One of the common questions that often crops up among consumers shopping for a humidifier is how many dehumidifiers do I need for my house? Well, the answer isn’t straightforward, and there are several factors to take into account in order to buy a dehumidifier that works well in your space without affecting its overall performance and service life.
Size of a Dehumidifier Explained
First things first—it is important to note that the size of a dehumidifier does not refer to its physical size or dimensions but the amount of water, generally measured in pints, it can extract per day. Dehumidifying appliances that can remove more moisture per day tend to have a larger footprint in terms of physical dimensions, but there are always a few exceptions.
The size of the humidifier, AKA extraction capacity per day, is often also confused for the capacity of the capture tank or bucket, which is a measurement that’s often listed separately by manufacturers. One thing you will notice when on the shopping trail for the best basement dehumidifier is that the tank capacity in most appliances is less than its size or amount of water it can extract per day.
The capacity of moisture a respective dehumidifier being greater than the capture bucket capacity to hold the drained water doesn’t mean that you will have to empty if several times a day, because most of these appliances do not extract to their full per day capacity. How much water a dehumidifier extracts depends mostly on the temperature and humidity level in your space.
As an example, a 30 pint dehumidifier will be able to remove approximately 30 pints of water per day or 24 hour period. The capacity of a dehumidifier will give you a rough idea of the area it will dehumidify in square feet, and knowing the square footage of the space you’d like to dehumidify will make it easier to choose the right capacity.
Measure your Space
Before heading out on the shopping trail for the best basement dehumidifier, experts recommend that you measure your space, because a 50 pint unit for a small space is not only bulkier, but also costs more than a 30 pint unit that is ideally the right size for a moderately damp 300 square feet area.
Measuring the square footage of the area you’d like to dehumidify is pretty simple, where you start by using a tape measure to determine the length and width of the room and then multiply the measurements. For example, a room that is 20 feet long and 15 feet wide equates to a total of 300 square feet. Once equipped with this information, you can refer to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) to determine the right capacity dehumidifier for your space.
How to Choose the Right Size Dehumidifier?
The size of your space is not the only factor to consider when determining the right capacity dehumidifier, but you should also take note of the temperature of the environment and humidity level if possible with a humidity monitor. The primary goal of a dehumidifier is to remove excess moisture from the air, hence preventing damage to the paint and walls and mold buildup.
But if you have a 300 square feet area that has severe damp problems or extreme humidity, a dehumidifier that can extract 30 pints of moisture per day may not be a good fit. Instead, you will have to step it up a notch or two and buy a little bigger model in order to effectively and quickly get rid of the moisture in the air.
How many Dehumidifiers do I need for my House?
The short answer is just one, if you buy the right size/capacity dehumidifier to remove moisture from a single area of your home such as a basement, and not the entire home. However, it is possible to dehumidify your entire home and across multiple floors with a larger, heavier, non-portable, and needless to say expensive, whole house dehumidifier.
It is also important to consider the fact that excess humidity is sometimes seasonal or limited to one or two rooms, so a single, right capacity portable dehumidifier will perhaps be the most economical and best option.
What are the most Common Capacities available?
Although dehumidifiers are available across the spectrum of sizes, the three most common capacities are 30 pint, 50 pint and 70 pint. 30 pint dehumidifiers are generally a great fit for moderately damp areas as large as 2000 feet, but this number can drop significantly if the humidity level is off the charts.
A 40-50 pint dehumidifier is also a great choice for areas up to 2000 square feet, but works better in dealing with damper spaces such as those with noticeable signs of damp or visible mold. 70+ pint dehumidifiers are recommended for areas that measure in excess of 2000 square feet or those that smell musty, have visible seepage and 85% to 100% humidity.
All in all, one dehumidifier is all that’s needed for each area of your home such as basements and bedrooms as long as you buy the right capacity for the area and its humidity level.
I live in SW Michigan and it is very humid outdoors right now. 90%plus for the last few days. I keep the windows and doors shut and run my AC but it’s not enough to keep the indoor humidity below 50% which I need to do for an allergy sufferer in the family. The main living areas are large open areas, 300sq feet and 475 sq feet connected by a short hallway. I have one 35 pint dehumidifier in each of those main rooms and a 20 pint dehumidifier in the bedroom. Is that overdoing it? I’m trying to keep the house no warmer than 73-74 degrees.
I found having the house fan (connected to furnace/ac) on to be extremely helpful in clearing the air of moisture and staleness (from warm temps). It is most helpful overnight, when temps drop so the ac automatically turns off, but its still bit uncomfortable. MN St.Paul