Help selecting Dehumidifier

I am looking for a dehumidifier for our basement -- the basement is about 1000 square feet, has no visible water problems but feels a little bit damp.

- What size dehumidifier should I be looking for?

- What features are important and which ones aren't?

- What brands/models are considered best?

- In general, is there any advantage to the fancier more fully featured models or is it all unnecessary gimmick?

Finally, how can I set the dehumidifier to drain automatically if the height of the nearest open drain (which is the drain for the washing machine) is about 4 feet off the ground?

- Do they make units with pumps or can I add one on? Would it be

- better to mount the unit high? (however they seem to weight about 40lbs)

Reply to
Jeffrey J. Kosowsky
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we bought one for aprox $100, it has a white bin that must be emptied daily! my neihbour hooked a hosw to the spot that empties into the bin, and ran it to the basment floor drain, he never has to empty his.

Your house has a basement drain, it may just be covered by carpet, or a thin layer of concrete just empty it into the floor drain as stated above.

Reply to
Punch

Hang it from the ceiling or get a small pump (aka condensate pump). Buy a hygrometer so you know what the actual humidity level is. Shouldn't need the dehumid running in the winter when the house air is dry.

Jim

Reply to
Speedy Jim

Not sure about the drain part.... basement is about 180 years old and I don't see any drain in the concrete pad.

Reply to
Jeffrey J. Kosowsky

You should get at least the 40 pint size.

All it needs is the humidistat and if you care about noise you should listen to it. Check the various fan speeds for noise as well as the compressor.

Kenmore, Whirlpool is my **guess**.

Answered above

We have ours drain into a laundry sink (the top of which is 3 ft. above the floor). The humidifier is set on a free standing metal shelf adjacent to the sink. (The sink outlet is to a pump which goes into our washing machine drain about four and a half feet above the ground). You can't put a small pump inside the humidifier container because its weight would shut of the dehumidifier (it would trigger the "container is full" shut off switch), so if you don't get an "outside" pump, you will have to place the bottom of the dehumidfier at a level above the top of the washing machine drain.

Reply to
Marilyn and Bob

Not if your lateral is above the cellar floor. Our cellar floor is about 8 feet below grade, the City sewer connection is about 8 foot below grade and a distance from my house. The has the lateral running between (from rear to front) about four and two feet above the cellar floor.

Reply to
Marilyn and Bob

Why not run your drain into your sump pump pit or the drain that your central air drains into?

Reply to
Ace

If you are talking to me, we don't have a sump pump pit, nor does our 1850's row house have central air.

Reply to
Marilyn and Bob

You could buy a $50 condensate drain normally used for central ac.

Reply to
Art

Consumer Reports found the biggest ones were most efficient. We bought the biggest Sears Kenmore for $200. Get a small condensate pump and stand it next to it. Home Depot sells them for $50.

Reply to
Art

Sears Kenmore is the only unit designed to opersate below 65f all other freeze up, Kenmore goes to 45 f Hang the unit above drain height and let it auto drain. to the drain

Reply to
m Ransley

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