So, how do you use a dehumidifier correctly to ensure your basement stays clean and dry? Here’s the Wyckoff guide to correctly using a dehumidifier in the winter months.
Take Where You Live & the Winter Weather That Comes With It Into Consideration
Where you live will heavily influence not only how you use a dehumidifier, but whether or not it’s worth having one to begin with. If you live in a severely cold weather climate, then having a dehumidifier is not the best choice. With temperatures that drop drastically and stay down, your dehumidifier’s coils and water have a good chance of freezing. Your system would be working harder to create balance in your basement, and ultimately not be able to provide any benefit.
On the other hand, if you live like most of us do in the Midwest where it can be 19 degrees one day, and 37 degrees the next—chances are a dehumidifier in your basement will work just fine. We recommend ensuring that your basement stays at least above 60 degrees at all times for a dehumidifier to work its best. Whether that’s opening heated vents or installing a new heater, keeping your basement at an even temperature will help your dehumidifier work correctly.
Check Your Dehumidifier Regularly
It can be easy to “set it and forget it”. But with temperature and humidity fluctuations depending on the day, you’ll want to ensure you’re checking your dehumidifier regularly to optimize its use. If the temperature and/or humidity levels drop below an acceptable level, then you’ll need to turn your system off. You can measure humidity levels with an indoor-outdoor thermometer or a hygrometer.
Pro tip: Ideal humidity levels should be between 30-45% during the winter months.
Frozen coils or water can cause significant damage to your dehumidifier. Turning it off at an ideal time will help you salvage your system for longer use. If you are not always home to monitor your dehumidifier, then be sure to invest in a timed one! A dehumidifier with a built-in timer can sense when the outside temperature is fluctuating, and turn off and on accordingly.
Place Your Dehumidifier in a Good Location in Your Basement
There is a proper way to choose where to place your dehumidifier in your basement during the winter. Instead of putting it in a corner where it’s simply out of the way, or tucked between shelving to keep it out of sight, your dehumidifier needs to be placed strategically so it can work in the entirety of your space. We recommend placing your dehumidifier at least 6–12 inches away from the wall, allowing for proper airflow around the unit.
If you’re worried about frost forming on your dehumidifier, elevating it is a good option as well. Finding a surface that is stable enough to hold your dehumidifier, and not susceptible to water damage, is a great way to ensure that you’re protecting it from any potential damage.
Make Sure To Properly Drain Your Dehumidifier Regularly
To keep your dehumidifier from overflowing or turning off, it’s important to remember to drain it. Dehumidifiers can come with either manual or continuous drainage capabilities. If you have a dehumidifier for manual drainage, you will need to empty the water collection tank regularly. This keeps it from possibly overflowing, or the system turning off once it signals a full tank.
If you have a system with continuous drainage, be sure to set it up somewhere where a hose can be attached to direct water to a drain, or your sump pump.
Need Assistance With Your Basement Dehumidifier? Let the Experts at Wyckoff Take Care of It!
If you’re struggling to set up your dehumidifier, find the best place to optimize its use, or simply choose one to begin with, Wyckoff Heating & Cooling can help you. For decades, we’ve helped clients all around the Des Moines metro and central Iowa areas with their dehumidifiers. We know that Midwest winters can be harsh, and it’s important to keep your basement free of moisture, and your family healthy.
Contact our team for more information about dehumidifiers today!