Is Portable Dehumidifiers Best?
The basement can either be a useful space for entertainment or storage or it can become a useless hole in the ground, filled with broken odds and ends. The choice is the homeowners. One of the major drawbacks of using the basement is that it is often extremely damp. This can be solved by the purchase of a portable dehumidifier.
There are portable dehumidifiers or other larger types that can be installed as a permanent fixture. Portable dehumidifiers come in a variety of sizes that can remove up to 70 pints of water from the air in 24 hours. A good example of these portable dehumidifiers is the range available from manufacturer Danby. They come in a variety of sizes, are energy efficient and best of all Danby stockists and service agents can be found across the United States, an important consideration when purchasing a dehumidifier. In the case of a malfunction or breakdown the consumer should be confident that they have immediate access to dehumidifier parts.
The use of a basement dehumidifier is important if the basement is going to be in daily use. High moisture content in the air will result in damage and warping if wooden furniture is used, damage to electrical goods is not uncommon. However, perhaps the most alarming characteristic of damp in basements is the proliferation of moulds, mildew and fungi. These organisms can prove extremely dangerous to people who suffer from asthma or other respiratory problems. Even healthy adults and children exposed to fungal spores can develop flu like symptoms or even suffer permanent damage.
Dehumidifiers are for the most part run off mains electricity due to the fact that they are in effect refrigerators without the trimmings. Dehumidifiers rely on low temperature coils to condense the water out of the air when it is then collected either in a pan, to be emptied by the homeowner at regular intervals or piped away. The consumer should decide which of these systems he or she is most comfortable with. The low maintenance required for units where the water is piped away have made them extremely popular. If drainage is not available in the basement then an alternative is to run a pipe from the pan of the dehumidifier to a bucket with greater storage capacity. However consumers should be aware that in this case the dehumidifier will not automatically shut off as the sensor that would cause automatic shut down when the pan is full will not be operational. Care should be taken to regularly check the water level of the bucket, especially with small dehumidifiers, so as to prevent water damage to carpets and other fittings in the basement.
Portable dehumidifiers have also become more popular over the past years, in part because they have become more user friendly, and use far less electricity than has traditionally been the case. The portability and smaller size have also been factors in increasing their popularity. This portability has made them suitable for use in mobile homes, as well as recreational vehicles and makes the family vacation that much more pleasant.
