Garages are walled, roofed areas attached to a house where you can store cars or other belongings. Since this area serves as a storage place for your valued possession, you may need to keep this in immaculate condition at all times. One challenge you might encounter in doing so is controlling the humidity in your garage.
One solution to that is using a Garage Dehumidifier.
Everything about Garage Dehumidifier
Garages experience humidity due to the lack of ventilation. With the area being caved in and no available airflow system, the moisture would build up on the walls and floors during the cold season. This damp, sticky, and uncomfortable condition cannot be good for the stored things. This is when the dehumidifiers would come in handy.
A dehumidifier is equipment that specifically deals with humidity. It keeps check on the space’s moisture levels and essentially reduces the moisture to prevent mold and rust.
Dehumidifiers work by dragging warm air through its coils via the use of its fans. The air contracts as it goes through the equipment, leaving the condensation inside. It will then release the dehumidified air into the garage.
Leaving this on for some time would later on lower the moisture levels of your garage. It will bring down the humidity by about 30-50%.
Why Do You Need a Garage Dehumidifier?
Humidity is probably the most glaring problem of garage maintenance. If not taken seriously, it will cause you quite a bit, and not just financially. The amount of effort, time, and work you will have to exert for cleaning, maintaining, fixing, and replacing is no joke.
Your garage shouldn’t stay damp or humid. According to knowitalllearning.com/best-garage-dehumidifier-review/, a damp garage can become the start of rusting or growth of mold and mildew. Humid causes metal to corrode at a much greater pace, prompting rust to start. This is essentially bad news to your vehicles and other possessions susceptible to rust.
Cars, bikes, and motorcycles are expensive to repair. Worst case scenario is that you might need to replace them completely. Tools and furniture might be a bit cheaper and easier. While the same can’t be said for family heirlooms as they are priceless.
Fortunately, it is possible to prevent this.
Using dehumidifiers can reduce the humidity in a room, expelling its chance to help mold grow on your things. Its main use is to lower and control the moisture in your garage, keeping your possession rust and mold-free. Aside from that, it also has some health benefits and uses.
If you have allergy or asthma, dehumidifiers can help eliminate triggers and relieve your symptoms. Dust mites need about 65% humidity level to survive, which is easily manageable by a dehumidifier. It can dry out the air and keep triggers like molt, dust, and pollen at a minimum.
Moisture can also cause the air to become heavier, which can trigger an asthma attack. Dehumidifiers can help prevent that and make the air healthier and easier to breathe. Another benefit of using dehumidifiers is that it eliminates crawlers and pests such as cockroaches and spiders.
How to Choose a Dehumidifier?
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Built-in Features
Before purchasing, you can check the built-in features of the equipment. One useful feature is a timer for when you need to be away from the house for long periods of time. Another useful one is an auto-restart feature for blackouts and power failures.
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Size
It is necessary to consider the size of the dehumidifier. Not just for space but also for the capacity you will need. Dehumidifiers are usually numbered according to the moisture they can eliminate in 24 hours.
Large models work great for high humidity levels. Meanwhile, a smaller model would be the best fit for a smaller area with lower humidity levels.
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Energy Ratings
There is a thing called Energy Star Ratings. Dehumidifiers with that rating use about 30% less energy than the non-rated units. They tend to cost more, but they do make up for it in the long run.
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Placement
The placement of your dehumidifier is important. It is advisable to keep the vents clear and filters tidy with at least a foot of circulation space. Aside from that, it would help if you also considered noise levels.
Being the storage area of your valuables, garages need to be maintained. Humidity is certainly one thing to look out for. There are various ways to reduce humidity but rest assured that Dehumidifiers is hands down the fastest and most effective method.