Dehumidifiers???

[tom-ky]

I have been running a dehumidifier in my garage since building it a few years ago. Really helps when a wet vehicle is pulled in there and seem to help keep tools in better shape. I am on my third unit in this time frame, they have replaced it twice and now it is out again. Any decently dependable units out there? Seems like they are a consumable product. GE, Hisense, Pelomis and Midea are what is readily available around here.

 

[dogdog]

Clean your units if you are adventurous enough ?

Mine is on it's 5th year now, not garage but in my home. first 3 years of use, it was caked with a lot of dust and cat hair and what nots. That was disassembled (the plastic shell..) then a spray of those 409/grease lighting ( careful, too strong mix will kill the aluminum fins) look alike thing, and rinse in the shower/garden hose. Subsequent years I just wash them once a year, let dry for few days before powering up.

But that was me..... It's a 75 Pin Frigidaire or something... and it's on year round set for 45%......

If you search for dehumidifiers , there are few threads, and some recommended a commercial unit for about $3000 or 2k don't remember.

 

[tom-ky]

Clean your units if you are adventurous enough ?

Mine is on it's 5th year now, not garage but in my home. first 3 years of use, it was caked with a lot of dust and cat hair and what nots. That was disassembled (the plastic shell..) then a spray of those 409/grease lighting ( careful, too strong mix will kill the aluminum fins) look alike thing, and rinse in the shower/garden hose. Subsequent years I just wash them once a year, let dry for few days before powering up.

But that was me..... It's a 75 Pin Frigidaire or something... and it's on year round set for 45%......

If you search for dehumidifiers , there are few threads, and some recommended a commercial unit for about $3000 or 2k don't remember.

It is clean, looks brand new. I will double check it though. I did the search and wasn't many posts in the last year with brand suggestions. The Hisense at Lowes has 2 year warranty with 2 extra for $50 which may be worth it. Peconic at Menards has 3 and is about a $100 cheaper although 40 pint instead of 50. All the others are 1 year.

 

[mike93lx]

I've been running two Midea units for about 9 months now. Their middle size in my garage and the smallest in my laundry room.

The larger unit is quieter and has a much larger reservoir. If it was buying again, I'd go with two of them.

No issues so far with either.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NRC42PJ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Showkey]

Heated garage ????

Most dehumidifier units are not rated below 50* and spend too much time in defrost mode.

Removed the water from the floor and add alittle heat is often enough to get the humidity below 40%. Best to have a floor drain but often not practical.




There is point with melting snow and vehicles coming going where winter humidity control is loosing costly battle. Both for machine and energy.

 

[mike93lx]

Heated garage ????

Most units are not rated below 50* and spend too much time in defrost mode.

Removed the water from the floor and add alittle heat is often enough to get the humidity below 40%. Best to have a floor drain but often not practical.




There is point with melting snow and vehicles coming going where winter humidity control is loosing costly battle. Both for machine and energy.

my garage is not heated and the dehumidifer works great. the garage is insulated, however, and driving in a hot car can warm the space quite a bit.

I maintain my garage at 50%, which keeps it feeling dry and keeps the rust off my tools.

 

[M-technik-3]

I have an inexpensive unit from Ocean State Job Lot, set at 50% auto and it sure helps. I try and keep it clean. In the summer I have one in my basement a well. I should just add a return duct for the central air and that would help resolve the basement but it's not living space.

 

[Showkey]

my garage is not heated and the dehumidifer works great. the garage is insulated, however, and driving in a hot car can warm the space quite a bit.

I maintain my garage at 50%, which keeps it feeling dry and keeps the rust off my tools.

Agree......
50% is a good goal especially in summer. Below 50% in winter without adding heat would be a challenge.


The thing to remember “relative” humidity is “relative” to the the air temperature.

 

[tom-ky]

Heated garage ????

Most dehumidifier units are not rated below 50* and spend too much time in defrost mode.

Removed the water from the floor and add alittle heat is often enough to get the humidity below 40%. Best to have a floor drain but often not practical.




There is point with melting snow and vehicles coming going where winter humidity control is loosing costly battle. Both for machine and energy.

Most are rated to about 40 I have seen. Garage is insulated but not heated fulltime. Normally stays above 40 on coldest days. Vehicles don't go in and out daily so my old one did ok with keeping moisture down and drying things up when pulling in a wet vehicle.

 

[justinjoyal]

Try a dessicant dehumidifier.

Works well in cold temperature, no compressor..

 

[mike93lx]

Try a dessicant dehumidifier.

Works well in cold temperature, no compressor..

He lives in Kentucky. I really don't think cold temps are that much of a problem

 

[mepstein]

You asked about decent and dependable. I don't think that exists for consumer dehumidifiers. I just buy mine at costco, return and re-buy as needed. The people at costco always take it back with a smile. My dad went through a warranty once for his. He said he would rather pay for a new one than do the warranty thing again. I told him my costco experience and now he does the same. He runs two in his basement.

 

[tom-ky]

You asked about decent and dependable. I don't think that exists for consumer dehumidifiers. I just buy mine at costco, return and re-buy as needed. The people at costco always take it back with a smile. My dad went through a warranty once for his. He said he would rather pay for a new one than do the warranty thing again. I told him my costco experience and now he does the same. He runs two in his basement.

All the Costcos are 100 miles away from me. They only show a 35 pint online, not sure if in store is different.

 

[Showkey]

Try a dessicant dehumidifier.

Works well in cold temperature, no compressor..

Read the reviews on them in prior post in the GJ and the places they are sold..........marginal and not ready for prime time come up often. Your experience may vary........

 

[justinjoyal]

Read the reviews on them in prior post in the GJ and the places they are sold..........marginal and not ready for prime time come up often. Your experience may vary........

I have been using one for a while in my cold room and its been great !

He lives in Kentucky. I really don't think cold temps are that much of a problem

He mentionned 40+, the 40s generally being too cold for a regular dehumidifier that will freeze up more than anything.

 

[jonshonda]

Tons of threads on dehumidifiers, and it seems as if you are lucky to get 5 years out of them, and you have to spend a lot of cash to get one to last longer.

 

[tom-ky]

I have been using one for a while in my cold room and its been great !




He mentionned 40+, the 40s generally being too cold for a regular dehumidifier that will freeze up more than anything.

Which one you got? The ones I have had no issues with freezing up. Seems some of the desiccant type have very little capacity.

 

[dogdog]

It is clean, looks brand new. I will double check it though. I did the search and wasn't many posts in the last year with brand suggestions. The Hisense at Lowes has 2 year warranty with 2 extra for $50 which may be worth it. Peconic at Menards has 3 and is about a $100 cheaper although 40 pint instead of 50. All the others are 1 year.

It's the fins inside the Dehumidifier that needs cleaning, not the cheese cloth filter or the outer shell...... I don't remember if I have post a pic of the previously or not... but it was caked with dust on the fins, outer shell looks spotless. and my model was even on the recall list for fire hazards... .. of cause YMMV... dependents on your failure mode.

 

[tom-ky]

It's the fins inside the Dehumidifier that needs cleaning, not the cheese cloth filter or the outer shell...... I don't remember if I have post a pic of the previously or not... but it was caked with dust on the fins, outer shell looks spotless. and my model was even on the recall list for fire hazards... .. of cause YMMV... dependents on your failure mode.

Fins are clean, it has been washed out and blown out. They look great, filter had very little dirt on it. I can try it again but a close inspection look ok and even after the wash out and blowing out it still does the same.

 

[jake00]

I bought a Santa Fe on the advice of GJ it wasn’t cheap and I’m very happy with it

 

[yeldogt]

I bought a Santa Fe on the advice of GJ it wasn’t cheap and I’m very happy with it

They tend to be good units .... I had one fail and they replaced it past warranty time. It;s my go to unit.

I have never seen a consumer one rated at 40 .... even the cold weather ones are above that. It's trying to remove water -- so it has to drop down and it's already at 40? asking for a lot ... they don't have defrost. defrost is off.

They are also expensive to run unless electric is cheap ... frankly -- it's cheaper to raise the temp and open the door for 5 min

 

[Jeepster04]

Ive had a cheap walmart GE 35pint going on 10 years now. Parents had it in their basement then gave it to me when they sold their house. Keep it set on 55% year round. Garage isnt heated but it rarely gets below 50F.

I'm in the market for another to put under my floor come spring. Im not going with a $$ Santa Fe but my parents have one of those under their floor. No issues going on 3 years but Im not spending that kinda $$. Probably go with whatever unit has the best ratings on amazon then pay the $20 or whatever it is for the extended warranty through amazon. They claim they will replace it or give you a gift card for the price of the unit, we'll see.

He lives in Kentucky. I really don't think cold temps are that much of a problem

Not sure what this means? We routinely see single digits and sometimes below 0F.

 

[mike93lx]

Not sure what this means? We routinely see single digits and sometimes below 0F.

An average low in January of 28 degrees is not what I would call cold, but I guess it is all relative

 

[tom-ky]

An average low in January of 28 degrees is not what I would call cold, but I guess it is all relative

Outside temp isn't the same as inside temp.

 

[Viz]

I have 2 Oasis units, one in the basement and one in the garage. Basement unit was bought new in the mid-late 1970's and still runs perfectly. These are tough units. No digital controls, no mother boards. Anything I've ever gotten as a garage unit (Sears, LG, Kenmore) just crapped out as others have mentioned.

The garage Oasis (D165HG) I got as an open box unit from Amazon. A few cosmetic fins were broken but it performs as flawlessly as its basement brethren.

Expensive, yes, but worth every penny.

Viz

 

[PLOWJEEP]

I have a General Electric in my garage that a friend gave me 25 years ago when he cleared out his mother’s house that still works great. I have found that is much easier to control the humidity in my garage by setting the thermostat at 65 instead of 50.
Our garage is well insulated so I haven’t noticed a much of an increase in gas Consumption.
Brian

 

[fitter30]

Dehumidifiers there are two types ones that have a A.H.A.M rating and ones that don't like purchased from box store. Aham rated like crawl space dehumidifier its rating is taken at 80* @ 60%. Box store 80* @ 95%. Get below 80* ratings drop big time.

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk

 

[TriumphFan]

I have an old Hampton Bay dehumidifier I purchased from HD back in '98. Still going strong and I've never cleaned it. Discontinued unfortunately.

 

[Tduby]

I bought a Santa Fe on the advice of GJ it wasn’t cheap and I’m very happy with it

Expensive but they last and work. As others have said especially if you are trying to dry the floor a fan with some heat will probably work more efficiently

 

[Algoma56]

I have a couple old Sears models. Pull cover off, and clean the scum off of the cooling tubes every once in a while. Wet dust tends to cake on. They are quite old, one's at least 40. Did change the motor on it, matched up with unit out of a breadmaker.

 

[Showkey]

One note on older units, they do not have a defrost cycle. So they will ice up ( freeze solid) at temps below 60-65*.

Modern unit have defrost cycle allowing operation to 50* but the efficiency at lower temps is compromised.

 

[tom-ky]

One note on older units, they do not have a defrost cycle. So they will ice up ( freeze solid) at temps below 60-65*.

Modern unit have defrost cycle allowing operation to 50* but the efficiency at lower temps is compromised.

The Hisense i had worked ok down in the 40's. Ended up trying a GE and it seems useless goi g to return it as it takes very little moisture out of the air.

 

[Showkey]

The Hisense i had worked ok done in the 40's. Ended up trying a GE and it seems useless goi g to return it as it takes very little moisture out of the air.

Asking any dehumidifier to work effectively and efficiently in the 40’s is big ask. Because the evaporator to condense the water vapor as below 38* but the evaporator freezes at 32*. Not to mention every metal object in the garage at that low temperature is also condensing that same moisture but of course is not removed or captured.......just collecting water droplets.

A frozen evaporator is no longer removing moisture. Same condition when a refrigerator/freezer does not go into a defrost cycle. The refrigerator/freezer “no longer makes things cold.”

 

[tom-ky]

Asking any dehumidifier to work effectively and efficiently in the 40’s is big ask. Because the evaporator to condense the water vapor as below 38* but the evaporator freezes at 32*. Not to mention every metal object in the garage at that low temperature is also condensing that same moisture but of course is not removed or captured.......just collecting water droplets.

A frozen evaporator is no longer removing moisture. Same condition when a refrigerator/freezer does not go into a defrost cycle. The refrigerator/freezer “no longer makes things cold.”

It did what I needed it to do but only lasted about 10 months. I could maintain 50% or so humidity and really helped drying things up after pulling a wet vehicle in there. Wish they would have lasted longer. I guess I need to buy another and just get the extended warranty.

 

[schalliol]

I'm resurrecting an older head here, but we're constructing a detached garage here in central Indiana and trying to determine if I should put in dehumidification. We'll have wet cars in there with snow in the winter with only light heating and in the summer, that's when it gets really humid in central Indiana. I'd love any thoughts!

 

[mcbane]

Read the reviews on them in prior post in the GJ and the places they are sold..........marginal and not ready for prime time come up often. Your experience may vary........

I have been using an Ecor desiccant dehumidifier for two years. A simple machine that works great in cold temperatures. Probably not the best machine for hot, humid places since it is a little less efficient than gas compression dehumidification.

 

[fitter30]

I'm resurrecting an older head here, but we're constructing a detached garage here in central Indiana and trying to determine if I should put in dehumidification. We'll have wet cars in there with snow in the winter with only light heating and in the summer, that's when it gets really humid in central Indiana. I'd love any thoughts!

Read my post from January 9

 

[pop pop]

Take a look at Danby. Not spendy and dependable for the price.

 

[mikedodge]

A lot of new dehumidifiers have really bad reviews. I think part of it is something going wrong with the electronic part. The old ones seem to last a lot longer.

 

[Showkey]

A lot of new dehumidifiers have really bad reviews. I think part of it is something going wrong with the electronic part. The old ones seem to last a lot longer.

Actually very little electronics………..the slow refrigerant leaks are very very common as the coils are now made of aluminum. Leaks at the coil end bends. If it was electronics it would be easy cheap DIY fix.

That being said on easy electronics repairs.. There were and are several safety recalls for electrical components that caused fires. Even those were not repair the company bought the units back.

There a several YouTube autopsy videos with documenting the problems and fixes .

Once the refrigerant is low …….poor performance and coil icing are the initial symptoms.
The labor/parts to replace a coil, evac, fill and test makes no economic sense for units under $250.