Regular Dehumidifier

The crawl space of a house is oftentimes an area that requires a lot of maintenance. This area is vulnerable to damage caused by humidity in addition to moisture, which leads many homeowners to install dehumidifiers inward the crawl space. However, inward social club to adequately protect the crawl space, the dehumidifier requires a certain level of ability and hardiness.

Controlling the wet and humidity inward a crawl space tin can live challenging, just it is necessary for every dwelling amongst an underfloor expanse. Let’sec prove the role of dehumidifiers for this function, as well every bit a few other solutions to this job.

Regular dehumidifiers are not designed to be used inward a crawl space. These dehumidifiers do non have plenty capacity to dehumidify crawl spaces, too they are non rugged plenty to withstand the surround. A crawl infinite dehumidifier must live used. These robust units dehumidify large volumes of air very speedily.

Crawl Spaces Have to Be Protected Against Humidity

International Residential Code (IRC) R408.1 states that all under-floor spaces between a edifice together with the ground must live wet controlled. This is to forbid whatsoever impairment caused over fourth dimension by wet in addition to humidity in addition to protect the integrity of the building.

Furthermore, many people go wiring as well as junction boxes inward their crawl spaces. This makes wet control of paramount importance.

A reliable together with usually used method for controlling the moisture too humidity inward a crawl space is to install a crawl infinite dehumidifier that is specifically designed for this purpose.

Regular Dehumidifiers Are Insufficient for Crawl Spaces

Regular dehumidifiers are not suitable for function in the crawl infinite nether a house merely because their capabilities are insufficient. The dehumidifying capacity of regular dehumidifiers is significantly less than crawl infinite humidifiers.

Crawl infinite humidifiers accept a much higher capacity for moisture removal. Some models are capable of removing equally much every bit 17 gallons (65 L) of moisture per mean solar day from an surface area spanning over 7000 ftⁱⁱ (650 k^two).

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By contrast, regular home dehumidifiers are exclusively capable of removing around 2.6 gallons (ten L) of moisture per solar day from a normal-sized bedroom.

These figures vividly present us that regular dehumidifiers are not suitable for purpose in crawl spaces, equally they will non take away enough moisture from the area to preclude the harm that high levels of humidity tin crusade.

Crawl Spaces Are Too Harsh for Normal Dehumidifiers

Regular abode dehumidifiers are designed to live indoors in addition to usually inward rooms such every bit bedrooms that are specially shielded from more than extreme environmental factors similar excessive heat or common cold. As such, these devices are non especially rugged, nor are they designed for function inward harsh environments.

The blueprint features specifications of regular dehumidifiers mean that they volition be damaged beyond repair if they are used inwards the tough surroundings of the crawl space for whatever length of fourth dimension.

However, commercial or crawl infinite dehumidifiers are built for continual purpose inwards the real harsh surround of the crawl infinite.

These machines are designed amongst rugged exteriors, waterproof applied science, hard-wearing mechanical and electrical components, in addition to they are built from much stronger materials than the touchstone plastics of regular dehumidifiers.

Crawl infinite dehumidifiers are designed to withstand harsh environments for long periods, while a regular dehumidifier in the same weather condition will alone final for a fraction of its intended lifespan inward the same weather.

Regular Dehumidifiers Not Designed for Constant Use

Any dehumidifier that is used inwards the crawl infinite of a menage must operate continuously to be at all effective. The levels of humidity inwards a crawl space ascension so rapidly that the dehumidifier used in this expanse must be left running at all times to trim down the humidity in the infinite.

Regular dehumidifiers are non designed for constant function. Even indoors, regular dehumidifiers tin can not grip long periods of constant function. Most of these devices are equipped alongside an automatic shut-off role to foreclose the potential impairment caused by prolonged purpose.

The components of regular dehumidifiers volition wearable out very chop-chop if used continuously.

In comparison, crawl infinite dehumidifiers are designed to function continuously, fifty-fifty in the harsh crawl space. The components of these machines, such equally the pump, the motor, as well as the electric components are built to be durable in addition to hardy enough to withstand constant role without sustaining impairment or wearing out as well rapidly.

Requirements for a Crawl Space Dehumidifier

Crawl infinite dehumidifiers are dissimilar other types of dehumidifiers. As I noted higher up these machines must live able to withstand long periods of use inside the crawl space nether a home, which requires them to live exceedingly tough when compared to other dehumidifiers.

These units must take rugged external housing that is durable plenty to withstand the harsh environs of the crawl space without tarnishing, rusting, or breaking downward inward whatsoever fashion.

Commercial dehumidifiers must live capable of removing very big quantities of wet from the crawl space, at to the lowest degree ±ix gallons (35 L) of H2O per mean solar day.

These machines should as well be compact plenty to tally comfortably inside the crawl infinite and to be placed in whatever surface area of the crawl infinite to live every bit effective as possible. These units should also be equipped amongst either a real large collection tank or the ability to ticker H2O out from the crawl space.

A high-capacity ticker and motor together with heavy-duty filters are also requirements for dehumidifiers of this type.

Some extra features that many modernistic crawl space dehumidifiers are equipped with include:

Defrosting systems.
Adjustable wheels.
Remote control.
Digital touch cover command panel.
Auto-restart capabilities.
Temperature readout.
Lightweight blueprint.

Some of the best mod crawl space dehumidifiers amongst these features include:

Do Encapsulated Crawl Spaces Need a Dehumidifier?

Many homeowners choose to encapsulate the crawl space of their home. This is a practiced mode to aid mitigate the humidity inwards a crawl space.

In fact. Installing a dehumidifier is pointless unless the crawl space is encapsulated.

However, an encapsulated crawl space is still susceptible to high levels of humidity, every bit moisture is probable to escape from the ground too collect inside the encapsulated crawl space. Other issues arise inwards encapsulated crawl spaces, such equally the accumulation of harmful gases that will seep into the living infinite from the crawl infinite.

Image of a crawl space with dehumidifer and sump pump

A dehumidifier should ever live used when a crawl infinite is encapsulated.

According to the International Residential Code R408.iii.2.four, all unvented crawl spaces are required to be fitted alongside dehumidification of at least eight.seven gallons (33 L) of wet removal per thou ft² (93 one thousand^two) per day.

This international rule means that if your encapsulated crawl space is not good vented according to IRC regulations, it is required to take a high grade of dehumidification to prevent damage to the building as well as impairment to the residents thereof.

Using a high-functioning crawl infinite dehumidifier is the best style to comply alongside these crawl space regulations.

If y'all are looking to waterproof your crawl infinite, bank check out my article on the Difference Between Drylok in addition to Drylok Extreme.

Do Whole-Home Dehumidifiers Work inward the Crawl Space?

Many houses have whole-home dehumidifiers built into the HVAC arrangement. These systems are rattling effective for dehumidifying the living areas within the family, just tin can this organisation live used to dehumidify the crawl space too?

Whole-dwelling house dehumidifiers will operate inwards the crawl infinite if they are fix correctly, one.e., the organisation is go into the crawl infinite together with dry air is pushed into the crawl infinite besides as the balance of the domicile by the HVAC organization.

A organisation similar this tin be complicated, merely it volition part good to dry out the crawl infinite. That being said, well-nigh experts suggest that the crawl infinite should be dehumidified alongside the role of a crawl infinite dehumidifier.

Experts land that dehumidifying the crawl space before dehumidifying the residual of the home may actually eliminate the necessitate for a whole-domicile dehumidifier, as almost of the humidity inward a domicile comes from a humid crawl space.

Alternative Ways to Prevent Crawl Space Humidity

Dehumidifying units are non the solely method of preventing crawl infinite humidity.

There are several other methods that are effective for this role, only the best options are those laid out inwards IRC department R408 regarding the ventilation in addition to dehumidification of crawl spaces:

Class one vapor retarder fabric tin be used to comprehend the surface of the ground inwards the crawl infinite if the expanse is ventilated according to IRC regulations.

Continuous mechanical exhaust ventilation tin can live installed. This organization must exhaust i ftⁱⁱⁱ per minute for every fifty ftⁱⁱ (four.7 1000²) of the crawl space.

Conditioned air can be supplied t the crawl space at a rate of i ftⁱⁱⁱ per infinitesimal for every 50 ftⁱⁱ (four.7 one thousand^two) of the crawl infinite.

These regulations land that skillful alternatives for a crawl infinite dehumidifier are to brand certain that the crawl infinite is exceptionally good ventilated, the HVAC system supplies dry air into the crawl infinite, or to install a continuous exhaust arrangement to ticker air out of the crawl space.

Another good choice is to install vapor retarder fabric that covers the earth inward the crawl space. Some grade one vapor retarder material include:

Polyethylene celluloid
Glass
Sheet metallic
Foil-faced insulated sheets
Nonperfurated aluminum foil

Start With a Dry Crawl Space

A expert style to ensure that whatever dehumidification measures that yous implement in the crawl infinite of your family are effective is to commencement amongst a crawl infinite that is as dry every bit possible.

This includes repairing any water leaks, pumping out whatever big puddles, blocking whatever entrances for groundwater period, in addition to even removing whatsoever excessively wet soil before implementing whatever dehumidification, such equally the installation of a crawl space dehumidifier.

Controlling the moisture inwards a crawl infinite is too ane of the primary reasons non to vent your bath fan into a crawl space (doing and so contravenes edifice codes).

These preliminary measures will ensure that your crawl infinite will dry out quickly, together with it will assist to forbid whatever futurity wet issues inward the crawl infinite.