Dehumidifiers
For the rooms and houses that stay wet.
A dehumidifier takes moisture out all day, whether or not the air is being cooled.
A mini-split's dry mode and a dehumidifier overlap, but they aren't the same thing. We use a dehumidifier where a house is damp in mild weather too, where a room needs drying without cooling, or where a mini-split alone can't hold the number.
Whole-home units tied into the ducts
Portable and room units, with a drain
A humidity control on the wall
Dry mode or dehumidifier
Which one does which job.
| A mini-split's dry mode | A dehumidifier | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs when | A mini-split's dry modeWhile the unit is on | A dehumidifierWhenever humidity is above the setting |
| Cooling | A mini-split's dry modeSome, even in dry mode | A dehumidifierLittle or none; it adds a bit of heat |
| Best for | A mini-split's dry modeA room that is warm and humid together | A dehumidifierMild damp days, closed-up rooms, a whole house |
| Needs | A mini-split's dry modeThe mini-split already installed | A dehumidifierA drain or a pump |
What happens at the visit
How we decide.
- 01
We measure
Readings in the rooms, in the hours it's worst.
- 02
We check what's already there
A mini-split or central system may already be doing part of the job.
- 03
We pick the smallest fix
One unit in one room before a whole-house system.
- 04
We write it down
The unit, where it goes, where the water drains and what it won't do.
What drives the cost
What moves the price of a dehumidifier.
No dollar figures here. The written scope has them.
Whole-home or room unit
A whole-home unit ties into ducts; a room unit sits in the room.
Capacity
How much moisture the unit can remove, matched to the space.
Duct connection
Where it connects, and whether the ducts can take it.
Drain or pump
Where the water goes.
Controls
A humidity control on the wall, or a setting on the unit.
Questions about dehumidifiers
Will a dehumidifier get rid of mold?
No. It lowers the humidity that lets mold grow. If you can already see mold, a mold professional should deal with it, and we fix the moisture so it doesn't come back.
Do I need one if I have a mini-split?
Maybe not. After we measure, we'll say whether the mini-split holds the number on its own.
What about air purifiers and UV lights?
The EPA doesn't certify air cleaners, and filtration doesn't remove moisture. We measure first and don't sell them as a fix for damp.
Is it a drying problem?
Tell us the room. We'll read the humidity before we suggest a unit.