We have already discussed about the importance of dehumidifying your home or basement. However, it is also essential to know how these devices work in order to avoid any hassles. Humidity is one of the primary reasons why we end up installing dehumidifiers in our homes, especially in closed areas like basements. Moreover, if you live in the equatorial or coastal regions, you are sure to experience humid conditions most of the time.

Humidity is a result of relative humidity where moisture is suspended in the air. A dehumidifier is a device that helps reduce humidity in any building or room by removing moisture from the air. Dehumidifiers play a vital role in preventing mold, bacteria and biological  allergens, musty odors, and furniture, carpeting, storage box mildew damage that arise when humidity levels are above 50%.

Principle

The principle that lies behind the dehumidifier is simple. It works on the same principle as the freezer, refrigerator or air conditioner. For example, on a hot day under the scorching sun, when you have a cold drink you can see tiny droplets of water forming on the surface of the container due to a process called condensation. In the same way, a dehumidifier condenses the moisture present in the air with a fan that blows the warm air onto coils of cold metal. The condensed moisture is then collected in a bucket or holding tank in the form of water. The cold air is then blown onto the warm coils and brings the temperature back to normal.

Components

A basic dehumidifier consists of the following components for normal functioning:

1. Fan Compressor: It is the quiet motor of the cooling system that is found at the bottom of the dehumidifier and helps in cooling the dehumidifier coils.

2. Condenser: It is a series of finned coils, similar to a radiator, and located near the circulating fan.

3. Evaporator: This is also a set of coils located behind the dehumidifier and just above the water-collection container. It captures and collects heat that is generated by the cooling process.

4. Reservoir: This is where moisture that is condensed from the air is collected.

Most dehumidifiers also have a humidistat that helps in setting the desired level of humidity. A humidistat consists of a sensing element and a relay amplifier. A sensing element has two alternate metal conductors that cause electrical resistance when there are variations in relative humidity. The relay amplifier measures the resistance and is responsible for the utilization of the dehumidifier based on the measurement.

Methodology

The fan compressor in the dehumidifier extracts the moisture from the air into the dehumidifier. As we all know, warm air can hold more moisture as compared to cold air. When relative humidity is high, the amount of moisture in the air is also high. The warm air is drawn toward the cold coils in the dehumidifier where condensation takes places by a condenser. The amount of air that is moved by a dehumidifier is measured in cubic feet of air per minute (CFM). Hence, when the CFM level is high, it becomes easier for the dehumidifier to remove large amounts of moisture. The size of a dehumidifier is also important in determining the reduction of humidity. The smaller the dehumidifier, the lesser the capacity to remove moisture. After condensation, the water is collected in a holding tank or reservoir, which is either attached to or separated from the dehumidifier.

It can be quite difficult to extract moisture from closed areas like basements and crawl spaces, since the temperature will be low. In such cases, it is wise to choose and buy a dehumidifier that is specially designed for such areas. In an environment where relative humidity is above 50%, the function of a dehumidifier becomes easier due to large amounts of moisture present in the air. On the other hand, an environment with low level of humidity will require a powerful dehumidifier to accomplish the task.

Types of Dehumidifiers

1. Mechanical or Refrigerative Dehumidifiers: It absorbs moisture over a refrigerated coil with a small fan.

2. Desiccative Dehumidifiers: Desiccant materials are used by initially expose them to high relative humidity in order to absorb moisture. The materials are then exposed to low relative humidity to extract moisture from them.

3. Air Conditioners: They decrease the temperature in the room in order to condense and liquefy the moisture in the air.

For more on basement related solutions, click on to www.keystonebasementsystems.com.

“Keystone Basement Systems, Inc. is a foundation repair company. KBS is not, however, an engineering firm and should not be considered as such.”

References

1. http://www.dehumidifierexperts.com/article.php/how-dehumidifiers-work/?id=17
2. http://www.repairclinic.com/Dehumidifier-How-Things-Work
3. http://home.howstuffworks.com/dehumidifier.htm
4. http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5001686_whole-house-dehumidifiers-work.html
5. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/basement-dehumidifiers.html

Tags: Advice, Article, Basic information, Description, Informative, Learning, Overview, Tips

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