The great dehumidifier debate

Please help settle this.

We have a 50-pint dehumidifier in the basement. You can program it to the humidity setting that you prefer.

One of us likes to keep it at 35% humidity, because it's been quite humid this summer and the more water it sucks out of the air the better, even if it has to be emptied every day - sometimes once in the morning and once at night.

The other one prefers to keep it at 50% humidity, because this is what they were told once by someone who once had a dehumidifier. This person has taken out the water bucket once, *maybe* twice since we got it.

Oh - and the one that likes the 35% setting has no problems whatsoever taking on the chore of the emptying - no matter how many times a day it takes so we don't have a damp. moldy, mildew-y basement.



Thoughts?

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

you're right. he's wrong. end of story.
















(sorry Rich)

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

I guess it could be an experiment....

at 50%, does the basement seem dank and musty... then it's too humid...

too bad you don't have a drain near by to hook the dehumidifier to, so no one has to dump it out!!!

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

Posted by MrsERod

you're right. he's wrong. end of story.
















(sorry Rich)

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

Posted by MrsERod

you're right. he's wrong. end of story.
















(sorry Rich)

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

You should compromise and set it in the middle. Ideal humidity is around 40-45%.

(FH is a deisgn and consulting engineer who works designing HVAC systems)

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

When I rented a basement apartment, anything over 20% humidity was too much for me...I ran that thing constantly (and emptied it constantly too).
This has been a very wet, humid summer so I would keep the humidifier at 35%.

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

I would prefer it on the low side myself, but you could see how it seems down there at 50%. How about 43%--somewhere in the middle?

We really need to get one of these FAST! DH measured the humidity in our basement today and it's 80%--way too high.

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

We used to keep ours at 40% and it was great. Maybe you guys can meet each other halfway?

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

I have been keeping ours on 35% with this humid weather. I am the emptier too

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

We keep it almost the highest it can go and have a drain that goes into our slop sink. This way we never have to empty out the bucket.

Re: The great dehumidifier debate

We always keep ours at high blast especially w/ all the rain lately.

And yes it must be emptied every day b/c of it but its worth it........it gets so much water out of the air. I also hang dry some of my clothes from the laundry.......it seems to help dry them quicker too. (LOL)

Once the winter comes, you probably wont need to keep it on so high.