are all humidifiers built equally??

[stevensondrive]

went to Lowes today. no SEER ratings:(

after putting in my 16 SEER dual fuel system I don't want to waste $$ on an ineffecient humidifier. I'm green y'all know ;)

I need to dry out the basement a bit.

[tech_in_kc]

Buy a Dehumidifier to dry out your basement.

[Twilly]

Twilli say AprilAire 700A

[MB1211]

Why doesn't your dual fuel 16 SEER system keep your basement dry? That would be the "green" way to do it. Use what you already have and not have another piece of equipment running to do the same work.

[pstu]

The products from Lowes are probably run-of-the mill appliances which lean toward being noisy and not too energy efficient, but they do remove humidity. You might benefit from reading what the EPA has to say about Energy Star dehumidifiers:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dehumid.pr_basics_dehumidifiers#Energy Factor

At the bottom of that page you will find a "Product List" in Excel format which will list over a hundred different models, with specs for capacity and energy efficiency. I am assuming their information is accurate...

Hope this helps -- Pstu

[stevensondrive]

Buy a Dehumidifier to dry out your basement.

uhh, yeah. DEhumidifier. too much wine and too much fun watching the bug zapper!! :D I'm frying some serious critter tonigh!! ;)

[stevensondrive]

Why doesn't your dual fuel 16 SEER system keep your basement dry? That would be the "green" way to do it. Use what you already have and not have another piece of equipment running to do the same work.

I'm too cheap to open the vents down there :rolleyes:

[stevensondrive]

The products from Lowes are probably run-of-the mill appliances which lean toward being noisy and not too energy efficient, but they do remove humidity. You might benefit from reading what the EPA has to say about Energy Star dehumidifiers:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dehumid.pr_basics_dehumidifiers#Energy Factor

At the bottom of that page you will find a "Product List" in Excel format which will list over a hundred different models, with specs for capacity and energy efficiency. I am assuming their information is accurate...

Hope this helps -- Pstu

yep the Whirlpool marks amongs the LOWESt (pun) in efficiency

[stevensondrive]

Twilli say AprilAire 700A

Stevensondrive asks where he can get one?

dangnagit, I meant DEhumidifier. blame the bugzapper!! I had sooooo many dead bugs on it I had to hose it off to get it to work again (unplugged of course)

I love to watch the little bugs explode in a ball of light!!

[teddy bear]

If you are really cheap, buy the biggest dehu they have at Lowes. Say 70 pint per day. If the basement is not finished and you keep your storage items off the floor and there is no carpet in developed space, you may get by. Or even as suggested, try to do it with your perfectly sized a/c. Get yourself a couple %RH meters and monitor the results. When the humidity gets +65%RH during wet cool weather, post back to us. We try to figure out why your a/c is not operating enough avoid high humidity in your basement/whole house. After a couple weeks of high humidity a slight musty odor may develop. After 5 year, you will be able to smell walking in the front door.
The last option, make an investment in a 90 pint per day real dehumidifier that will keep your basement <50%RH even when it is rainy for a week(no a/c). Your basement can be the nicest space in your home. In fact with a duct connection, the real dehu will keep your entire home <50% without a/c operation. Regards TB

[beenthere]

Why doesn't your dual fuel 16 SEER system keep your basement dry? That would be the "green" way to do it. Use what you already have and not have another piece of equipment running to do the same work.

A basement with a 6000BTU total cooling load being served by a 2 stage 2 ton A/C won't be dehumidified. It will cool to fast, and the RH will increase.

You need a dehumidifier for most basements.

[MB1211]

A basement with a 6000BTU total cooling load being served by a 2 stage 2 ton A/C won't be dehumidified. It will cool to fast, and the RH will increase.

You need a dehumidifier for most basements.

I used to believe that and had a whole house dehumidifier in my own home. I thought I was doing the right thing. I never really looked at duct sizing until recently and found my basement return 1/2 the size it needed to be. I corrected the issue, removed the dehumidifier and now the basement is just as comfortable as the rest of the house.

With that said, wouldn't a 2 stage a/c dehumidify better than my single stage like I have? Maybe I'm wrong and correct me if I am but I was under the impression that was a selling point of 2 stage equipment.

[beenthere]

2 stage dehumidifies better then a single stage by increasing running time. The SHR isn't lower in first stage.

If your basement is staying better now. You are probably light on return from your first and or second floor. And pullling conditioned air down from the first floor into the basement.
Meaning that you are exchanging your basement air with conditioned air, not conditioning the basement air.

[MB1211]

2 stage dehumidifies better then a single stage by increasing running time. The SHR isn't lower in first stage.

If your basement is staying better now. You are probably light on return from your first and or second floor. And pullling conditioned air down from the first floor into the basement.
Meaning that you are exchanging your basement air with conditioned air, not conditioning the basement air.

No, it was actually the opposite which started my investigation. The basement door was like a wind tunnel until I changed the return. I may not be the greatest at duct design but if you dump 800cfm in a space shouldn't you take out 800 cfm?

I guess my main point was why have an extra piece of equipment running and hopefully being maintained if what you have can do the work.

[beenthere]

Must have a big basement if you need 800 CFM.

Have you checked since adding/increasing basement return, to see if the basement is drawing any air out of the first floor.

[MB1211]

The basement is balanced now. No wind tunnel effect but now the main level return is too large and howls a little. Thats the next project. I just blocked off a little of the return grill to stop the howl for now. You know haw it goes, your own home is the last one to get done.:rolleyes:

[jrock52766]

If you are really cheap, buy the biggest dehu they have at Lowes. Say 70 pint per day. If the basement is not finished and you keep your storage items off the floor and there is no carpet in developed space, you may get by. Or even as suggested, try to do it with your perfectly sized a/c. Get yourself a couple %RH meters and monitor the results. When the humidity gets +65%RH during wet cool weather, post back to us. We try to figure out why your a/c is not operating enough avoid high humidity in your basement/whole house. After a couple weeks of high humidity a slight musty odor may develop. After 5 year, you will be able to smell walking in the front door.
The last option, make an investment in a 90 pint per day real dehumidifier that will keep your basement <50%RH even when it is rainy for a week(no a/c). Your basement can be the nicest space in your home. In fact with a duct connection, the real dehu will keep your entire home <50% without a/c operation. Regards TBYou must work at RPC! Concluded that from where you live:-) But to the OP, your a/c unit can remove some of that humidity..WHEN ITS RUNNING..but what about all the time that it is not? Do your self a favor and get the right tool for the job. You want to control the humidity, invest in a dehumidifier.

[MB1211]

I guess this whole topic really hits a nerve with me since so many people put bandaides on problems instead of really fixing the problem. Maybe it's just my area but most homes have no return in thier basement. Isn't it part of the building envelope? Shouldn't it be conditioned? Why not. I know it's not sealed off from the rest of the house. If the existing A/C can't handle the moisture then there is too much moisture. Stop the moisture from getting in.

To me not fixing the actual problem creates another problem.

[teddy bear]

You must work at RPC! Concluded that from where you live:-) But to the OP, your a/c unit can remove some of that humidity..WHEN ITS RUNNING..but what about all the time that it is not? Do your self a favor and get the right tool for the job. You want to control the humidity, invest in a dehumidifier.

You are right about a couple things! "If you want control of humidity, get a dehumidifier", ok. Madison is the "real dehumidifier" capitol of the world. But there is a company in Madison that builds more dehumidifiers than RPC.
The rest of my comments were intended to give the traditional a/c guys a chance to bend to my way of thinking.
Regards TB