These machines attract water vapor, condense it using the coolant coils and then remove water to a container that the users have to empty regularly. You can find many types of dehumidifiers in the market, and you should select the appropriate one that matches your requirement. Why are crawl space dehumidifiers so expensive? Meanwhile, we invite you to read through the following lines if you are stuck on this question.
Investing in a dehumidifier is the best way to keep your bed linen or curtains out of molds and dust mites. It also reduces the amount of dust in your interior, and if you have Asthma or are allergic to dust, it will provide you with a comfortable stay.
Is 70% Humidity Too High for Crawl Space?
You must keep the relative humidity of the crawl space not too high and not too low. When the RH value goes above 60% and reaches a level like 70%, that means the air has more water vapor. What will happen when the air in a crawl space is near the saturated level of humidity? You could see an excessive and fast spread of mold and mildew in the wooden planks or the concrete surfaces.
Mold will make wood decay, and your basement will face structural changes eventually. When it comes to concrete, the effect of mold will make the surface more porous as a result of deterioration. If you do not treat the affected area with a mold remover, it will continue to the interior of the concrete structure and make the damage severe.
Therefore, it is evident that the crawl space’s relative humidity must be less than 70%. But you need to be aware not to make it too low as 5% because extreme dryness in the air will excessively remove water content in wood and cause cracks and shrinkage. The ideal levels are between 45% – 55%. You can keep a thermo hygrometer in your crawl space to take the humidity values and adjust a favorable humidity percentage.
Can you Use Regular Dehumidifier in Crawl Space?
When it comes to regulating the crawl space humidity, regular dehumidifiers you use inside your rooms are a big no-no. Regular dehumidifiers are not capable of managing the moisture levels under your crawl space as they are not initially designed with such capacity. Therefore, they will be insufficient to attract all the moisture in the larger volume of air prevailing under a building. Normal dehumidifiers will not be able to work continuously to convert the high percentages of moisture under crawl spaces.
A regular dehumidifier is suitable only for your house’s slightly damp areas and interior rooms. But never use a dehumidifier you bought for home use under the crawl space to get a perfect result. You cannot prevent mold growth if you use such a low-capacity dehumidifier in the crawl space. Molds have a highly progressive spreading ability and thus present a risk of damaging the building’s structure in a shorter time than you think.
What is the Difference Between Crawl Space Dehumidifier vs Regular Dehumidifier?
A regular dehumidifier will be in the range of 30 pints- 70 pints. Let’s take a 30-pint dehumidifier. Here the capacity is 30 pints (nearly 4.5 gallons) per day for an area of about 1500 square feet. This is exactly not enough for a crawl space that contaminates a lot of moisture and is larger than a regular room in a house. The recommended capacity of a suitable humidifier is 70 pints per 7000 square feet. You could easily find a crawl space dehumidifier that satisfies these recommended rates.
You are free to use more than 70 pints too. But ensure you do not exceed the lower margin of the relative humidity. Excessive condensation will make the wooden planks or the concrete slab crack due to low moisture percentages present in the material.
Think about a knife you use in cutting vegetables. Can it be used in cutting a huge tree in your garden? A similar scenario could be seen here too. Your interior dehumidifier is designed to be used in rooms covered with walls and insulation. They cannot be used in harsh environmental conditions prevailing within a crawl space. Crawl space dehumidifiers are rugged and designed specially to withstand harsh weather conditions.
If you use a regular dehumidifier in a crawl space, you must expect a huge decrement in the condition and performance with time, and you will have to repair it often. Such pitiful events will not be faced with a crawl space dehumidifier.
You cannot use a regular dehumidifier continuously. But a crawl space will need a continuous worker as per the changes in the open atmosphere.
Are Crawl Space Dehumidifiers Worth It?
Wood rotting and deterioration of concrete basements will affect the integrity of your house or building. If the basement is damaged, the weight-bearing ability of the basement will decrease. Hence, it has a high potential of collapsing the building. If you use a crawl space dehumidifier, there will be no more moisture matters, and you can sleep peacefully every night without the fear of mold attacks.
Regular dehumidifiers are not constant workers. But this issue has been overcome in crawl space dehumidifiers. Usual dehumidifiers designed for insulated rooms cannot withstand the weather conditions in your basement. Hence, they will end in failures, and you will have to go for an HVAC technician often. Investing in a crawl space dehumidifier will save your time and money.
Why are Crawl Space Dehumidifiers So Expensive?
You know that the surrounding in a crawl space is often subject to high heat, heavy rains, and snow. Regular dehumidifiers do not present conditions to withstand harsh climates. But crawl space dehumidifiers are made with modified features that make the device work continuously in challenging climates.
The quality and durability of the parts used in manufacturing crawl space dehumidifiers are high. That has made those pricier than the regular ones. But you will soon realize the advantage of a specially designed dehumidifier for crawl space, as there will be no breakdowns.
As per the knowledge so far, you know that a regular dehumidifier only has the ability to convert less amount of moisture to water in a day. But a crawl space dehumidifier’s functionality is more advanced than that and sufficient to manage the wide space under your house.
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