A dehumidifier should be placed in a location where the discharged airflow is not obstructed and can be easily emptied. Keep in mind that certain dehumidifiers can be noisy, so keep that in mind before installing one in a location where noise might be an issue.

For a tiny crawl area, a large room dehumidifier will suffice, but for a larger one, you may need to rent a commercial-grade device. Set the dehumidifier to 30 to 45 percent humidity and leave it running for several hours before checking the space. It may take eight to ten hours to dry a moist crawl area.

It’s uncommon to see crawl space wood moisture levels that are too low, but it might happen when a dehumidifier’s setting is so low that it overdries wood in the region.

The energy consumption of a dehumidifier is quite minimal. A tiny 30-pint dehumidifier consumes 300W of power. … A dehumidifier uses significantly less electricity than a water heater, air conditioner, or even a hair dryer. A dehumidifier uses roughly the same amount of electricity as a computer.

In general, refrigerant types have a lengthy lifespan, lasting for years before finally failing. A good unit should last at least a year, but it depends on the make and quality, as some can survive up to five years.

Moisture in your crawl area will only wreak havoc on your home’s structure over time. The vapor in your crawl space has the potential to destroy your house’s timber framing and flooring. Moisture is kept out of the crawl area by encasing it. Encapsulation also aids in the prevention of hazardous pests such as termites.

For a normal crawlspace encapsulation project, most companies will provide a warranty of 15 to 20 years. A fully sealed crawlspace, on the other hand, can last for more than 20 years if humidity levels are managed and no catastrophic occurrences, such as floods, occur.

Even if your homeowners insurance doesn’t cover crawl space encapsulation, it can be a beneficial investment. It’s a measure that can make it harder for standing water to form in the first place, as well as make it easier to remove water that does pool in your home’s foundation.

You can deduct this as an improvement. Similarly, if you enclose the crawl space to give extra storage for your tenants, or if you install a dehumidifier to improve the air quality for them.

To keep the crawl area or basement dry, most dehumidifiers need to be emptied every day. If they don’t, they’ll overflow and the device will shut off.

Whether you’re considering crawl space encapsulation because you have standing water under your house, have heard it will save you money on heating and cooling, or are concerned about the detrimental impacts of poor air quality, encapsulating your crawl space will raise the value of your home.

For every 50 square feet of crawl area, install a foundation vent fan that moves 1 CFM of air. … Insulation and air sealing are also important aspects of crawl space encapsulation.

Most dehumidifiers employ cold metal tubes to convert water vapor from a gas to liquid water, similar to how a cold drink accumulates condensation from the surrounding air. This “condensate” is then collected in a bucket or drained out via a hose.