High humidity causes discomfort, leads to serious health problems, and harms the house's structural integrity. So, dehumidifiers are becoming more important than ever.
One of the most important aspects of owning a dehumidifier that people don't consider enough is where to place it. In fact, it directly affects how it performs, especially in larger areas and 2-story buildings. If you're interested in learning more about the right placement of the dehumidifier, continue reading.
The Short Answer
You should place your dehumidifier where it's the most humid to clean the air from excessive moisture. Also, the temperature should be cool or normal, as dehumidifiers don't like hot weather.
Needless to say, it should be in an obstruction-free and dust-free area. It needs to be close but not too close to an electric outlet. Finally, keep it close to a floor drain or sink, depending on its drainage options.
Factors Affecting Placement of Dehumidifiers in a 2-story Building
Every time you buy a dehumidifier, let alone for a 2-story building, you have to make a conscious decision about where to place it. Here are a few points to consider to help you place the dehumidifier in the right room or on the right floor.
1. Humidity
Since we're talking about dehumidifiers, it makes sense to place it where there's excess humidity. A dehumidifier is one of the most effective ways to keep the relative humidity level under control, which should be somewhere between 30% and 50%, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Removing excessive air moisture is important because excess moisture encourages condensation, mold growth, dust mites, and many other problems that lead to health problems and overall lower air quality.
Generally speaking, the most humid rooms in the house are the basement, bathroom, laundry room, kitchen, and crawl spaces.
2. Temperature
Temperature plays a role in your dehumidifier's placement. It's better to place it in a cooler room so that it doesn't work too hard and cause energy bills to skyrocket.
Some floors or rooms are colder than others, and it differs from one house to another. However, upstairs are always hotter than downstairs in the summer.
You'll have a better idea of which room has a higher temperature when you consider your own activity in it, the level of exposure to sunlight, orientation to the sun, aged ductwork, and heat-producing electronics.
3. Airflow
Your dehumidifier will be at its best when it has unobstructed airflow, which is usually at a central location in the room, especially if it's a large one. When you place it in the middle, it has more coverage, thus cleaning the air more efficiently.
To give your dehumidifier proper airflow, keep it away from walls, corners, shelves, and any other obstructions. Also, try to leave a few feet of space between the dehumidifier and other objects.
4. Electric Source
Since a dehumidifier needs electricity to function, it should be relatively close to an electric outlet. That being said, we don't recommend placing it directly next to an outlet because it's a device that absorbs water from the air, after all. Water and electricity lead to electrocution, so remember to be careful.
5. Dirt
Many people mistake their dehumidifiers for air purifiers. While they do clean the air, we don't recommend placing them in places where you'd place an air purifier, such as close to dust or dirt sources, or in a place where dust particles, dust bunnies, and lint thrive.
A dehumidifier's job is to remove water from the air, so don't overwork it by surrounding it with dirt and dust, which will affect its longevity.
7. Drainage
The way the dehumidifier drains water affects where you should place it or on which floor. If you drain it using a hose or continuous pump, you'll need to place it near a drainage floor, toilet, or sink.
That being said, if you just empty the water tank manually, place the dehumidifier strategically so that you can empty it easily, such as close to the bathroom.
Do I Need 2 Dehumidifiers?
Most people who are looking to buy a dehumidifier for a 2-story building feel immediately pressured to buy more than one device. However, not every house or building needs multiple devices. Consider the following features before making a decision.
- Capacity: If you want to remove moisture from a room or more, the dehumidifier should be up to the task. 30-pint models work wonderfully for rooms under 500 square feet. 50-pint models can handle rooms up to 700 square feet, and 70-pint ones can do well in above 1000 square feet.
- Placement: You can dehumidify more than one room if you place a dehumidifier with the right capacity in the middle. For instance, if you want to dehumidify two open 250-square-feet rooms, place a dehumidifier with 500-square-feet coverage in the middle. If there are no obstructions, it can clean them effectively. If you want to dehumidify bigger rooms, just get one with a bigger capacity.
- Energy efficiency: Getting one dehumidifier that is energy efficient is better than two inefficient ones. An Energy-star certified dehumidifier uses 15% less energy than its counterparts of the same size.
FAQs
Should a Dehumidifier Be Upstairs or Downstairs?
It depends on which floor is the most humid and the most welcoming to such a device. For many people, downstairs is the most humid because this is where basements and crawl spaces are.
However, other people may find upstairs to be more humid in houses with an open design, so that's where the dehumidifier should go. All in all, it depends on the humidity level and readiness of the floor.
What Room Should You Place Your Dehumidifier In?
The rooms where you should place the dehumidifier are the ones with high moisture content, such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, crawl space, indoor pool, laundry room, garage, humid bedroom, and so on.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, our article has been informative and helpful in your decision-making process.
To sum up, your dehumidifier should be in a humid, colder, obstruction-free, and dirt-free room. Logically, it should be within a safe distance from an electrical outlet and be somewhere where you can drain or empty the water easily.
Finally, if you choose the device with the right capacity and place it in the right place, you won't have to buy more than one unit for your 2-story house.
