Basements are closed spaces on the down floor of houses. They are likely to be more humid as they are less ventilated than the rest of the house, and there is hardly an air conditioner or heating system.
Although basements are less supervised and visited, they are used as storage rooms. It has your expensive items in it that need to be taken care of properly. Dehumidifiers are the best solutions to protect them effortlessly. Nowadays, this question is getting popular: When should I use a dehumidifier in the basement?
We have the best and detailed answer to make you aware so that you can fix your confusion.
Signs to know that you need a dehumidifier in your basement
Following are a few signs that tell you that you need to start operating a dehumidifier in your basement.
- Damp area
If you live in a damp area with excessive moisture that can be seen through leakage in the walls and roofs, you must go for a dehumidifier, especially in your basement.
In damp areas, the basements are damper than the rest of the house, and there are chances that it can have a very high humidity level which is dangerous for its infrastructure, furniture, and other storage stuff.
- Humidity level
The higher humidity is another sign that you need a dehumidifier down there. You should buy a good hygrometer to check the humidity levels even if you don’t live in a damp area.
In summers, the humidity should not exceed 55 percent. In winters, the humidity is usually lower than in summers, so if it is above 40, you need to turn off the operation of a dehumidifier to rescue your space.
- Mold
When there is excessive moisture, it can cause mold. It is very dangerous for your walls, roof, furniture, other items, and health. It can cause severe damage and contribute to huge losses.
You can check your basement and look into it as mold can be on the inner side of the objects. The only good solution is to use a dehumidifier.
Fighting back mold with your brush or wipes can irritate your throat and nose. In some cases, it can lead to fatal infections. So, a dehumidifier is a safe and effortless solution to restore your basement that got damaged by mold.
- Bad odor
If there is a bad odor in your basement. You can smell it naturally. It gives a very discomforting feeling, and you try to avoid going down. Some people think that it results from other liquids that you might place in your basement.
The truth is that most of the time, it results from extra moisture that has been prolonged due to carelessness. The best way to eliminate it is by using a dehumidifier.
It completely takes the smell out, and the discomfort becomes a pleasant environment. You would want to visit your basement daily as it will make you feel fresh with its improved air quality.
- Condensation
If you cannot check your humidity, then condensation on your windows or walls is a sign that soon, your basement might suffer from mold and bad odor.
It has high humidity, which is why this condensation and only a dehumidifier can save you effortlessly.
Things to consider while buying a dehumidifier for the basement
Following is a small buying guide that can help you get the best dehumidifier for your basement.
- High pint capacity
Basements are usually large areas than the rest of the rooms in your house. So, you should notice the pint capacity while buying a unit. It is the amount of moisture a dehumidifier daily extracts.
Always go for the higher pint capacity to keep the operation efficient, and your large space will dry up easily. Additionally, in water damages, it works faster, and you can get your area restored in a short time.
We suggest you go with a pint higher than 50 as it would be able to take out more water than lower or average pints.
- Automatic defrost
Basements are storage places, and almost all of them don’t have an air conditioner or a heating system in summers and winters, respectively. As you might have to run the dehumidifier all the year, you must choose while keeping in mind both temperatures.
Any standard unit can work in summers, but it must have an automatic defrost system in winters. It will protect the machine from icing up at low temperatures and keep the operation running to fight the humidity problems.
- Energy efficiency
The dehumidifier you have to select for your basement would be high pint and advanced features, and it is expected to have high utility. You should get the unit with an energy star certification to avoid this. It will use less energy than other conventional units, and you would be able to save money and be worry-free with its continuous operation the whole day and whole year.
- Direct drainage
The dehumidifiers come with two types of drainage systems. We suggest you get the unit with direct drainage. You can connect a drain hose and keep it away from your house in a garden.
In this way, you don’t have to supervise the unit all the time. The operation will be continuous and effortless. Otherwise, in manual drainage, you have to check the water tank that needs to be emptied while the automatic drainage is easy and worry-free.
Benefits of running a dehumidifier in the basement
Following are a few benefits of running a dehumidifier in your basement.
- Controls humidity
The first benefit is that it controls humidity and keeps it optimum. This provides your space with a better atmosphere for all your items.
- Prevents mold
The second benefit of a dehumidifier is that it prevents mold by keeping the humidity level optimum, as excessive moisture can cause mold that can destroy your basement. Your items will be saved in it, and you will be worry-free.
In this way, you get the confidence to place your expensive things in the basements, which saves space in your upper house.
- Eliminates bad odor
The third benefit is eliminating the bad odor, which keeps users from visiting the basement frequently. Doing this will give a very pleasant feeling whenever you go down there.
Your fear of a dirty and smelly basement would be eliminated too, and you would make this place more significant for your use.
- It makes it multiple purpose place
A basement might be the less visited and less used place in your house, but if you install a dehumidifier, you can make it multiple purposes. You can divide it into compartments and make it your storage, study, and gym.
You don’t fear any bad air now, and the humidity is also controlled with improved air quality to provide you with the best healthy environment.
Extra tips to make your basement a healthy storage
Following are the few extra tips that you should follow to make your basement a healthy storage place.
- Don’t use carpets
Whenever you use carpets in your basement, they will likely get mold. To avoid this, you shouldn’t use carpets. Although it is safe with a dehumidifier, it is better not to have them there to save energy.
- Set things properly
Sometimes your things get damaged because you make a mess. To avoid damages, you should set everything properly in your unsettled basement. It also gives a very tidy look and makes the items stay new and fresh for a long.
- Ventilation
Basements are usually not very well ventilated as during rain it can cause leakage. We suggest you get good windows that can be airtight in the rain and use them on sunny days to ventilate it well.
This way, fresh air will keep coming in and dry the extra humidity in your space.
- Keep a check
Most people don’t visit the basements frequently and are left unsupervised. This is one of the main reasons for the damage in it. So, it is suggested to keep a check by visiting it at least once a week. In this way, you will know the problem soon and fixing it will be easier.
Conclusion
Basements are one of the most extra humid areas in houses, and it is essential to keep a dehumidifier to fight it back. The best time to use a dehumidifier in it depends upon certain conditions such as extra humidity, mold, bad odor, and condensation on its windows and doors.
You should select the unit wisely by looking for high pint capacity, automatic defrost, automatic direct drainage, and energy star certification to get the best results.
Small measures such as avoiding carpets, keeping a check, good ventilation, and setting things properly can also help prevent damage in your basement.
A dehumidifier and a little caretake less money, effort, and time but save you a lot from huge damages.
We wish you luck with your next purchase of a basement dehumidifier.
Hi, my name is Fahad. I am the Electrical MEP Design Engineer in Dubai for over Two years now. Fahad is experienced in the HVAC industry, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting malfunctions for all sorts of complex heating/ventilating/air conditioning systems. Fahad started his website to share his past experience and knowledge in the field of humidity control. He has a lot of valuable advice for visitors and writes great articles with lots of information about home humidity control .