Dehumidifiers Do Not Last!!!
by Dell
(Charlottesville, VA)
In 6 years, I've had a Maytag, Fedders, Edgestar, Danby, and now a SPT. None in the past has lasted over a year. Why can't someone make one that lasts?
I've found it impossible to get a unit repaired at a reasonable price, even under warranty. No one in our 100,000 pop. town will repair them. And, the Danby authorized dealer won't, saying they don't pay him enough for the labor involved. And the other dealer's name they sent is over 100 miles away.
Most warranties require the owner to either take to a dealer (often far away) or mail back to company AT OWNER'S EXPENSE, even when under warranty. So, owner may pay up to $100 to repair a $200 unit.
My bad experiences tell me that dehumidifiers are disposable like toothbrushes.
The positive comments one reads online are only during the first few months and even then, lots of negative ones. I've never read a review where someone had a trouble-free unit over a year.
There are major design flaws. Like, when the exhaust or intake vents are on sides or in back, this restricts placement. As does having the hose on right or left, instead of back. These problems would be eliminated if all had vents on front and top and hose connection only in back.
Having the filter behind the tank is a big nuisance, requiring removal of tank to clean filter. Only SPT and, I believe, Edgestar has the filter separate above the tank.
It is really hard to get adequate information, like where the drain hose can be inserted and where the intake/exhaust vents are located, and the filter, sometimes even when finally locating a product manual.
If some company would make a good, long-lasting unit for the home, with a good warranty, and the size of existing units, I'd gladly pay much more.
Answer
Hi Dell, thank you for a thought provoking question.
Let me say right at the start, this is a question I cannot answer with authority but, for what it's worth, I'll share with you my opinion.
There are a couple of challenges faced by dehumidifier manufacturers. The first of these is the amount dehumidifier users are prepared to pay.
If you shop carefully you can buy a 70 pint portable home dehumidifier for a little under $200. For that you get a dehumidifier that will do the job in a suitably sized area at normal room temperatures, about 65F. The unit will probably last for between one or two years, anything more is a bonus.
For around $1000 you can buy a heavy duty dehumidifier of about the same water removing capacity for your crawl space. You will then have a dehumidifier that is more energy efficient, will operate in considerably cooler temperatures and should last at least five years.
If you have a cooler basement or crawlspace the £1000 dollar dehumidifier will still last for five years or more but a 70 pint portable will probably burn itself out in less than a year. This is because the portable unit is less effective in lower temperatures and is likely to run 24 hours per day.
The economics are clear. For a cool basement or crawl space the $1000 unit is better value for money. You will spend far more on a succession of $200 dollar dehumidifiers, and more for the energy to run them, over the life time of the $1000 crawl space dehumidifier. In a warmer basement, however, if you had to buy three portables over a five year period and the $1000 unit lasted for only five years it would still be cheaper to opt for the portables.
In order to make a portable home dehumidifier that could be warranted for five years I estimate that it would have to retail for at least $600. In a basement at normal room temperature, even at that price you would probably do no better, in terms of dollars spent over five years, than to to break even.
Given the extreme reluctance shown by many dehumidifier buyers to spend $1000 dollars on a specialized dehumidifier for their cool basement or crawl space, even when the economic advantages are clear, I have my doubts about the number who would spend $600 on a portable dehumidifier when there is no obvious economic advantage.
The second problem for manufacturers is the cost of repairing a dehumidifier. Diagnosis and repair are labor intensive. Labor is very expensive and this is not the result of greed. The more productive an economy becomes the more value is added by each hour of labor contributed. Those who perform tasks that cannot be significantly automated, like dehumidifier repair, still expect, and deserve, wages similar to those paid for jobs which can. It's a simple matter of supply and demand. If we won't pay the dehumidifier repair guy a living wage he'll take a job with Ford instead.
Even with a price tag of $600 some dehumidifier repairs may be uneconomic. To avoid the costs the manufacturer will have to improve the quality and reliability of the product still further. Now we could be looking at the first $1000 dollar portable home dehumidifier!
To summarize, in the case of a portable home dehumidifier for use in temperatures of 65F and above the $200 dehumidifier makes more economic sense than a more expensive, longer lasting unit because the cost of making it longer lasting is greater than the savings you might make.
I repeat that on the question of building a more reliable dehumidifier what I offer is an opinion, not a definitive answer. I am more than happy to hear and publish the views of other visitors on this issue.
With regard to your other points I an entirely sympathetic. There are some inexplicable design flaws in many dehumidifiers which would not add to the cost of a dehumidifier if they were corrected. As for the lack of real information about dehumidifiers I could not agree more; it is the main reason we started this site.
Tom (Webmaster)
Dehumidifiers Impact on Electrical Circuits
by Alan
(Potomac, MD)
We have had two portable dehumidifiers, primarily for basement use. Our current unit is approx 3 yrs old and is a Kenmore. While it worked fine for a few years, it now causes a circuit to trip after running for only 10-15 minutes. We have tried multiple outlets in the basement, and it happens every time we have tried it in the past 6 months or so. A previous dehumidifier, also a Kenmore, would cause the lights to flicker in the whole house every time it cycled back on, clearly causing a major drain on the electrical system throughout the house.
How can I make sure my next portable dehumidifier doesn't negatively impact the electrical system of the house and why would my current unit work fine for a few years but now cause circuits to trip? Could it be an electrical short in the dehumidifier?
Thanks.
Answer
Hi Alan, thanks for your question.
To answer the second part of your question first, it is almost certain that a fault in your current dehumidifier is causing your circuit to trip. It is certainly possible that the fault is a short in the dehumidifier although it is impossible to diagnose the problem for sure without examining the unit.
It is also possible that there is a fault in the circuit but this is unlikely if you have not had the same problem with any other high wattage appliance, such as a steam iron.
Unfortunately dehumidifiers are not the most dependable of home appliances and it is not uncommon for faults to develop within three years of purchase and, in some cases, much earlier. While Kenmore models have some good qualities their reputation for reliability is not among the best and we recommend other brands in preference to Kenmore for this reason. Comparisons between one Kenmore bought several years ago and a current model can be misleading as Sears have sourced dehumidifiers from several manufacturers over the years and it is not possible to compare them on a like for like basis.
In response to the first part of your question it is not uncommon for lights to flicker momentarily when a sudden increase in the power demand on the system kicks in. My comment should not be taken to imply that all is well, however, as it may indicate a problem with the electrical circuits in the home. We cannot provide advice on this issue and can only advise that you seek the opinion of your energy supplier or another qualified expert source.
When a dehumidifier has cycled off it will be using, at most, the energy required to power a light bulb. When it cycles on the power requirement instantly jumps by a factor of about 10. At the instant of cycling on however, the power requirement is about three times greater still. It lasts for a small fraction of a second but the effect is as if you had switched on around 30 light bulbs simultaneously. All dehumidifiers behave this way so it is not possible to suggest any model in preference to any other to solve this problem.
My best advice would be in two parts:
- Assure yourself that your electrical system is sound and, above all, safe by seeking a qualified opinion.
- When next you buy a dehumidifier look for a model that has a reputation for reliability to minimise the risk of faults which may compromise performance or safety. The brands we recommend are all listed on this page.
I hope this is helpful.
DeLonghi 65 Pint Dehumidifier
Can this unit be recharged?
Answer
Hi, thanks for your question.
The short answer is that all refrigerant dehumidifiers can be recharged. The bad news is that if the fan is still working but no water is being collected you most likely have a leak in the refrigeration system.
Recharging the refrigerant is a job for a qualified refrigeration engineer and we would advise strongly against trying to do this yourself.
A leak test and a repair by a refrigeration engineer will almost certainly cost more than buying a replacement dehumidifier. If the compressor is beyond repair and a replacement is required the cost of the new part alone will certainly be greater than the price of a new dehumidifier.
It's a sad truth that dehumidifiers have a limited working life and that anything more than the simplest repair is usually uneconomical for the owner. Once the warranty has expired the only option is replacement.
I'm sorry I can't give you more welcome news.
Gun Safe Dehumidifiers
Heated Rods and Silencers
by Anon.
Do I need to remove my silencer from my rifle when in the safe? Will the heat rod save it from moisture?
Thanks
Answer
Hello, thank you for your question.
Silencers, or suppressors, for firearms come in a variety of forms and may be constructed from a range of materials. Among the common materials found in silencers is, of course, stainless steel. For this reason many silencers can suffer from corrosion and it is advisable to protect them.
A heated rod dehumidifier does no more than raise the temperature inside the gun safe but, by encouraging the evaporation of moisture, raising the dew point and promoting circulation of the air (by convection) it provides substantial protection against corrosion.
There is, therefore, every reason to place your silencer in the gun safe along with your rifle, so that it shares the protection offered by the heated rod dehumidifier.
The large variety of silencers means that the maintenance instructions will vary greatly from one model to another. It is advisable to consult the manual normally provided to confirm the precise instructions for your specific silencer type. In the manuals for some silencers the manufacturer will recommend, for example, that the silencer is removed from the firearm when not in use.
In general terms I would suggest that the silencer be removed and placed inside the gun safe along with the firearm. This will ensure that there is the greatest probability of the surfaces of both firearm and silencer benefiting from the protection offered by the heated rod; the maximum surface area of both will be exposed to the air and therefore allow the best opportunity possible for moisture to evaporate.
This advice may, however, be in conflict with guidance provided in the manual for specific models of silencer and, of course, such guidance should always be followed in preference to any advice I may give here concerning corrosion protection for silencers in general.
Despite this cautionary note I see no reason to believe that any harm may be done to a silencer by keeping it in a gun safe gently warmed by a heated rod dehumidifier and every reason to believe that this practice will safeguard the silencer and extend its useful working life.
Tom (Webmaster)
Click here to read or post comments
Is it possible to edit a user review?
by Brian
(Boston, MA)
I wrote a review of the Kenmore 50701 70 Pint Dehumidifier. Now that I have had the dehumidifier for a while I have some more information to add to the review. Is it possible to edit the page to add the information, or should I add it using the comments?
Thanks,
Brian
Answer
Hi Brian.
Adding a comment from the page on which your review is published is the easiest way to update your review. As soon as your comment is published a link will be added to your original review so that visitors are directed to your comment and alerted to the fact that it is new information.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your original review. It is detailed, informative and extremely useful to other visitors who are considering this model for use in their homes. The photographs you have included are most helpful and I know they will be valued by all who read your contribution.
It is particularly valuable for our visitors that you wish to add additional information to your original submission. I note that you had not owned the dehumidifier for more than a few days when you wrote your initial review and the fact that you are prepared to take time and trouble to add your more recent experiences of the unit will be much appreciated.
Tom (Webmaster)
Reducing AC Operating Costs
by Jim Lowe
(Ottawa, Canada)
Is it possible to estimate the energy cost savings (and thus the cost-effectiveness) associated with the potential of being able to "set the thermostat a couple of degrees higher" for your AC if you also have a dehumidifier?
Webmaster's comment
There are many sources of information about this issue and, as so often, the figures given are approximations. This is inevitable because the actual figures achieved in each home depend on a number of variables which are difficult to monitor, measure and control. As representative as any of these figures are those given on the California Energy Commission site at:
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/summer.html
Although not given in the specific context of using a dehumidifier this site states:
"Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees or off when you are away. Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the air movement will cool the room. Always take into account health considerations and be sure to drink plenty of fluids in warm weather. (Save: 1 - 3 percent per degree, for each degree the thermostat is set above 72 degrees)" - my emphasis.
I have chosen this site as an example as it is both reputable and representative of the figures typically quoted by other reliable web sites.
Tom (Webmaster)
Power Consumption - Dri-Eaz 1200
by Anon
How much power does a Dri-Eaz 1200 use?
Hello and thank your for your question.
The power consumption, in watts, of the Dri-Eaz 1200 is not published by Dri-Eaz. The details, current draw and voltage, needed to calculate it are published by the company.
The Dri-Eaz 1200 draws 6.4 amps at 115V.
Its consumption is 6.4 x 115 = 736 watts per hour.
If you are a water damage restoration contractor that may be all the answer you need.
If you are enquiring as a householder I would guess that you are considering the Dri-Eaz 1200 for your basement.
The main benefit of the Dri-Eaz 1200 to a householder is its low temperature operating capability, down to 33F. A simple comparison of energy consumption between the Dri-Eaz and other models would suggest that other models might be more energy efficient.
Without going into too much detail my take on this is as follows:
At very low temperatures, below about 50F the superior effectiveness of the Dri-Eaz will make it more economical to run than a basement dehumidifier.
At moderately low temperatures, say 50-65F the effectiveness of a basement dehumidifier, a Santa Fe model for example, will be roughly equal to the Dri-Eaz but its energy efficiency will be greater.
At "room" temperature, 65F and above, a standard portable home dehumidifier will be effective but less energy efficient than a basement dehumidifier and with a much shorter working life.
My conclusion in brief:
Very cold basement - Choose Dri-Eaz
Moderately cold basement - Choose Santa Fe (or equivalent)
Room temperature basement - My choice Santa Fe.
Portables will work but will cost more to run and you may get through 2,3 even 4 in the life-time of a Santa Fe.
I hope this is helpful.
Tom (Webmaster)
Basement dehumidifiers that don't heat the basement.
by George
(Stroudsburg, PA)
I want to keep the basement as cool as possible during the hot & humid summer months. I was inquiring if there are any dehumidifiers that do not "reheat" the air prior to releasing the air back into the room?
Answer
Hi George and thank you for your question.
The simple answer is no; all home dehumidifiers discharge warmed air. The reason for this is that the refrigeration process, used by almost all models, involves a heat exchange.
When the refrigerant is compressed it releases heat which warms the condenser coils. When the pressure is released heat is absorbed by the refrigerant which cools the evaporator coils to a temperature low enough for moisture to condense on them. The cooled air that has passed over the evaporator coils now blows over the warm condenser coils and cools them. Without the transfer of heat from the condenser coils to the air heat would simply build up in the appliance which is clearly unsustainable.
From a technical view point there is a solution to your problem but it is very costly.
Some commercial dehumidifiers use a water absorbing material called a desiccant. The water absorbing material quickly becomes saturated so a constant stream of heated air is blown over it to drive off the water. The warm air, containing the water as vapor, is ducted to another area or to the outside of the building. This type will not heat the room being dried.
Unfortunately a desiccant unit with sufficient power will cost considerably more than a refrigerant basement model, such as a Santa Fe, and many times more than a typical portable. Desiccant models also cost much more to run.
I think it is fairly unlikely that you will wish to meet the cost of this "solution" but if you wish to explore it further I will be happy to answer any additional questions.
Tom (Webmaster)
Heat generation from dehumidifier
by Paul
(CapeCod MA.)
Just purchased a G.E. dehumidifier, model ADEW50LQ, for use in a finished basement; 450 square feet. Within 30 hours of operation the room temperature was increased by 12 degrees F; is this normal? The unit did pull a lot of moisture from the area, but the increase in temp. made the area unusually warm (86 degrees F.)
Answer
Hi Paul.
Yes this is quite normal. You will find an explanation of why this is so in my answer to an earlier question which you will see immediately above your question on the same page.
If the moisture content of the air in your basement was very high the unit may have been operating more or less continuously to lower that level to the point you set with the humidistat. This will have amplified the increase in temperature. Once the level is under control the unit should work for fewer hours each day to maintain your chosen level and the effect on the basement temperature should be reduced.
A 50 pint model such as the ADEW50LQ has more than enough capacity for a 450 square foot area. As an alternative to relying on the humidistat you may wish to consider using the timer to run the unit for a few hours each night. It is quite possible, depending on the particular conditions in your basement, that this will be enough to maintain an acceptably low air moisture content throughout each 24 hour period. This should help to reduce the heating effect of the unit.
The only other option is, as you will have seen from my answer to the previous question, is expensive and you may not wish even to consider it.
Tom (Webmaster)
Gun Safe Electric Dehumidifiers
by Anon
How hot do these rods get inside the gun safe?
Answer
The most popular heated rod models, from "GoldenRod", reach a maximum surface temperature of around 150 degF. This is a little too warm to hold in an unprotected hand but well below the combustion point of items normally stored in a gun safe.
Winter use of a dehumidifier
by Don
(Middleton, WI)
We park 20 vehicles in a garage beneath our condo building. The parking space is kept at 60 degrees in winter month.
We also have two storage rooms in that area with 16 screened in storage lockers.
We have Soleus Dehumidifers in the latter areas and they do wonderful work in the non-winter months (we're in Wisconsin...and each has a drain hose running to a floor drain in an adjacent utility room which houses our boiler (garage and common area heating) and two large gas hot water heaters.
In the winter months, what is the best way to set your unit? Unplug it or set it at a particular temp. The units seldom run in the winter.
Thanks for your attention to this matter.
Don Percy
Concord Heights Condominium Association
Middleton, WI
Answer
I think it's unlikely that you will have a problem with humidity during the winter months and your comment that "the units seldom run" at this time supports my view.
The average high temperature in Middleton during the coldest quarter (Dec through Feb) is below freezing so the absolute amount of water in the outdoor air will be very low. Given that you maintain a temperature of 60F in the garage, the volume of water entering the garage from that air is very unlikely to be sufficient to lead to condensation, which would, I guess, be your main concern.
I assume that any water vapor generated by your boiler/hot water heaters is contained or vented so the main source of water ingress, as I see it, is from rainwater resting on cars that have returned to the garage on wet days. This clearly has not been a problem up to now or else the dehumidifiers would operate more frequently in the winter.
I am confident that you could safely unplug the units during those three months at least. This will save energy and reduce the wear and tear on the units.
To be on the safe side you could check for condensation on a regular basis; once a week should be enough. The best site to check would be the storage lockers as they will be at a more or less constant temperature. If there is no sign of condensation there all should be well. It takes only seconds and I'm sure you check the building at least that frequently, probably more so.
Regardless of the humidity I would recommend that you switch the dehumidifiers on for few hours once or twice a month. They don't respond well to long periods of inactivity and, if one should have developed a fault, it may be preferable to replace or repair the unit before the humid season begins again.
I hope this is helpful.
Tom.
How much higher will my power bill be with the crawspace dehumidifier?
by Anon
How much higher will my electric bill be to use this?
Answer
This question is a little like "how long is a piece of string?". It depends on the energy efficiency of the unit, the conditions in which it is operating (floor area, temperature, degree of dampness etc.), the relative humidity you want to maintain and the daily water removal capacity of your chosen model.
All of these factors determine how many hours per day it will be in use and this, in turn determines how much power it will use.
To calculate the cost you need first to estimate the number of hours per day that the unit is running. This figure is not the same as the number of hours per day the unit is switched on.
A crawl space dehumidifier will cycle on and off as needed to maintain a given humidity level. You need to make your best estimate of how many hours per day (or week or month) it is actually dehumidifying.
Once you have arrived at a figure you are reasonably certain of multiply the number of hours by the hourly wattage consumption of your unit. If you don't have the wattage multiply the amperage by the voltage to arrive at the wattage.
Divide the total (watts x hours) by 1000. Multiply the resulting figure by the rate per kilowatt hour charged by your electricity supplier to arrive at the cost for the time period you have chosen.
Example
The unit runs for 300 hours per month, consumes 650 watts per hour and your electricity is billed at $0.12 per day. The calculation is:
300 x 650 = 195,000
195,000/1000 = 195 (kilowatt hours)
195 x $0.12 = $23.40 (monthly cost of electricity)
I hope this is helpful.
Tom
Portable 70 pint dehumidifiers and their warranties
by Russ
(Plymouth, MN USA)
My experience with Sears, Haier, and Frigidaire dehumidifiers over the last 10 or 12 years confirms your statement that dehumidifiers these days only last about 2 seasons, regardless of brand. Are there one or two main reasons for that?
I believe that the refrigerant leaks down and the unit will then not have cool/cold coils. I don't believe they are made with Freon adding capability. That is what appears to have happened to my slightly over 2 year old - April, 2011 purchase date - Frigidaire Model FAD704TDP.
It has been used in an approx 1,000 sq. ft. basement, in the humid months in MN. It is stored in the basement in the winter. In peak season, I need to empty it 2 times/day, as I don't have easy access to a drain where I want to place the unit. That has worked well for me, until this season, when it only deposits about a cup of water over many days.
I bought the unit new, in an unopened box, from an e Bay seller. In my warranty book, it says it's warranted for 2 to 5 years on the sealed system. Do you think I have a shot with the mfg. in pursuing a warranty claim, since it was bought on e Bay, and not from a Frigidaire dealer? Is it even worth attempting to have fixed, or are they throw away units? I'm about as happy about the product's apparent life as I would be if I had to replace my lawnmower every 2 or 3 years.
Thanks very much for your help. Russ
Answer
Hi Russ.
I can confirm that one of the most common causes of failure is loss of refrigerant; the other common cause is a faulty sensor. There are, of course, several others but these two account for around 80-90% of problems.
The refrigeration system is highly stressed. It operates by continually compressing and expanding the refrigerant (Freon in many cases) to achieve the required heat transfer. If there is a weak point in a tube or joint eventually a leak or a full scale rupture occurs and the refrigerant is able to escape.
If dehumidifiers were built by NASA they would cost $10 million each and have a design life of 100 years and only Bill Gates and Warren Buffet would have one. For a more reasonable price, say $600 to $1000, a portable good for five to ten years could be built and sold by one of the few remaining US manufacturers (Therma-Stor or Aprilaire for example) but my guess is that only 5-10% of current buyers would choose to spend so much.
Most buyers want to spend around $200 dollars. The fact that $200 dollars for an appliance that lasts two years is the same as $1,000 for one that lasts ten has little meaning for those who won't spend this much, and none at all for those who can't.
For $200 you get an appliance made to the minimum standards of manufacturing and durability, in China a country with a per capita GDP roughly one ninth that of the USA. With the lower wages that figure implies it is clear that a US built model, made only to the same minimum standards, would cost more, maybe twice as much.
So the simple answer to one of your questions is yes, portable units are effectively throw away items that will need replacement every couple of years.
So far as warranties go those offered by the distributors (I can't say manufacturers because all of the models sold by US corporations - Alen, Danby, Frigidaire, GE etc. - are made by Chinese companies) are virtually worthless. You may get something if your unit is less that a year old but the 2-5 year extension for the refrigeration system offered by some will almost certainly cost you more than the price of a new appliance. If that seems odd please bear in mind that the customer will be responsible for the cost of shipping the unit to and from a repair center and for some of the repair costs.
I am sorry that my answer is rather bleak. As a reviewer of dehumidifiers I have some sympathy with the poor beasts. For perhaps six months of the year they work, at a conservative estimate, eight hours per day, cycling on and off several times every 24 hours. That's 26 x 7 x 8 = 1456 hours per year. My lawn mower works 4 hours every week, in a mild year for a maximum of eight months per year. That's 35 x 4 = 140 hours per year. Maybe $200 for an appliance that works ten times longer than my lawn mower every year isn't such a bad deal after all :).
Tom
Should I move my dehumidifier around the basement?
by Matt
(St Louis, Mo.)
Should I move my dehumidifier around? I have it down in the basement and it's collecting so much water in one area since I turned it on. We can't believe how much water it is collecting. My wife says I should move it on the other side of the basement. We still have that "musty" smell.
Thank You!
Answer
Based on your question I assume that the unit is a recent purchase. My first point, based on this assumption is that, other things being equal, it may take up to a week, even two in extreme cases, before the humidity in a basement has been reduced to a safe and comfortable level, around 50%. The "musty smell" may take a little longer to go away.
When the unit has the humidity under control you will notice that it stops and starts at intervals through the day, only collecting water when the humidity rises above the level you have set on the appliance. It is necessary to pay close attention to spot this as, on most current machines, the fan runs all the time. It is only when you notice that the compressor is turning off and on that you will know that all is well.
If this "cycling" of the compressor is not happening and large amounts of water are still being collected you have either a serious problem with water ingress to the basement or, much more likely, the unit is not powerful enough for the size of your basement.
As a general rule a 50 pint unit is good for 800-900 square feet while a 70 pint will cope with up to 1200 square feet.
If the unit is not powerful enough moving it from one side of the basement to the other will not solve the problem. If it is big enough moving it will help in drying out the other side but only a little. Water vapor behaves like air in the sense that its "pressure" tends to equalize across any enclosed space. In other words, if you lower humidity on the left side of your basement moisture from the right will move across until the humidity is equalized across the whole space.
If your unit is too small you will need to replace it with a larger model or supplement it with a second appliance. If it is large enough the best place to site it is as close to the center of the basement as possible. Failing that moving it every couple of days may help a little but you should move it carefully, keeping it upright and avoiding jarring. If the refrigerant is disturbed you will need to wait a few hours after replacing it for the refrigerant to settle before switching it back on.
The most effective way to improve the effectiveness of a unit which is not optimally sited (in the center of the basement) is to increase the air circulation. The simplest means is a fan which, in your case would be on the opposite side of the basement.
I hope this is helpful,
Tom.
Basement and well water
by Anon
We live on a well. Will the dehumidifier draw water out of our well as well as our basement? We have a very wet basement that develops mold and mildew.
Answer
If the basement is not open to an inflow of air, that is to say if any doors (internal or external) and windows are closed, the only moisture the unit will collect is that which is already in the basement or is getting into the basement through the floor or walls.
If well water is entering your basement the dehumidifier will not significantly increase the flow of liquid water but much, if not all of the water vapor removed by the unit will be replaced by evaporation from the walls and/or floor. So,in such circumstances, the simple answer to your question would be "yes".
The solution is to prevent this water entering the basement by sealing the surface or surfaces through which this is happening. If you are not able to do this yourself a basement improvement company or a builder with the required experience will be able to help you.
Tom.
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