Professional Member*
Adding returns in the basement without balancing it with adequate supply air might exacerbate your basement humidity problem vs. mitigate it. You need turnover of air in the basement to ensure it is dehumidified. You may also run into times when the a/c can't run enough to keep the basement dry. So a dehumidifier for the basement might be an option to explore.
Psychrometrics: the very foundation of HVAC. A comfort troubleshooter's best friend.
Regular Guest
I have explored the dehumidifier option, but it was super expensive and it seems that it required surgery on the house, opening up a hole in the utility room and placing the dehumidifier in a nearby bedroom closet. So adding a whole-house dehumidifier just isn't in the cards for me.
Professional Member*
I was referring to a portable dehumidifier.Originally Posted by Dr Gaius Baltar
Psychrometrics: the very foundation of HVAC. A comfort troubleshooter's best friend.
Professional Member*
There are portables with built-in pumps to lift the condensate water and send it somewhere... I have one of them in my finished basement. Look at the big box stores or department stores, or their online sites.
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!
Sponsor & Professional Member*
Get the best dehumidifier you can afford. The cheaper ones cost more to operates by 100% and need to be replaced more often. Someday you will be able to afford a good one, than get it. Until than, improve the quality of life and get a 70 pint dehu.
Regards TB
Bear Rules: Keep our home <50% RH summer, controls mites/mold and very comfortable.
Provide 60-100 cfm of fresh air when occupied to purge indoor pollutants and keep window dry during cold weather. T-stat setup/setback +8 hrs. saves energy
Use +Merv 10 air filter. -Don't forget the "Golden Rule"
Professional Member*
Hmmm... had not thought about that part... Are portable de-hum's 'energy star' rated, or is there a standard?
I just bought one at a local home big box store... looked for one with a long warranty and an internal pump.
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!
New Guest
This is the Ask Our Pro's forum, and only Pro members that have been vetted by the AOPC may post advise, commentary, or ask questions of the OP here.
You can find the rules for posting and qualifications here.
Further infractions may result in loss of posting privileges.
Last edited by beenthere; 08-16-2013 at 04:49 PM. Reason: Non Pro * member
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
mrpdillon, this is the Ask Our Pro's forum, and only Pro members that have been vetted by the AOPC may post advise, commentary or ask questions of the OP here.
You can find the rules for posting and qualifications here.
Your post has been deleted.
Further infractions may result in loss of posting privileges.
New Guest
This is the Ask Our Pro's forum, and only Pro members that have been vetted by the AOPC may post advise, commentary, or ask questions of the OP here.
You can find the rules for posting and qualifications here.
Further infractions may result in loss of posting privileges.
Last edited by beenthere; 08-16-2013 at 05:38 PM. Reason: Non Pro * member, no warning, apologized.
Sponsor & Professional Member*
http://www.energystar.gov/productfin...ifiers/results
Here is list for efficiency. Nothing to do with durability.
Regards TB
Bear Rules: Keep our home <50% RH summer, controls mites/mold and very comfortable.
Provide 60-100 cfm of fresh air when occupied to purge indoor pollutants and keep window dry during cold weather. T-stat setup/setback +8 hrs. saves energy
Use +Merv 10 air filter. -Don't forget the "Golden Rule"
Regular Guest
I have had a bad experience before with a portable AC unit (it began leaking and a pool of water had nearly reached the surge detector when I saw it) and do not wish to have a portable dehumidifier unit in my house. I would be more worried about some sort of malfunction than I am about the humidity, especially since it would be in the basement, where I would be less likely to notice something before it went catastrophically wrong.
Professional Member*
Well, looked up the unit I have (Soleus Air #GL-DEH-70EIP-6), bought it at Lowes (prices not allowed in public forums, however it was on the high side between 2 and 3 bills).
Did the elimination stuff to lower the number of units I had to sort through... then looked: The highest 6 units had a rating of 2.4... then ALL the rest were rated between 1.86 and 1.84... mine is 1.85. My unit has an automatic pump in it, filters, a humidity sensor (shuts off when reaching target RH), and a sensor to tell you when to clean the filters.
These gadgets are UL listed, they are safe. If one is worried about it, put it in a plastic pan and plug it into a GFO outlet... then do not touch it when plugged in. If something goes wrong, the outlet will cut the power.
GA-HVAC-Tech
Your comfort, Your way, Everyday!
GA's basic rules of home heating and AC upgrades:
*Installation is more important than the brand of equipment
*The duct system keeps the house comfortable; the equipment only heats and cools (and dehumidifies)
*The value of comfort, over the long term; leave economic choices behind!
Choose your contractor wisely!
Professional Member*
Never run AC fan ON when its humid this will definitely increase humidity in home. My background is 20 years in trade in FL and Texas. You do needs manual J done as well. Pay a third party for this and then you have recourse if your installer put in wrong size AFTER you did other upgrades to system. You also need a thorough duct evaluation to see if you have leakage that is contributing and to address your temperature imbalance. What city are you in and I will find a third party to recommend to you.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply