There are a few scenarios in which you might need a whole house dehumidifier, hopefully the reason you need one is for personal comfort from humidity rather than health reasons brought on by dampness in the house. Whole house dehumidifiers can be run continuously as a way of ensuring that the immediate living or working area is kept dry and comfortable.

Apart from reducing the level of the humidity in the house a whole house dehumidifier might be required if the basement is found to be overly damp and that dampness is affecting the rest of the house.

A home that is plagued with damp and humid conditions is a breeding ground for molds and mildew. Another common allergen in the form of dust mites also thrive in high humidity. Not only that but it is an uncomfortable environment to live in on a daily basis.

• The house has suffered extensive water damage that must be quickly removed.
• There is a noticeable musty smell throughout the house.
• Mold or mildew continually grows on the walls and ceilings of the house.
• You have trouble sleeping at night because of the constant humidity in the air.
• Family members or you have problems with allergies, asthma or other breathing problems.
• A persistent problem with water condensation on the water pipes.

By running a whole house dehumidifier in the background your home’s humidity level will be normalized very quickly and you entire housing structure, the furniture, the walls and ceiling will all benefit. In fact, running a dehumidifier in the basement of the house, if this is a problem area, can work wonders in relieving musty smells throughout the entire house, dampness and recurring mold growth.

Depending on the extensive nature of the moisture problems within the house you have a choice of two types of whole house dehumidifiers that can offer you the most appropriate value. You can choose between a portable dehumidifier or an integrated whole house dehumidifier. In looking at the whole house version we will also discuss the benefits of the smaller, portable options.

Portable dehumidifiers are suitable for smaller problem areas or for intermittent moisture problems that require short periods of operation. These units can be moved from room to room as required and are simple to plug in and operate when needed.

Sometimes a portable dehumidifier may be operated for house cooling purposes, something that is appropriate in areas where the humidity gets high during the summer months. The downside with using a portable dehumidifier is that, as the moisture is removed from the air, the unit will begin to fill with the captured water and it will need to be emptied on a regular basis.

When the majority of the home is beset with moisture and humidity problems then you will need a whole house dehumidifier. These units are larger and more powerful than the portable units and can be hooked up to the home’s ducted air-conditioning system if one exists. They can be operated from a remote area of the house and will run inconspicuously in the background out of the way from the occupants.

If you don’t have central heating or cooling you may still opt for a whole house dehumidifier if the area you are trying to dry out is a large, open area that will be accessible by the dehumidifying operation.

There are a few advantages to using a whole house dehumidifier and the main one is that it is a more energy efficient unit than portable dehumidifiers. They are designed to run for long periods of time integrated with an existing air conditioning system. An added advantage is that the units themselves are quite small and when they are installed inside your existing heating or cooling system they will be completely out of sight.

Many whole house dehumidifiers are self-draining which means that they can be hooked up to a drainage system that will take the captured moisture away and out of the house.