Best Way to Use a Basement Dehumidifier at Home
It is not a break from the norm for lots of houses to have a basement. The presence of a basement in a home provides an increase in living space. However, beyond providing an increase in a living area, a basement is also a perfect place to store things that are not being used regularly.
Basements are indeed a needed part of a house, they, however, can be a challenge to maintain properly. This is because of issues of moisture and the quality of the air in a basement.
To fix the issue of moisture that lots of basements are associated with, you will need to make use of a basement dehumidifier. A basement dehumidifier is basically a device that can be used to remedy issues of moisture in a basement.
What are the Moisture Challenges in a Basement?
Before going on to make use of a basement dehumidifier, you must know what the moisture challenges in a basement are.
Most basements have issues with excessive moisture because there is always a likelihood for moisture to get into the basement through the foundation of the building and when the level of humidity in the home is high.
When the moisture challenges in a basement are overwhelming, it can lead to health issues, cause molds to grow and ultimately affect the building structurally.
How to know when a Basement Dehumidifier is needed
The moisture level in the basement might be very high. That, however, is not a guarantee that the average person will be able to detect it. To be certain that the moisture level in a basement is high, there are certain things you need to look out for to tell if the moisture level in your basement is unhealthy.
Below are some indications that the moisture level in your basement is overwhelming
- Molds are visible on your ceilings, on the walls, and on the floors.
- The walls in your basement never feel dry. They always seem wet.
- You can smell molds in the basement and on the items that are stored in the basement.
- You can notice watermarks on the floor. These watermarks simply indicate that the moisture in the foundation is rising
What to do when the moisture level in a basement is high
As soon as you notice an increase in the moisture level in your basement, you will need to get a basement dehumidifier installed. While installing a basement dehumidifier, always bear in mind that the dehumidification system for your basement should be different from that for other parts of your home. To get the best out of the use of a basement dehumidifier, you will have to purchase and install a basement dehumidifier that was specifically designed to be used in a basement.
Buy a Dehumidifier that Features Automatic Draining
Unlike other parts of the home, people do not really spend so much time in their basements. They simply visit the basement for certain purposes and are not without spending so much time. Going by this, to ensure that your basement is made free from excess moisture, you will need a dehumidifier that drains excess moisture automatically. This is preferred to a dehumidifier that you have to manually empty the reservoir when it gets full.
There are various models of dehumidifiers that drain automatically. Regardless of the many types of dehumidifiers that drain automatically, always be on the lookout for those that are most convenient for your lifestyle.
Buy a Dehumidifier with the Right Temperature Requirement
Basements are usually cooler than other parts of a home. This is one reason the dehumidifiers that will work effectively in other parts of a home might not function perfectly when used in a basement.
So long the temperature of an environment is less than 65 degrees, the average dehumidifier will not be able to operate effectively. More often than not, the regular living space in a home does not get colder than 65 degrees. However, unlike the regular living space in a home, basements are usually cooler than 65 degrees.
The simple reason for this is they are lower than the regular ground level. They can be as cool as 55 degrees all year. The fact that basements can stay at 55 degrees throughout the year means that regular dehumidifiers that were built to operate at temperatures f about 65 degrees will not be good enough. Going by this, to get excess moisture out of your basement, you will need to buy a humidifier than can operate very efficiently at temperatures below 65 degrees.
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