Quiet dehumidifier
- Thread starter tvrgeek
- Start date
I am pleased with the performance of a Frigidaire bought from a big box store. It is used in my wife's sewing room (so it's quiet enough) in our basement, which is hooked up to the whole-house HVAC. I can't vouch for how well it will stand up to outdoor conditions in your crawl space. Be sure you measure the cubic feet of space you are dehumidifying and get a unit with larger capacity.
Following this thread as I too would LOVE a lower humidity environment (both crawl space and living space) - especially in the non-summer months when temps are OK but humidity is high.
With regard to crawl spaces - how is condensate typically dealt with? I hate to have to go in and empty a catch tank daily/weekly or whenever, even if my crawlspace is relatively easily accessible.
With regard to crawl spaces - how is condensate typically dealt with? I hate to have to go in and empty a catch tank daily/weekly or whenever, even if my crawlspace is relatively easily accessible.
Is your crawl space encapsulated? I did mine and then used one of those portable 70 quart units you can get for $200-300 for a couple of years. Had issues with clogging, power surges, etc. Decided to get a more permanent type unit and bought an Aprilair model 1820 for about $1000 3 years ago. Haven’t had to touch it since. It’s set for 50%, and according to my bluetooth sensors, it’s 50% on the extreme corners of the 2400sf space. Oh and I can’t hear it in the house.
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Ok drainage to what is I guess my issue.
I guess I could elevate the unit and put a hose into a larger drum below it (and them nver check the level of that!)
No, not encapsulated. Dirt with layer of plastic over it.
Why did you encapsulate?
I too have an encapsulated crawl space and basement, the current dehumidifier is an Aprilaire installed by the basement contractor, it’s quiet and easily keeps the basement and crawl at 50%, all this takes place in a 100 year old house..
We had a partially encapsulated crawl space (only poly on ground surface, not fully encapsulated) and used a Santa Fe Compact 70 dehumidifier. It easily brought RH down to 45-50%.
To ensure circulation throughout the crawl space we used about 40' of 8" flexible duct on the exhaust side, run to the opposite end of the house. For condensate we put the dehumidifier on a small platform that elavated it just below the joists and ran a gravity drain out thru the foundation wall. It worked fine though every 2 or 3 months, goo would build up in the line and had to be cleaned out.
The dehumidifier was fairly expensive but we never had any issue with it, nor did we ever hear it in the house.
To ensure circulation throughout the crawl space we used about 40' of 8" flexible duct on the exhaust side, run to the opposite end of the house. For condensate we put the dehumidifier on a small platform that elavated it just below the joists and ran a gravity drain out thru the foundation wall. It worked fine though every 2 or 3 months, goo would build up in the line and had to be cleaned out.
The dehumidifier was fairly expensive but we never had any issue with it, nor did we ever hear it in the house.
Yes, full encapsulated. The first ($1200) unit failed three times. Fourth was out of warrantee so I put in the very same Compact 70 Santa Fe Scott mentioned. I am lucky it can drain by gravity due to the slope of my crawlspace. No pump needed. The fan is just way too loud. I tried some rock wool in the floor joists above it, but due to the sloppy construction, my joists are not evenly spaced and holding everything up became a mess. Pipes and wires in the way to boot.
I am not sure these "industrial" units are any better than the portables for $200. Steel box, so what if the internal unit is actually the same. I have a Visanni making a racket in my dining room temporally and a used one a member helpfully gave me as the pump failed in the shop. I guess I could build a box to connect ductwork to a portable. For the house, I want to tap the return air duct and then exit into two dedicated runs on opposite sides of the house. I wonder if I got a bigger one if I could also suck some from the CS and exhaust some there too only having one unit. I don't know how much the CS one is pulling out, but I have been getting about 2 gallons a day from the house one. It has been a soggy summer.
The really stupid thing is, this is caused by "green " appliances. The coils are barely above the due point so the AC does not pull enough humidity out. This means we have to spend LOTS more electricity to run a heat pump a little colder and all that waste heat included. We would use LESS electricity if the HVAC was a little less efficient and the coils ran more like 45 degrees like they used to. Modern energy dim-star run more like 55 degrees.
I got a quote from a big time Raleigh HVAC company. No details, insane price and " we do dedicated ducts in every room" but nothing in the contract, no plan, no equipment listed. I asked for details and they never called back. I was considering making my crawlspace part of the overall house as I had a radon test and it is clean. I do still get a little smell down there. I believe most of it is actually the plastic outgassing and I would rather that not be up in the house. A lot less than 6 years ago when it was done. I put in a 100 CFM exhaust and it seemed to do basically nothing. I thought it would be pulling down through all the leaks in the floor and exhaust the CS.
Building codes and inspectors, seem to be very confused about the subject. I was also looking at an ERV, but the "experts" say, even with the advertised humidity transfer, they still pump water into the house. They wanted far more for it than I would ever spend with a window cracked. I am going to just build an intake with a quiet Panasonic bath fan into a MERV 15 filter and put a timer on it to intake only at night in the summer and day in the winter. Between 3 bath fans, kitchen hood, and dog door, there is plenty of exhaust.
I too had build up in the drain. Biological goo. I think the solution is to run a copper line.
I am not sure these "industrial" units are any better than the portables for $200. Steel box, so what if the internal unit is actually the same. I have a Visanni making a racket in my dining room temporally and a used one a member helpfully gave me as the pump failed in the shop. I guess I could build a box to connect ductwork to a portable. For the house, I want to tap the return air duct and then exit into two dedicated runs on opposite sides of the house. I wonder if I got a bigger one if I could also suck some from the CS and exhaust some there too only having one unit. I don't know how much the CS one is pulling out, but I have been getting about 2 gallons a day from the house one. It has been a soggy summer.
The really stupid thing is, this is caused by "green " appliances. The coils are barely above the due point so the AC does not pull enough humidity out. This means we have to spend LOTS more electricity to run a heat pump a little colder and all that waste heat included. We would use LESS electricity if the HVAC was a little less efficient and the coils ran more like 45 degrees like they used to. Modern energy dim-star run more like 55 degrees.
I got a quote from a big time Raleigh HVAC company. No details, insane price and " we do dedicated ducts in every room" but nothing in the contract, no plan, no equipment listed. I asked for details and they never called back. I was considering making my crawlspace part of the overall house as I had a radon test and it is clean. I do still get a little smell down there. I believe most of it is actually the plastic outgassing and I would rather that not be up in the house. A lot less than 6 years ago when it was done. I put in a 100 CFM exhaust and it seemed to do basically nothing. I thought it would be pulling down through all the leaks in the floor and exhaust the CS.
Building codes and inspectors, seem to be very confused about the subject. I was also looking at an ERV, but the "experts" say, even with the advertised humidity transfer, they still pump water into the house. They wanted far more for it than I would ever spend with a window cracked. I am going to just build an intake with a quiet Panasonic bath fan into a MERV 15 filter and put a timer on it to intake only at night in the summer and day in the winter. Between 3 bath fans, kitchen hood, and dog door, there is plenty of exhaust.
I too had build up in the drain. Biological goo. I think the solution is to run a copper line.
Several reasons:
- Moisture control, unless you completely seal it comes through cracks or seams that are not sealed. My house had french drain around inside perimeter with drainage to outside, so good start. It also had plastic over dirt, but seam and perimeter were not sealed.
- Air control and temperature, keeping outside cold or warm air out. As mentioned, I have some wireless sensors that tell me temperature and humidity. The temperature fluctuates very little after encapsulation, see picture of data from last month. If I had the same chart for outside temperature, it would fluctuate much more. The only spike is because this sensor is near door and I left it open while retrieving some wood I had stored. Previously with crawl space vents open, you need to be sure there is airflow which means you are going to be up and down along with the outside temperature.
- Cleaner air, all air flow up, so all the dirty air from the crawl space flows right up into your house.
- I don’t have natural gas available so I want to be as energy efficient as possible to reduce electrical bills. I did notice a difference in my electrical bill. I don’t look at specific comparisons here because the weather is always different, so no way to know for sure. I can say, the bill have been lower and stayed lower for the past 5 years.
I did a lot of research, but not an expert. Start with this. https://www.energystar.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/Designing Closed Crawlspaces.pdf
@tvrgeek you mentioned humidity control with the HVAC system. Last year I had to replace my system and got one with the variable speed fan. The theory as I’m sure you know is the fan running continuously helps reduce humidity. My observation is that if it does, it is minimal. I think maybe in other regions that don’t have as extreme humidity as we do it may be more effective. I also keep my summer temperature at 78, so obviously lowering it might also help. I don’t know if PMI (Greensboro) services where you live but that’s who I got my humidifier from. I’m a cheapskate and found them to be very reasonable. Good luck, it’s one of those things that you don’t really know who or what to believe.
Did you purchase these or build them with esp32 controllers/sensors?
Govee, bought off Amazon. I also have this thing, but it doesn’t have an app for tracking.
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Do you mind posting a link to what you bought, since you are happy... might just be easier...
We have a failed crawl space humidifier - have to buy a new one... only 5 years old! (~$200/year!)
No problem.
Govee hygrometer/thermometer unit. It's one of those things that looks like it might be a cheap rip off, but it's work well and the app is decent as well.
PMI link, they did the Aprilaire dehumidifier for less than $1100 installed, but that was 3+ years ago. Their website doesn't have products, you have to call for quote. This site does have some good information either way. I'm normally a DIY guy, but their price to install motivated me to let them do it...otherwise I was going to need to ask my wife to help lift it, if you know what I mean.
Here's another place that has dehumidifiers and encapsulation materials. I got a lot of the materials I used from these guys because I could pick it up locally in Greensboro.
Crawl Space Dehumidifier and Encapsulation Supplies For Sale
Crawlspace Depot sells crawl space dehumidifiers for encapsulated spaces. The Mega Dry CS-70 & Monster Dry offer dehumidification to dry out the wettest crawlspace.
crawlspacedepot.com
No problem.
Govee hygrometer/thermometer unit. It's one of those things that looks like it might be a cheap rip off, but it's work well and the app is decent as well.
PMI link, they did the Aprilaire dehumidifier for less than $1100 installed, but that was 3+ years ago. Their website doesn't have products, you have to call for quote. This site does have some good information either way. I'm normally a DIY guy, but their price to install motivated me to let them do it...otherwise I was going to need to ask my wife to help lift it, if you know what I mean.
Here's another place that has dehumidifiers and encapsulation materials. I got a lot of the materials I used from these guys because I could pick it up locally in Greensboro.
Crawl Space Dehumidifier and Encapsulation Supplies For Sale
Crawlspace Depot sells crawl space dehumidifiers for encapsulated spaces. The Mega Dry CS-70 & Monster Dry offer dehumidification to dry out the wettest crawlspace.
I wish the sensor was offed in a 4 set
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’ve been using this for years, with a wifi Gateway for remote monitoring. Amazon.com
Darn, how our memory fails. 
I will search on that though. The Santa Fe noise is the fan. So I will look for a bigger physical box with a slower fan.
Tried several remote monitoring. I wanted one that would send an alert to my phone. One looked like the above mentioned, hub as well. Poor range, had to reset it all the time. All were totally unreliable. I have a Taylor now, but no ap. I know how accurate as I have a couple psychrometers. Got another one so generic it has no brand. Maybe I'll test it tomorrow.
I will search on that though. The Santa Fe noise is the fan. So I will look for a bigger physical box with a slower fan. Tried several remote monitoring. I wanted one that would send an alert to my phone. One looked like the above mentioned, hub as well. Poor range, had to reset it all the time. All were totally unreliable. I have a Taylor now, but no ap. I know how accurate as I have a couple psychrometers. Got another one so generic it has no brand. Maybe I'll test it tomorrow.
