent unwanted elements from growing in your space, such as mildew and molds that can cause a foul odor. Using basement dehumidifiers can greatly decrease the humidity level in your basement, storage area, and crawlspaces that lead down to the basement.

A unit labeled specifically as basement dehumidifier is generally larger than most portable dehumidifiers because you are less likely to move it around your house. Once you place a unit in your basement, most people typically just keep there. However you don’t necessarily need a large expensive unit to get the job done. You simply need to match up the size of the space you want dried out with the capacity of the dehumidifier. Many portable units can easily handle large basements and they cost but a fraction of what a large stationary unit would cost.

Below are two models that rate very highly in consumer reviews but won’t bust your budget. They’ll work fantastic in your basement and dry it out very quickly. They both come with automatic drainage hoses that you can run to a drain in your basement. This means that you won’t need to manually empty the water collection container. Instead the water will just automatically drain and go down the drainage pipe as it is collected out of the air. Pretty cool!

Consumer Reviews: The Best Basement Humidifiers On The Market

These basement dehumidifiers have been tested and reviewed by owners who have all rated these machines very highly and really seem to love them. Out of the many brands out there, the following prove to be the best, as they have the ability to decrease humidity levels by at least 40 percent.

Frigidaire FAD704TDP

It was not rated four and a half stars out of five for no reason. This strong and reliable machine not only does the job, it also does it quietly and efficiently. The all-powerful Frigidaire FAD704TDP can dehumidify up to a 1,400 square foot room. It has a 70 pint moisture collection capacity and continuous drain capability so you can save yourself those frequent and unnecessary trips to empty the collection bucket. The FAD704TDP is also one of the quietest models on the market; you’ll hardly hear it running.

You can read about more features and find out where the best deals are for this machine in my detailed Fridigaire FAD704TDP dehumidifier review.

Danby DDR7009REE

This Danby unit is ideal for large basements as it has a coverage area of 3,800 square feet, which is huge. The DDR7009REE also comes with a handy remote control that lets you adjust humidity levels, set the timer, and control the fan speed. This ultra mighty machine boasts a 70-pint moisture collection capacity and a two-year warranty compared to other models that have only one. Plus, it has a digital display of the humidity level and an automatic defrost in case the temperature goes down low enough to freeze the coils.

Check out my Danby DDR7009REE dehumidifier review for the best prices and the latest information and ratings.

Tips On What To Look For In Basement Dehumidifiers

Before anything else, you need to assess the size of the space that requires a basement dehumidifier. Depending on the size, you may now choose the basement dehumidifier that has the right capacity to dehumidify your space. Since they come in different sizes, you must know that the larger basement dehumidifiers use less energy because they remove the moisture much quicker than the smaller ones. However, if you’re also saving up on space, it is recommended that you also buy a smaller dehumidifier if you have a much more compact space.

Where To Place Your Basement Dehumidifier?

In a basement you need to allow at least 8-10 inches on all sides of the unit to allow the fans to work properly and have efficient air flow. You also want to make sure the unit is level so that it won’t tip over or water won’t get spilled from it. Many basements may be dirty or dusty, especially if you have a lot of stuff stored down there. If that’s the case, you need to make sure you keep your basement dehumidifier away from dusty areas, or try to clean up the area where you plan to place the machine. Dirt and dust can clog the dehumidifier’s grills and coils and decrease its efficiency.

Remember, once your dehumidifier has done its job, always empty out the water if you don’t have an automatic drainage system set up. Many of the best units will notify you when the water container is full or even shut off to prevent any excess water from spilling.

A good basement dehumidifier should do an excellent job drying out your basement. Then you can enjoy the space again, free of allergens and harmful mold or mildew. Best of luck!

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