Dehumidifiers.

[toggleswitch]

Hey all!

Was interested in your opinions as to QUIET modern/new/currency-available dehumidifiers.

Look for quietest ones and/or with multiple fan speed.

It will be in my living room and to be used in fall and spring when neither the heat nor the air-conditioning is running. Heating and cooling normally lowers the relative humidity indoors.

Capacity may be 30 pints per day or greater.

THANKS!

 

[aegokocarat]

my grandmother has an ebac one, have a look at ebac.
i am more helpful when a humidifier is involved, sorry

 

[henry200]

If there is a quiet dehumidifier out there, I sure would like to know about it!  My experience of 50-some years has been that dehumidifier+quiet is an oxymoron.   Why do the fans on these things have to be so loud?  Mine runs continuously from March through October to keep mold growth at bay in the basement.  I would go nuts if I had that noise in my main living space.

 

[hoovermatic]

EBAC

I have had 4 dehumidifiers over the years and the quietest one I have ever come across was Ebac. They are expensive but worth the extra money IMO.

 

[aegokocarat]

the air in my house is very dry so ive got a humidifier, however i have a dehumidifier in my atic as it is very very very damp. its just a cheapo from focus

 

[joe_in_philly]

I have been pretty happy with my Frigidaire Dehumidifier. I have had it about two years.

When I was researching them, I found out that larger capacity units are more efficient. They require less electicity per pint of water removed. While I can hear it running when I am in the unfinished part of my basement, it is quieter than my previous unit.

http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FAD704DUD-70-Pt-Dehumidifier/dp/B004TB29O6/ref=dp_ob_title_def

 

[moparguy]

Hey Steve, I understand that it is best to go with the highest pint model, as they can address the most humidity most efficiently... But I was surprised this summer when I bought an Amana (made by Haier) that the fun runs continuously, only the compressor cycles... unlike my other dehumidifiers that still cycle both fan and compressor. Something to keep in mind... the fan noise is constant (as well as the power usage).

 

[henry200]

I have a TOL Frigidaire which is very efficient and pulls gallons of water out of the air each day.  I have it drain through a hose into the basement floor drain otherwise I would need to empty the bucket twice a day during the muggy part of the summer.  I have it set to run continuously in order to keep the air circulated throughout the basement but it can be set to cycle the fan on and off along with the compressor.  I bet in a small environment like an apartment the fan could be set on low speed and the unit wouldn't need to cycle on too frequently. 

 

One important thing to consider is the heat output.  My basement is about 900 sq ft and the temperature near the dehumidifier always feels warmer than the rest of the basement.

 

[danmantn]

Paid $500 for an LG...didn't last a year...just like the $500 i paid for the LG AC that quit after 1 year. never another LG product.

 

[maytagbear]

Since dehumidifiers

usually are run in basements, noise is generally not a manufacturing priority.  

 

I do not currently need, or have a dehumidifier, but the best one was a Westinghouse that we bought in the late 70s.

 

I know of a current (2-3 years old) Frigidaire.....it has two fan speeds, and it might answer your needs, Toggle.   It's in the corner of a room at the community center.

 

 

As for choice....it's a crapshoot.  Could go with a second hand unit, one known to be reliable, but a true energy hog, or you could go with a new one,  with less of an appetite for Con Ed's finest, but with questionable durability.

 

 

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[petek]

I'm using the same dehumidifier my dad bought around 50 years ago. It's an Oasis made by Ebco I think.. still works great and it's not noisy at all compared to the two newer Kenmores in moms basement. Unfortunately I don't think Oasis dehumidifiers are made anymore.

 

[countryguy]

I have a Danby model - 2 speed, adjustable humidistat.  I have a hose hooked to the bucket and it drains into the shower.  It runs almost constantly from spring to fall.  It is a little on the noisy side.  

 

Gary

 

[toggleswitch]

Thanks all.

I will rig mine to run when the A/C is NOT running.

The heat generated by the dehumidifier will trigger the A/C. All-in-all either running will dehumidify!

I may go with a small capacity one in that in my tenement....er oops...apartment there is very weak and old electrical service.

 

[toggleswitch]

Hi Petie. I have seen an Oasis. Looked older than Noah/Moses. It was truly quiet.

The cabinet, I believe, was a turquoise / robin's egg blue color!

If it would have fit in my purse I would have snatched (LOVE THAT WORD)it up! LOL

 

[mattl]

Dehumidifiers are a product that really needs some innovation, they are basically the same design they have been for decades.  Plus, they are energy hogs.  We had a Kenmore that my folks bought in '70 or so and it ran for close to 25 years, noisy as all get out, but it worked.  After it died I've gone through a string of them, none lasted more than a few years.  Had a Maytag that was simply a <a name="start_35954.536198">Haier</a> re badged,  paid $250 for it, died after 2 years.  It had a 5 year warranty from Maytag but since Maytag contracted the business out to Fedder, and Fedder bought their units from china, it was a mess.  Maytag sued Fedder that had gone out of business and after 3 years Maytag sent me a check for $70.

 

In the mean time I found the exact same unit badged as sunbeam at circuit city for $69 on sale and picked it up - only because it was cheap.  I've been using it for 3 or 4 years now and it is still working, but at 630 watts it costs me close to $100/month to operate as it runs pretty much 24/7.  I looked at all the various units out there, Frigidaire, LG, Sears, Whirlpool, Samsung what ever - not impressed.  They all function about the same, and are all pretty unreliable from what I've read.  For what is a pretty simple mechanism, they sure are failure prone, mostly I'd guess because they are cheaped out part wise.

 

I picked up a whole house fan hoping that would help, but with the summer we've had the humidity is just too high to use it.  Normally around here it isn't too humid but this year is the worst.  so no way around the dehumidifier.

 

[drewz]

Ever had a wake the dead Whirlpool?

I have two of the last low temp basement models the Whirlpool made before they stop selling dehumidifiers, they work really well however between the fan noise, the cabinet rattle, and the compressor.....

Thank goodness they are in the basement!

 

[cehalstead]

call me....

 

[xraytech]

Unfortunately I dont know anything about newer dehumidifiers as all of the ones I use are older, have a mid 70's GE Sahara 14 model, a late 70's GE Custom 17 model, and a mid 80's JCPenney model, noise wise they arent terrible the compressors are a bit noisy but nothing terrible

 

[spookiness]

dehumidifier story and recommendation

Back in 2008 I bought a Soleus model from an online store. I had read that it was quieter than most and did not generate as much heat. Previous to that I bought an LG unit from Best Buy, but it was just too noisy and rattley and put out too much heat so I returned it.

The Soleus worked fine, for about a week, then it quit. The return process and getting authorization from the mail order/online store in CA was several weeks of unreturned emails and phone calls, then finally a reorder. I can't remember the whole story but it was a hassle and I was steamed. Long story short they could not at the time replace it with the same model, so they sent me a model with the name New Air. Like the Soleus, it is rather cheap looking, and Chinese, so I didn't hold out much hope for it. However, it has been 4 years now, and it continues to work. It is mainly used in a basement living space periodically during the spring & sometimes summer. In the winter the baseboard heat dries the house out so its not needed.

It is not silent, but quieter than most window A/Cs, and definitely quieter than most "traditional" dehumdifiers. The primary noise is the fan, not the compressor. I doesn't put out much heat. I don't know what the water removal capacity is, less than most, probably 20 or 30 pints a day, but for the space it is fine.

My one complaint is that I would like to be able to set a digital/percentage humidity level and have it be automatic, but it doesn't work like that. It has an "auto" setting, but the fan is constant and it cycles the compressor. I think on Auto, it will get to 55-60%? I'm not sure. I usually run it on "constant", and set the timer to 2, or 4 hours a day as needed, and it can quickly bring the RH down to 50% or less. Can set 2, 4, 8, constant on, or automatic. It also has a "clothes dry" setting, which is constant on with high fan setting. It works pretty good if you hang clothes indoors. It is slender and easy to move with a built-in handle.

All told, I'm happy with it, and if I was looking to replace it I would like something similar.

 

[mattl]

Brings back memories...  I too once had a <a name="start_35954.536683">Soleus, because it was supposed to be quiet.  While it was quiet, it was a poor performer at best, in an average sized basement.  Sent it back.  However it might be a good fit in a living area if the humidity is not overpowering as it can be in a basement.
</a>

 

[mattl]

Funny, after I posted that I went and looked to see if Soleus was still around, I guess they are, went to Amazon to look at a couple, and today got an email from Amazon with lots of units 25% off, actually some were good deals.  Amazon does a pretty good job of tracking you and trying to get you to come back.

 

Funny thing, some of the Soleus units look like re-badged Frigidaire units- I wonder who makes them...

 

[toggleswitch]

YES I had a wake-the-dead Whirlpool. I left it when I sold my house.

Apparently it short-cycled due to the frost-control (on the evaproator coil). The plug would get mighty hot.

Changed the plug, didn't believe it was dangerous, but didnt want it nontheless!

 

[iheartmaytag]

I have a "Wake The Dead" Whilrpool that was here when I bought the house.  I use it during the rainy season and between A/C and Heater seasons when the basement gets a little dank. 

It is loud, roaring loud.  A few years back I though it had given up on me.  The compressor would overheat within a few minutes of being turned on, and then would proceed to short cycle after that. 

 

I was so happy, I was going to get a new one.  But then the frugal part of me said there must be something causing it, and heck I'm going to get a new one anyway.  So I tore it apart.  I had had the front of a few times to clean the evaporator portion, but this time I took off the side panels and the foam blocks and looked at the condensor.  It was plugged with dust.  I gave it a good sucking with the Kirby, put it back together; and it's still running.

 

It still rattles, and drones, the fan sounds like a jet taking off; but it works.  I have to empty the bucket about three times a day during the rainy season, and it sucks electricity like a full sized air conditioner.  But it works.

 

[henry200]

Is this turning into a Whirlpool bashing thread?

I had a "wake the dead" Whirlpool too.  Actually I had two of them.  I always had a problem with dehumidifiers icing up in the cool basement so I bought a Whirlpool which was supposed to operate in a cooler environment.  After two days of running without a drop appearing in the bucket, and the humidity in the basement getting worse than ever, I opened it up to find the coils completely iced-over so I returned it as defective.  They gave me another of the same model which worked better but then I got a recall notice saying there was a fire hazzard.   After waiting all summer and half the winter and getting NO response from customer service via mail, email or phone, although they kept sending warning notices about the hazzard(!) I gave up and bought a Frigidaire, which has been serving me faithfully for several years now.

 

[iheartmaytag]

Is this turning into a Whirlpool bashing thread?

No, I didn't mean to at all.  I was just following the thought that the machines are very noisy.

 

 

 

[henry200]

"bashing"

No offense was intended......it just appears we're all in agreement that those Whirlpools are noisy beyond necessity!

 

[drewz]

No bashing here, just being truthful. I am a Whirlpool/Kenmore fan from way back, and older Whirlpool dehumidifers and Kenmore clones were great. However the last batch (Slanted Front Grills) are terrible. As I stated earlier they work great but thank goodness they are in the basement.

The tin cabinets themselves are a major part of the problem they actually bend when you try and pick them up, (I think they needed to be infused with the <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Whirlpool/Kenmore Quiet Pac III pads </span>before the cabinets were placed around the works!

 

[gansky1]

it ain't just Whirlpool...

I have a "Wake-The-Dead" Frigidaire from 1998, bought when we moved to this house and the basement felt like a terrarium.  I run it nearly constantly from around mid-March until the weather begins to get drier feeling in September or October.   With all the washing machines and a room-full of service & sales literature, catalogs and brochures, I have to keep it running even with central a/c.   It's very loud but does work.  I keep thinking that "when it dies, I'll look for the quietest unit I can find"  though that may be a bit of a problem it looks like.  

 

[polkanut]

My parents have an old Coldspot dehumidifier that has been faithfully chugging away forever.  It is not too loud, and does a great job.  It does draw quite a bit of electricity though.