In the United States the average cost to finish or remodel a basement is around $30,000. You would think consumers might see this expense as an incentive to protect their investment and make it comfortable all year-round. Yet on average around three million portable dehumidifiers are sold every year in big box stores across America. While the low upfront costs of these portable units may be appealing, they typically don’t have adequate air flow capacity for the space in which they are being used. Eventually this improper airflow leads to poor dehumidification which can cause several issues including damaged or stained floors and walls, nasty odors, mold and mildew growth, and even potentially significant health problems.
Industry leader and innovator Aprilaire compared the performance of their whole home dehumidification systems to several name brand portable units. On average, an Aprilaire dehumidifier runs (cycles) 11 times less often than most portable units. In a given day a portable unit can put in near 175.2 cycles, whereas an Aprilaire whole-home dehumidifier will run 16.8 cycles. By running more efficiently, wear and tear is reduced, resulting in a product that outlasts standard portables.
A typical portable dehumidifier has about an 8 pint bucket and moves about 20 CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute) of air over its coil. The bucket requires being emptied about twice a day, and when it reaches maximum capacity, the unit automatically turns off. At this rate these units will at best remove approx 112 lbs of water and move around 403k cubic feet of air per week. Compare this to a standard Aprilaire model 1850, 95 Pint dehumidifier and you could be moving approx 660 lbs of water and 3 Million cubic feet of air per week; this is about 6.6x more water and 8.5x the humid air.
The increased capacity and air flow of whole-home dehumidifiers is extremely important for not only keeping your home safe from damage, but protecting your health as well. Excessive dampness and humidity can lead to mold and mildew growth, damaging walls, floors, and stored foods or clothing. This damage can be both unsightly and long lasting, including the staining and the warping of a home’s surfaces. Additionally, dust mites and other allergens can flourish in high humidity environments, exacerbating the symptoms of allergy sufferers. Even worse, continued inhalation of moldy air can lead to both short term and long term respiratory problems. Continued humidity balance is essential to avoiding property damage and health problems.
The efficiency of whole-home dehumidification systems means they are much less expensive to operate than portable units. A whole-home dehumidifier like those manufactured by Aprilaire can save homeowners significantly on electrical bills by increasing thermostat set point. Additionally, Standard dehumidifiers need to cycle on and off more frequently to keep up with basement dampness, causing extreme wear and tear on compressors. Investing in a whole-home dehumidifier now is an investment in long term protection!
