What Size Dehumidifier Do I Need?

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What size dehumidifier do I need?

This is the exact question I often see people asking – and if you’re among those asking this question, or you know someone who needs an answer to this, this post is meant for you.

Now, here’s my simple answer…

… The type of dehumidifier you need is totally dependant on the size of your room and the level of dampness.

You will agree with me that all rooms are not equal in terms of dimensions, and the level of humidity varies from place to place. That’s why it’s hard to provide a ready-made solution to everyone who needs a dehumidifier.

But what is a dehumidifier?

For those of you who do not know what a dehumidifier is, this question is necessary in order to ascertain that you really understand what we are talking about and that you are also carried along in the course of this post.

According to Wikipedia, A dehumidifier is a household appliance which decreases the humidity level of the air, in order to improve the health or comfort of the people living in the room or to get rid of musty odor.

Why Do We Need a Dehumidifier?

Basically, we need a dehumidifier for the following reasons:

To lessen or eliminate dampness in the room
To limit the growth of mold or mildew
To get rid of musty smells or odors
To protect your furniture
To minimize allergies
To get rid of bugs

What Size of Dehumidifier Do I Need?

Having known what a dehumidifier is and why we need it, it’s time to brainstorm on the size of the dehumidifier to get for the home. So, it’s time to answer your question now if you’ve ever asked yourself, what size of dehumidifier do I need?

However, before we can directly answer your question and perhaps explain it satisfactorily, you need to know that buying a dehumidifier requires putting some things into consideration. Some of the things to consider include:

Where are you going to use the dehumidifier? Is it in your room, basement or bathroom?
What is the size of the room?
What is the humidity level of the environment/room?

If you have answered those questions, then let’s move forward. We don’t want to do things blindly; we must be guided by rules. And the rule maker here is the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), which has produced the guidelines we should follow when buying a dehumidifier for our homes.

How do we calculate the room capacity?

The capacity should be measured based on a specific number of square feet. For instance, if your room measures 50 feet long by 10 feet wide, you have a total measurement of 500 square feet.

In the same vein, if the room measures 25 feet long and 20 feet wide, you still get 500 square feet room. So, you can do the math to get the measurement for whatever room you want your dehumidifier for.

What does the capacity stand for?

Its dimensions do not determine the size of the dehumidifier; instead, it is determined by the capacity or the number of pints of water it can remove from the air in a 24 hour period.

Generally, dehumidifiers with larger capacities are relatively bigger in size, though there’s no rule set in marble regarding this.

Now, back to the question as to what size dehumidifier do I need? If your dehumidifier is needed for a basement where there is more humidity, a 30-pint dehumidifier will do for a space of 1,500 square feet.

But if it is to be used in a room where humidity is relatively lesser, the 30-pint dehumidifier would handle a space of 2,000 square feet.

A good example of a 30-pint dehumidifier that can do a perfect job for you is the Ivation 30 Pint Energy Star Dehumidifier. It is tested and trusted to do an excellent job.

If you are considering purchasing a 40 to 50-pint dehumidifier, you should be aware that it can handle a space of 2,000 square feet.

But they are ideal for a room or basement that is quite damp and shows visible signs of excess moisture such as clear signs of mold growth, musty odors, and wet stains. Our best choice of a 50-pint dehumidifier is the Frigidaire 50-Pint Dehumidifier.

It’s possible you plan to cover an area that is larger than 2,000 square feet. For basements, homes or crawl spaces with space more than 2,000 square feet, you need a dehumidifier with the capacity of 60 to 70 pints of fluid per day.

Once the area is larger than 2,000 square feet, the humidity level is no longer significant. Just get a dehumidifier that is either 60 pints or 70 pints capacity.

We recommend the Whynter RPD-621EW Energy Star Portable Dehumidifier to you if you need a 60-pint capacity product.

But if you are need of a 70-pint dehumidifier to buy, one reliable product is the Energy Star 70-Pint Dehumidifier. Whichever you can afford of the two would really be of help in getting your home rid of excess moisture.