How to Choose a Dehumidifier to Prevent Mold

prevent mold in home with dehumidifier

Got mold in your basement or in your attic, right above the air conditioning unit above the area where water condenses and collects? You’re not alone. Mold is a problem a lot of homeowners face, and it can cause significant health problems if not addressed. Learn what you can do to prevent mold from growing in your home and how to choose a dehumidifier that will reduce the chances of mold growth.

Why Do I Have Mold in My House?

prevent mold in home with dehumidifier

How can I prevent mold?

Mold needs an environment of 15% moisture for mold to grow, and once it finds an ideal environment, it likes to settle in and grow, expanding its colony of fungi until it’s stopped.

Here in Charlotte, we live in a rather humid part of the country. Air conditioning and furnaces manage humidity to a degree, but it can be very difficult to manage humidity in three specific parts of your home:

  1. The bathroom, thanks to the shower (most bathroom exhaust fans don’t work well)
  2. The attic, just above the air conditioner, where the water condenses and collects
  3. The basement, since concrete, never dries all the way and holds moisture quite well

If you are experiencing issues with humidity in your home or have had a mold problem and need to lower your home’s moisture level in specific areas, you’ll need to learn how to remove excess moisture using a dehumidifier.

How to Choose a Dehumidifier That Will Remove Enough Moisture

Most homeowners dealing with humidity issues drive to the local hardware store and pick up a conventional dehumidifier. Conventional dehumidifiers condense water vapor by passing air over refrigerated coils, countered by a heat pipe designed to prevent frost from forming. Compared to LGR dehumidifiers, conventional models are not as effective or efficient at removing moisture and drying air as LGR humidifiers are.

A conventional dehumidifier is fine if you are drying out a small bathroom, but if you’ve got a problem in a basement or attic, you need something much more powerful than the standard dehumidifiers you can find at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

You need one of two dehumidifiers: a low-grain refrigerant (LGR) dehumidifier or a desiccant dehumidifier. If you have a particularly wet basement, you may need both.

The LGR Dehumidifier

LGR dehumidifiers use a double cooling system that involves heating, cooling, and reheating air to remove moisture. LGR dehumidifiers are much more effective and efficient than conventional dehumidifiers.

The Desiccant Dehumidifier

Desiccant dehumidifiers use silica gel to draw out moisture. Inside the unit, a wheel coated with silica gel spins. The moisture grabs onto the gel such that the dehumidifier can pull moisture out of the air and collect the moisture in a repository that must be emptied regularly.

Both of these types of dehumidifiers are sufficient for use in a large commercial area or basement.

Need Help with Water Damage or Mold in Charlotte?

While we do not provide water damage or mold remediation services, we can help put you in touch with a company that does provide these solutions. Give us a call so you can restore your home or business as quickly as possible.

Article Summary

Quick question & answer: How do I choose the best dehumidifier to prevent mold?

The best dehumidifier to prevent mold depends on the amount of moisture you’re dealing with. Conventional dehumidifiers work well for a small bathroom. LGR dehumidifiers are much more effective and efficient than conventional ones. Desiccant dehumidifiers need to be emptied regularly. LGR and Desiccant dehumidifiers are both sufficient for use in a large commercial area or basement.

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