Ideal Dehumidifier Operating Temperatures. The ideal operating temperature for standard refrigerant dehumidifiers is between about 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and between 60% - 80% relative humidity.
The Optimal Level of Humidity in a Building is Between 30-50% According to Energy Star's dehumidifier basics, the optimum level of relative humidity for a building is generally considered to be between 30% and 50%. Anything above this range may cause moisture-related issues.
A comfortable basement should maintain a humidity level of 30 to 50 percent — however, those may differ depending on your climate.
Ordinarily, a dehumidifier will not operate satisfactorily at temperatures below 41 degrees Fahrenheit or under extremely low humidity conditions. At temperatures below 41 degrees the evaporator coils may freeze. This could make it necessary to defrost the coils as often as once per hour.
Is 60 Percent Humidity Too High for a Basement? Yes, 60% humidity is too high for basements. Generally, a safe humidity level is between 30-50%, but that can vary a bit depending on where you live and the conditions of your environment.
According to the Basement Health Association, “all basements—finished or unfinished—should be kept at or below 50% relative humidity.” If your basement's relative humidity level is 70% or higher, it becomes the ideal breeding ground for the development of mold.
Is 70% Humidity Too High For A Basement? Yes, 70% humidity is too high for a basement. This humidity level can lead to mold, mildew growth, and condensation on walls and ceilings.
No, your dehumidifier should not have to run constantly to regulate the air humidity. An optimal humidity level to shoot for is between 30 and 50 percent.
The dry, filtered air is then pushed through the HVAC system for conditioning and then into the rooms of your home. Should you keep your dehumidifier running all the time? In order to achieve the ideal indoor relative humidity levels of 35 to 50 percent, it is recommended that you run a dehumidifier for 12 hours a day.
A dehumidifier should collect around 10-20 pints a day. However, factors such as relative humidity levels, size of the appliance, location, and temperature can affect how much it collects.
You will only need to run your basement dehumidifier system when the humidity levels exceed safe and comfortable levels, so you probably won't need to run it all the time.
If you run a dehumidifier all the time, you might actually make the room too dry. On the bright side, this isn't normally the case– it only tends to happen when you use the dehumidifier for more than eight (8) hours resulting in a relative humidity of less than 15%.
If your dehumidifier's water basin is filling up too quickly, you probably have extra water in the air due to an issue like a cracked pipe, water leak or open crawl space. If you're hardly getting any water in the basin, you may need to simply turn the control to a drier setting.
Enclosing your space will help reduce humid air from entering your home, helping your dehumidifier work more efficiently. Empty the tank regularly. All of the dehumidifiers in CR's tests have an indicator that lights up when the tank is full, and the unit shuts off automatically.
Over-dehumidifying your home can lead to an increased chance of respiratory illnesses and dry and cracked skin.
The basement humidity level should vary between 30% in winter and 50% in summer. 25% is too low and can cause skin conditions and peeling paint. Over 60% is considered too high and can lead to breathing problems, mildew, and fungal growth.
Dehumidifiers work by removing moisture from the air. This can help to reduce condensation on walls and prevent mould and mildew growth. However, dehumidifiers will not necessarily dry out damp walls. If your walls are damp, you may need to use a combination of a dehumidifier and a fan to help dry them out.
The size of the room, the humidity level, and the extent of the water damage are some of the variables that affect how long a dehumidifier takes to dry out a room. A dehumidifier typically needs between 24 and 72 hours to completely dry out a room.
How often you should use a dehumidifier will depend on your home, climate and other factors. To achieve the highest energy efficiency, run a dehumidifier for at least 12 hours a day. This will allow you to remove moisture from the air without racking up the energy costs.
As a general rule of thumb you may need to empty your dehumidifiers bucket at intervals ranging from once every two days to twice a day, depending on the conditions.
The amount of water a dehumidifier can collect in a day is relative. Typically, a dehumidifier can collect between 10 pints of water to 100 pints. However, it will depend on the dehumidifier capacity and the humidity at home.
An indoor humidity level is too high when it's above 50%. At this level, your home is susceptible to increased dust mite infestations, as well as mildew, mold growth, and other bacteria. This can cause serious health issues for those who breathe in mold spores or are exposed to bacteria for long periods of time.
Simply put, dehumidifiers cannot remove mold. The machine is designed to remove moisture in the air. This means that if there is already a presence of mildew in a home or building, it will not be removed just by working to reduce the moisture after the fact.
A dehumidifier makes the external conditions less welcoming to mold; by removing moisture, they reduce the chances of mold growth. An air purifier, however, removes mold spores from the air, making it harder for mold and mildew to create new colonies. HEPA filters are one of the most important tools for removing mold.
If there are no cold-condensing surfaces and the relative humidity (RH) is maintained below 60 percent indoors, there will not be enough water in those materials for mold to grow. However, if the RH stays above 70 percent indoors for extended periods of time, mold will almost certainly grow.