My previous house had a bad humidity problem. It was running over 70% and causing mold/mildew throughout. I got a larger dehumidifier and put it in the basement, hardlined it to a drain and began running it 24/7. It took months but eventually the whole, three story house was healthy. I was able to keep it between 40 and 50% year round, top to bottom. Mold and mildew ceased and desisted. I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked.
I need to do this now... can you elaborate more. what kind you used? I was looking at a mobile industrial one at Home Depot for $1400. Not sure how loud it would be. I have technically two LOWER floors, bottom one was an old coal room!, it's have mud and soot and MILDEW/moisture. So upper two floors of the house the air quality is horrible. I can't move in til I fix this.
Do you have a basement? Does it get wet? First try to figure out how to redirect the water from your gutters as far away from the house as possible. As for a dehumidifier get a Santa Fe Classic. Expensive, but well worth it.
35% seems awfully low. I have a portable unit that I keep set at 50%. It maintains right at 48%. Makes it much more comfortable indoors in the summer in NC. Since I got the dehumidifier I’m able to set the ac a couple degrees higher.
Portable units can be inaccurate in humidity readings. Their compact size means your humidity sensor might be located in a spot on the dehumidifier that has it reading higher or lower than the actual room. But yes, 35% humidity wouldn't feel very comfortable, especially in Louisiana, you'd feel like your throat and nasal cavity was dried out, your sheets and clothes would get static cling. Then you'd step out of your house into the Louisiana summer air and feel like you're trying to breathe in a fish tank.
That’s awesome, if you have a lot of money for the unit and install. If you heard her, the portables worked good but filled up too often. This is where you install a 1/4” tube to run from your water tray to a drain. Most have that option already, if it doesn’t, a Home Depot Pro Service Rep can show you what connection you need (-$10) and explain the simple hook-up. Hope I saved someone some money...
*We liked it **Fastly.Cool** so much in the basement, we bought a second one for the main level. The amount of moisture it pulls out of the air is astonishing.*
My original intention for this humidifier was to use it for plants that require high moisture levels. After using it in my room, th-cam.com/users/postUgkxtD9aJ2m6GU-X1IChQxjn9l31K1A7Kpwj however, I think that's where it is going to stay in the fall and winter season at least. The increased humidity in my room made the room warmer and more comfortable. I had first ran the humidifier for 4 hours with the timer setting for it. After the first hour, I checked my room and can feel the difference. When the full 4 hours was up, I checked again and noticed that the humidifier was shut off as it is suppose to. The moisture level never seem to get passed 56/57%. I then let it run until all the water is used up, which it wasn't all used up. There are still some left in the base that you are not suppose to add water to. I filled up the water tank all the way again, being careful when removing it from the base. Some left over water may spill out. After putting it back on and setting the unit to auto, I let it operate. It didn't stop running, rather I don't know if it did at any point since I didn't check it regularly, for 24 hours after which the water in the tank ran out. The moisture reading never passed 56/57%, which may be a good thing for me. Being situated right next to my bed, the noise was not very noticeable with the occasional water gurgle from time to time as the unit ran.
Install looks good. The only thing I would have changed would be to instead do a humidistat to upgrade to an Ecobee4. The 4 model can control two accessories, which would be the humifier and dehumidifier. In LA you probably don't need a humidifier though. Only main thing that would have to change is to upgrade the thermostat wire from the existing 18-4 or 18-5 to 18-8.
Personal preference, for sure. I'm happy getting our rooms down to 50%, am comfortable at that level. Our hvac is in the basement, not sure if this apparatus would fit. Do these draw enough power to need a dedicated circuit?
The unit is a mini-AC unit in a box. Evaporation coil (cold), condensation coil (hot), a fan, and a compressor. I wouldn’t know any stats, but being a whole house unit, 2,000 watts (or more) wouldn’t surprise me.
Solution: Add an auto bilge pump to the portable dehumidifier's water reservoir, drill small hole up top and route the wires and the drain, then seal around it. Route the drain to a sink or other drain line or through wall drain. Now you don't have to dump it. If pump fails, the device still has the float switch to shut off like always.
a lot of portable dehumidifiers have a built in pump. but they usually only pull out 55 pints a day or so. a house on the coast needs a lot more dehumidifying than that.
Right on rich I have been waching you for years and I am a big fan I my self am an experienced plumber and I also love mechanical equipment such as HVAC right on This Old House
My question is: Is that attic space super hot in the summer. I know he kind explained in at the beginning. Can I still install something similar in the attic space with all the blown insulation which is a hot space?
@@andreo Not smart unless you’ve got both units on a float switch, in a pan. The easiest way, imo, is add a float switch to your primary HVAC system. And then you can use your secondary drain for the pan- just cut it, glue a “T” in & discharge it through the secondary drain. Although, you may want to alter the location on the exterior if it’s up high so you don’t have water splashing down all the time. I’d recommend extending the PVC, and then run it into a diverter like you’d use underneath a gutter, to push it out and away from the home’s foundation.
The nice thing with the whole house dehumidifier is that the a/c won't need to run as much since the house will feel more comfortable at a higher temperature set point.
3 questions - You ran piping from the DH AFTER the spray foam job - 1. did you have to penetrate to the outside through the foam ? 2. Doesn't that diminish the R value ? 3. What did you use for resealing after the pipe penetration ? regular canned foam ?
Can this dehumidifier be run while the AC is running? My AC removes humidity but can only get it down to 55% at around 72 degrees. We do not like it any colder and really prefer keeping the temp at 75. Was hoping that with this running Dehumidifier and AC together, I should get the RH to 40 - 45
At 35% .. it's going to be interesting when all that wood in particular their instruments starts cracking from being too dried out. 45%-55% is ideal relative humidity.
Richard mentioned right at the end of the video that it was a matter of personal preference and that the humidistat would be adjustable based on the people and instruments' needs..
I perfer 35-40%. 55% is when mold growth starts to be encouraged. Wood isn't going to start cracking unless you are going to like 20% or less humidity.
Does the air handler kick on when the dehumidifier is running to help distribute the dry air throughout the house or is the fan in the dehumidifier strong enough to push the air through? Also, if the A/C is running at the same time as the dehumidifier, aren't we adding warm air to the supply side?
I'm a year late, but he states that it is not required to run the air handler in this setup. Yes, you will be adding heat to the house whenever the dehumidifier is running.
@@TFSGEO there is no way the fan in that unit effectively overcomes static pressure in these three main trunks - negligible air movement. as for his blithe statement humidify equalizes across the house, guffaw guffaw, not if you have large house multiple floors and certainly not rapidly ie within a few hours
It depends on the static pressure across the dehumidifier unit. If it's 0.5 inches of water, and the product states it can supply like 120 cfm at that static pressure, it will flow all through the house. However, you can set these up to also turn on the A/C fan when the dehumidifier runs to get extra flow.
Is there an internal damper in the dehumidifier to prevent the air balance from getting out of whack when the system pushes conditioned air back into the dehumidifier when the dehumidifier is off?
Before you buy anything try reducing you air handler’s fan speed to the lowest setting, even if it’s below your recommended tonnage! My unit is 2 tons but I run it at a 1.5 tonnage speed. Now you have to be careful not to have poor filters or you will run the risk of freezing up. If you have a TXV or EXV this is less of a problem because your coil temp does a better job holding a constant safe temperature.
Only if your equipment is large enough to keep up with the set cooling temp could you do this. Most systems that are properly sized aren’t going to cool well with fan speed on low in summer time. Yes, it will dehumidify better. But it may not be able to keep up with the set point on your thermostat.
@justincoard2591 how can I lower the fan speed?? I have 3.5 ton, and AC only runs for about 12 min which I think is not long enough to remove all humidity, which does create high humidity levels in my house. I'd like to try lowering fan speed before installing a humidifier. When you say poor filters, do you mean lowe MERV rating?? I currently use a 5 since I was told the higher the Merv rating, the more air restriction which makes the unit work less efficiently. Is this true??
@@joleaiperlis5347 I mean poor as in dirty. The high merv filters are fine but depending on if you smoke burn candles or have pets, you may have to change them out early than recommended. A 15 minute cycling time can be pretty low depending on your unit and home envelope. I can say some AC units, to even reach peak efficiency to even pull humidity out of the air can take 15 minutes.
Dehumidifier should be extracting the humidity from the floor. Humidity is heavy . Install sump pump run drain hose from dehumidifier to sump pump. A radon system wouldn't hurt also. Even if there's little to no radon, the air movement under basement slab will definitely help with lowering moisture. Also a vent cut into bottom of basement door for more air movement also helps. Still air is humidities best friend next to water. These recommendations also help to keep mold down too.
These are GREAT pieces of equipment, we use a lot of them for spring and fall dehumidification. One client got dry skin in August when we maxed it out. That said, this install is rough as others have mentioned. Duct tape on the return? Seriously? Flex duct not stretched tight with metal 90s? Failing to use the awesome option of bringing fresh air into the house? Kind of a bummer. It'll probably work fine, but this did not make TOH's stock go up in my mind.
4 years late but they specifically called out the issue is that during autumn and spring the air outside is too humid, bringing air from outside is not viable. I have the exact same issue as in this video.
@@Snutze Then the unit isn't large enough... You can outrun them but it's typically on hot humid days not cool humid ones. Put a temp/humidity or IAQ monitor in and find out!
There’s literally nothing wrong with proper duct tape on the return, as long as you secure it with a large zip tie as well. Duct tape & zip tie on inner lining of flex. Then duct tape and zip tie on outer portion of flex. It passes new construction code in Virginia. And yes, while they should have pulled the flex duct tight, there’s no need for metal 90’s. It’s a dehu man. Also, bringing in unconditioned, humid outdoor air is completely unnecessary as well. This isn’t a commercial application where you need air changes per hour. It’s resi bud. Completely acceptable setup they did.
I've had humidity in my home below 20% in the winter. Not good......I need a whole home unit. In the summer it is sometimes over 60%. Right now at 52%. 76 degree temperature set point. Chicago area.
You can add both a whole-home dehumidifier for warmer months, and a whole home humidifier for your colder months. Although, I prefer the larger portable humidifiers. Not a fan of pumping moisture into my ductwork.
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists I’m just not a fun of any humidifier placed into the duct work. Have seen all sorts of mold and mildew issues bc of them. I prefer using just a standalone humidifier in a room or rooms in the house. Anything not in the ductwork is fine.
My wife and I were in New Orleans a few years ago. It's very humid and rains throughout the day. I'm outside Philadelphia and it's just about the same with humidity here in summer. But they get it almost all year round. Why live there?
@@2likruesco768 New Orleans does a ton of murders and car jackings so warned and hurricanes but at least you get a week's advance notice its about to hit you so you can leave and come back to a flooded house. Thats why I built 4ft off the ground because even though I live about 60miles south west of N.O. the surrounding property has never had 6 inches of standing water in the 44yrs I have lived here.
Humidifiers are very ineffecient. When we fire up our portable HiSense unit at home and use it for a few days in the aummer the electric bill jumps easilly 20% or more
@@lakorai2 You're looking at a portable. I've got that too. My bill goes up 40 dollars a month just to dehumidify the basement. But the upstairs dries out too. I imagine a whole house unit is better than the little ones we have.
Probably looking at $2500 or so for everything installed. Which isn’t too bad. Definitely cheaper than upgrading your unit to an inverter system at $15k. If you’ve got the money, spend the 15k on a Bosch inverter heat pump, which will dehumidify very well by itself. But if you don’t wanna spend that kind of money, this set up for roughly $2500 is a great alternative
One thing he didn't mention was, when the ac system is not running, the dehumidifier puts out some heat throughout the ductwork, and that will affect the delta t. Just my thoughts, correct me if I'm wrong, that was something I experienced tha first time i installed my first one
Please respond “this old house” If you insulate the attic ceiling - how does it vent? Does that affect the shingle roof? Please reply on this question. Thank you 🙏
His video was about house dehumidification, not attic dehumidification. If you serch yotube for "conditioned attic" you are going to find the answer you are looking for. One solution for attic moisture control, it will be a ridge moisture difiusion port. I hope that the above will help.
How about a way to install something like this in a house that doesn't have air conditioning. I've got a basement, first floor and second floor. It's brutal in the basement particularly. And the dehumidifier I'm using can get it down to 65% and that's it. Should I install duct work with this system and do it that way? Suggestions?
You can get a larger portable dehumidifier (70 pint) with a pump built in and run a hose to a drain or sink so it runs continuously. Dehumidifiers efficiency goes down as they age.
@@daniel193100 I'm running one in the basement with a pump that leads to the outside now. I just came back from the house yesterday. It's finally drying the place out and cycling on and off to keep with the humidity. But the top two floors are humid. I may have to put one on the first floor too during winter to dry it out up there. The pump can just go into the sink to drain. But a whole house dehumidifier would be much easier
Just get a larger dehumidifier for your basement. And get one with a built in pump. No need for a whole home setup like this if basement is your primary concern. Just be aware, the bigger ones are pretty noisy. And If you have no drains like a sink or something in your basement, pipe the condensate pump to the exterior of the home, and at least a few feet away from the foundation of the home.
I'm a homeowner but a picky one. I always flinch when I see flex duct installed instead of hard ducting with insulation. Not as efficient due to the increased friction.
Portable dehumidifiers have become very effective. I have a Frigidaire that I run 24/7 in the summer drained into the sump. I would not want it in the living space given they are noisy and have a hose connected. Would not want it in my living space.
Do you have pets? Yes. Enjoy getting in your attic every month. Also theres tons of dehumidifiers with hose hookup attachments to drain into the floor or trail to the sump pump, they are about an extra 25/50 dollars. Also Im like 99% sure it didnt work after the water backed up and hit the float switch, that pvc pipe is not going to drain at an incline like that.
Yeah I cant fathom the logic of people putting these appliances in ATTICS, and to get up there you have to drop those sliding steps down from the ceiling, a real pain in the ass. At my work place they put 3 AC/furnaces in the attic, and to get up to check filters it's a ceiling panel you need to climb up to and crawl up thru. What's worse is it's not conditioned up there, so when it's zero degrees outside it's zero in the attic too and the condensate drains often FREEZE. In the summer it's like 120 degrees up there and the A/C are struggling big time. As if that's not bad enough, the 4" pleated filters they use cost around $40 EACH, and because it's a wood shop the filters barely last a month. Even worse- the contractors put two more units up on the ROOF of the new addition! so to get up there to check filters takes a 20 foot extension ladder, and each unit takes FOUR filters. Being up on the roof that takes a 20 foot ladder to get to is the worst place they could have put the things. People had better use extreme caution with attics, millions of homes and businesses have Zonolite (R) vermiculite insulation in them, that insulation was contaminated by the most deadly form of asbestos known, you go tromping around in an attic with that stuff, and worse- installing ductwork and machines in there and you spread that asbestos throughout the house even more, and evern time you go up there to check filters you stir up even more. Search here for; zonolite asbestos insulation libby Mt or see th-cam.com/video/gnOdJMC67gM/w-d-xo.html
Victorian Sculptures I know I managed a couple of stores that had similar AC systems that were in impossible places to change the filters. The ones that were in the ceilings were in the absolute worst places, in the fitting room I don’t understand what these engineers were thinking when they installed.
@@HobbyOrganist A lot of newer homes are doing that. I don't get it either. My mother in law had to get a new unit for her condo. The company had to figure out how to get the old one out and the new one in.
@@HobbyOrganist "Yeah I cant fathom the logic of people putting these appliances in ATTICS" - they have no basement, and likely no crawl space: They're in new orleans.
No. The drop in humidity would equalize across the interior. If in a sprawling house layout, the dehumidifier could be sent into a splitter, so it distributes into the pre-existing ducts in different systems simultaneously.
Your biggest concern would be finding a large enough dehu for 4,000 sq ft. Also, a big factor would be just how bad your humidity is in the home, with your current hvac setup. If you’re only at 58-60%, one dehu should be fine. If you’re seeing 65% percent or more, you need your hvac equipment looked at and likely adjusted, and/or adding 2 dehu’s to handle such a large load.
6:07 If the dehumidifier is on, and the air conditioner is off, will some of the dry air go back through the AC and come out through the air conditioner's return? If it does, my concern is that air blowing against the normal flow of the AC's filter and push dust back into the house.
I had this issue when I installed my dehumidifier. I wound up putting a bacdraff damper on my return. Problem solved. I have a larger unit than this one and I could feel the air coming out my main return until I installed it.
The system looks old, if it looks as old as I think it is is up grade it to an inverter they do the same thing but with the central air system I don’t need that dehumidifier add on the ac will only run at a Serrano percentage between 1-100% and it will do the same thing and lower your electric bill
You’re talking about a difference of $1500 for a dehu install, to a $15k install for an inverter system. If the system isn’t that old, and is running fine, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adding a dehu like they did.
@@andrewhurley7118 no response. I was thinking the same thing. What is stopping the air flow from going backward through the AC blower and back out the return air duct, filter, etc?
@@DCUPtoejuice This is why I recommend installing it at the FURTHEST point of the main trunk like, as far away from the air handler as possible. You’ll still be feeding your supply side ductwork. And most of the air velocity will have gone out to the supply ductwork before it reaches the air handler. Because in this installation, you’re not only pushing the air backwards through your air handler, and out of the HVAC systems air filter. But if you’re also using it in the summer, and the AC system isn’t currently running, you’re blowing that dehumidified air right across a wet HVAC coil, out through the HVAC filter, which in turn then RAISES the humidity in your home. This is the same reason you don’t ever leave your fan in the on position in cooking mode, only should be on auto. Bc if you’re running the fan on constant, when the system isn’t actually cooling, you’re blowing air across a wet coil, thus INCREASING humidity in your home. Fan should ALWAYS be on Auto, not on position, when your thermostat is set to cooling mode.
Our house has crawl space as well. Had the energy company (national grid) to send someone to assess the humidity situation and for a 30yr old house, they suggested patching the hairline cracks of the basement walls, spray foam it, the seal the ventilation windows. Then a portable dehumidifier with drain hose is places suspending like in this video does. We no longer have moisture problems. Before that the mold would invade the joists and structural beams supporting the first floor. I do have to remember to vacuum the filter and clean the cobweb at least once every season. Clogged filter means overheated fan motor in the dehumidifier which means fire. The dehumidifier before the mass Gree recall in 2013 and 2014 got overheated and deformed the fan blade cylinder thingy and fused the retractable handle with the unit. Thankfully it did not cause house fire before we replaced it.
So how do they stop the air from the AC from back-flowing into the dehumidifier? And the air from the dehumidifier from going to the supply ducts of the AC???
By name, humidifier makes air more humid and dehumidifier is the opposite. Evaporative cooling is also a way to make indoor air more humid, serve similar purpose as that humidifier
What kind of furnace humidifies by itself? Lol. A furnace acts as a dehumidifier in colder months. Not by design, it’s just how it works. Which is why you’ll need a HUMIDIFIER in colder months, to keep RH around 50%
Nel Edora If it's to prevent mold, then install a bathroom fan to the outside. If it's only to keep the mirror clear, install something behind the mirror to heat the mirror. Something like resistance wire on a small low voltage transformer.
In hot humid climates 35% is way to dry. It should probably be btw 50 and 60 but i'm no expert. They never ran the machine to hear how loud and how it performs. Never talked about expense of running it. There should have been straps on the flex conduit connection, not just tape. Did not speak about a back flow damper to prevent reverse flow into the unit (Maybe too technical?). The units location in front and above the air handler makes it hard to service the AC unit. Probably should have placed it directly above the AC unit. But the video was helpful and the aprilaire units seem really good and well liked.
Humidity in summer time is recommended to be 45-50% RH. So yes, he’s wrong at 35%. They’re not very expensive to run at all. And they’re not even audible other than barely hearing the air come out of the supply registers. Everything in the video was done properly, other than the recommended set point of 35%. Which is dumb. 45-50 in summer. And get a HUMIDIFIER for winter to keep it 50-55% RH.
Yes. The higher end variable speed units do a great job of dehumidifying. But it’s also gonna run you 15-20k to install one of those systems. This is a much cheaper alternative
sorry if u follow the mfg instructions u will notice toward the rear of the installation instruction manual it tells u to provide a "P" trap... I do not see the "P" trap on the evaporator blower and or the dehumidifier... Therefore u are pumping all the grains of moisture ,"humidity", back into the house and the unit will only drain when the blower is in the OFF position. MOLD inside blower compartment.. been in the mechanical trade as an HVAC contractor since 1963 and never used flexible duct too much resistance not professionally installed
I have a question for you. My condensate drains into a pump. unit is located in garage. all well and good during cooling months but how do I prevent air from being pulled up into the condensate drain in the winter when the pump is not full of condensate? a p trap would dry out pretty quickly too so that won't help. A trap primer? or some kind of thin rubber flapper on the bottom of the condensate drain?
There’s not a residential dehumidifier out there that could pull a home down to 0%. But yea, the lower your RH is, the bigger risk of fire igniting house rapidly. Honestly, he’s wrong for recommending 35% RH. The CDC recommends between 45-55%. I prefer 45 in the hotter months. 55 in colder months.
Wait a minute... Wouldn't it be better to have the output from the dehumidifier connected to the return side of the air handler instead of the supply side? There will be "higher relative pressure" on the supply side coming from the fan in the air handler, but there will be "lower relative pressure" return side. The "lower relative pressure" on the return side will assist the air flow from the dehumidifier, which also has a fan.
No. The air flow from the air handler will take the path of least resistance, which is out of the registers, and will not affect the output of the dehumidifier. Also, ducting the dehumidifier output into the return air side, will cause the drier air to become saturated, and defeat the purpose.
@D B great point! So, how do you feel about installing one of these systems with a fresh air intake duct connected to the whole house dehu? I want to create a positive-pressure environment in my house to reverse the typical negative pressure so I'm not pulling crap from the wall cavities (which I'm certain are moldy to some extent given the humid locale) as well as fresh air that is filtered.
@D B first, thank you for replying. much appreciated. We don't have humidity issues. We would get this to dehu incoming air mostly. otherwise life would be rough with fresh air intake in GA in spring, summer and early fall. re: moisture barrier - it does nothing for what I'm talking about. tyvek stops liquid water from passing through only. convection through drywall into wall cavities causes condensation from the humid air that migrates through the siding. so, what I really need to do eventually is remove all the siding, treat the exterior of the drywall and studs, perhaps spray foam the walls (not really sure what to do there - maybe rigid foam? either way its gonna cost a lot sigh.....) to prevent a wall cavity that is essentially a mold incubator (no UV exposure, plenty of cellulose and water from condensation). I was hoping this would help in the meantime so we aren't so sick. kind of a stop gap measure.
so curious here...my finished basement has 4 rooms,each room has heat vents installed but no cold air return like upstairs .this is where i find most of the dampness,am i to understand that the dehumidified air will displace the damp air in my basement therefor reducing the dampness down there?
My question is, can I have this whole house dehumidifier and a whole house humidifier in my attic? I live in Northeast Georgia and summer can be very hot and humid, but when either the ac or heat is blasting, I wake up with a dry throat...
stay away from whole house humidifiers. first, they die quickly. second, they can encourage mold growth in your ducts etc. Just use portable room units for humidification.
@@coppulor6500 I moved into my home and there was a humidifier unit. It didn't work and was all clogged up. I just didn't use it. My wife uses a humidifier in the bedroom and that's it. I agree, stay away from humidifiers in the household unit.
Jesus, I live in Marietta, GA. I have been inspecting homes for 24 years, have perfect reviews on my google business page and on Angie's List and am fully code certified (which is a big deal because very private inspectors are as is not required - in fact, GAHI (Georgia ASsociation of Home Inspectors) is the only association of private inspectors of which I am aware, that requires it members to be code certified (that means certified in the IRC (International Residential Code)) the requirements of which must be adhered to by law for new construction AND rehab and additions and newly installed systems such as HVAC etc. I am not bragging just trying to establish the fact that, even though I am smart enough to know that I don't know everything, I feel comfortable calling myself an expert. So, please consider the following info. I tell every one of my clients (just happened yesterday, in fact), to remove whole house humidifiers IMMEDIATELY. They obviously dramatically increase the humidity in your ductwork. This very often results in condensation in your ductwork because some parts of your duct system are colder than others among other reasons (including leaky ductwork etc blah blah blah). I don't want to go into too much detail (I have a report to write but I couldnt help taking the time to reply because of the importance of this issue to one's health and Bea Bob's comment made me look at my inadequate previous reply and helping others is a priority for me). I very often find mold in HVAC systems. Particularly heat pumps. I moved into my girlfriend's house several years ago and removed the humidifier immediately due to the symptoms she and her kids (and I) where experiencing. That lead to further investigation of the ductwork (including removing some of it to look inside and take photos etc). I show these pics to my clients often and they gasp, their mouths are agape and the look on their faces is one of disgust. We have humidifiers in our rooms. The steam kind (the other kind can create mold in the filters). We have dehumidifiers in our garage, basement, and upstairs hall - a whole house dehu would be great but we'll do that down the road when have the money for that and an ERV for fresh air exchange (we want a ventilating whole house dehumidifier). Yes, I know it gets much much colder in North GA and constant heating dries everything and everyone out, but trust me, its worth the hassle of refilling the ones in our rooms vs worrying about mold growth in our HVAC system and house (as mold in ductwork obviously releases mold spores and, worse, mycotoxins - all of which are then wonderfully spread throughout your house. Almost nobody understand how unbelievably toxic mold is to your brain. Mycotoxins can pass through the blood/brain barrier and ruin your life - everything from depression to Alzheimer's to almost unstoppable lung infections to death. Do yourself a favor and read this article. paradigmchange.me/wp/fire/ two more things. mold spores are EXTREMELY small. 10,000 spores can fit on the head of a pin. you cannot eliminate them from your environment but you CAN make sure your house is not a place mold can grow. lastly, if you have questions or want to see some photos, feel free to gimme a call. I am not trying to advertise since I am always overflowing with work (which is why I no longer have an actual website). do a search for HI-Tech Home Inspections 30066 and you will find my business listing and contact info. I'd be happy to help you for free (just keep it reasonable lol). Best of luck!
@@coppulor6500 Thanks for the information. I was told this when the heat pump was replaced years ago. I never put in a new humidifier. I just might end up having the duct work checked anyway for mold.
it doesnt run 24/7. also, some of the cost is offset by the fact that you can keep the temp higher in cooling months because it will feel more comfy at lower humidity levels so you don't run the AC as often. A local contractor told me an increase of about 10% in utility costs. worth it for humid areas though ESPECIALLY if you run the fresh air intake duct into it.
People need to remember that the air behaves like a fluid...create a drain in one place...the fluid will follow...and he didn't do a bad job hinting at thermodynamics to a customer who probably wouldn't have understood it otherwise...
Nathan The dehumidifier is just a small air conditioner with the outdoor/condenser coil mounted directly behind the indoor/evaporator coil in the same box. The evaporator coil cools the air below the dew point, which makes the humidity in it condense and that's carried off by the drain, then the now-dry air blows over the condenser, which reheats it before it's returned to the house.
Humidity rises typically. Ultimately it shouldn't matter, the humidity in the air will equalize through the house assuming your house is tight enough and more humid air isn't coming from outside than the dehumidifier can handle.
My previous house had a bad humidity problem. It was running over 70% and causing mold/mildew throughout. I got a larger dehumidifier and put it in the basement, hardlined it to a drain and began running it 24/7. It took months but eventually the whole, three story house was healthy. I was able to keep it between 40 and 50% year round, top to bottom. Mold and mildew ceased and desisted. I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked.
What make/model of dehumidifier did you use?
I need to do this now... can you elaborate more. what kind you used? I was looking at a mobile industrial one at Home Depot for $1400. Not sure how loud it would be. I have technically two LOWER floors, bottom one was an old coal room!, it's have mud and soot and MILDEW/moisture. So upper two floors of the house the air quality is horrible. I can't move in til I fix this.
Do you have a basement? Does it get wet?
First try to figure out how to redirect the water from your gutters as far away from the house as possible.
As for a dehumidifier get a Santa Fe Classic. Expensive, but well worth it.
Not very often do people explain how air conditioning actually works correctly, good job
What do you do when they tell how ac works
My favorite thermodynamics saying. Cold is an emotion there is only the absence of heat.
35% seems awfully low. I have a portable unit that I keep set at 50%. It maintains right at 48%. Makes it much more comfortable indoors in the summer in NC. Since I got the dehumidifier I’m able to set the ac a couple degrees higher.
Portable units can be inaccurate in humidity readings. Their compact size means your humidity sensor might be located in a spot on the dehumidifier that has it reading higher or lower than the actual room. But yes, 35% humidity wouldn't feel very comfortable, especially in Louisiana, you'd feel like your throat and nasal cavity was dried out, your sheets and clothes would get static cling. Then you'd step out of your house into the Louisiana summer air and feel like you're trying to breathe in a fish tank.
That’s awesome, if you have a lot of money for the unit and install. If you heard her, the portables worked good but filled up too often. This is where you install a 1/4” tube to run from your water tray to a drain. Most have that option already, if it doesn’t, a Home Depot Pro Service Rep can show you what connection you need (-$10) and explain the simple hook-up. Hope I saved someone some money...
Thats what I do got tired of dumping buckets
*We liked it **Fastly.Cool** so much in the basement, we bought a second one for the main level. The amount of moisture it pulls out of the air is astonishing.*
Funny, I just installed a 5cft Swamp cooler inside the attic, and a 15cft unit for the garage.
Arizona for ya ☀️
My original intention for this humidifier was to use it for plants that require high moisture levels. After using it in my room, th-cam.com/users/postUgkxtD9aJ2m6GU-X1IChQxjn9l31K1A7Kpwj however, I think that's where it is going to stay in the fall and winter season at least. The increased humidity in my room made the room warmer and more comfortable. I had first ran the humidifier for 4 hours with the timer setting for it. After the first hour, I checked my room and can feel the difference. When the full 4 hours was up, I checked again and noticed that the humidifier was shut off as it is suppose to. The moisture level never seem to get passed 56/57%. I then let it run until all the water is used up, which it wasn't all used up. There are still some left in the base that you are not suppose to add water to. I filled up the water tank all the way again, being careful when removing it from the base. Some left over water may spill out. After putting it back on and setting the unit to auto, I let it operate. It didn't stop running, rather I don't know if it did at any point since I didn't check it regularly, for 24 hours after which the water in the tank ran out. The moisture reading never passed 56/57%, which may be a good thing for me. Being situated right next to my bed, the noise was not very noticeable with the occasional water gurgle from time to time as the unit ran.
Install looks good.
The only thing I would have changed would be to instead do a humidistat to upgrade to an Ecobee4. The 4 model can control two accessories, which would be the humifier and dehumidifier. In LA you probably don't need a humidifier though.
Only main thing that would have to change is to upgrade the thermostat wire from the existing 18-4 or 18-5 to 18-8.
When this was originally recorded smart thermostats didn't exist yet, only the first gen nest existed
Personal preference, for sure. I'm happy getting our rooms down to 50%, am comfortable at that level. Our hvac is in the basement, not sure if this apparatus would fit. Do these draw enough power to need a dedicated circuit?
Wish they ran it, wondering how loud the unit is, how much it costs to run. And if the people were happy with the results.
The product manual has the power... typically under 200 watts.
The unit is a mini-AC unit in a box. Evaporation coil (cold), condensation coil (hot), a fan, and a compressor. I wouldn’t know any stats, but being a whole house unit, 2,000 watts (or more) wouldn’t surprise me.
I use a dehumidifier when I paint rooms for customers. Paint dries quickly and nice n evenly. Also good for drying spackle in humid homes.
Solution: Add an auto bilge pump to the portable dehumidifier's water reservoir, drill small hole up top and route the wires and the drain, then seal around it. Route the drain to a sink or other drain line or through wall drain. Now you don't have to dump it. If pump fails, the device still has the float switch to shut off like always.
a lot of portable dehumidifiers have a built in pump. but they usually only pull out 55 pints a day or so. a house on the coast needs a lot more dehumidifying than that.
Right on rich I have been waching you for years and I am a big fan I my self am an experienced plumber and I also love mechanical equipment such as HVAC right on This Old House
You don’t use duct tape to hold flex into place. You strap it
You can use duct tape to get 100% air seal and then strap it
Sus
A visit after a year to review see how it went would be gr8
Humidity for instruments like the double bass should be around 45-55%.
@jeff Webb all you need is an evaporative cooler where you're at
@Jeff Webb the moon?
Romulan is such a good technician.
My question is: Is that attic space super hot in the summer. I know he kind explained in at the beginning. Can I still install something similar in the attic space with all the blown insulation which is a hot space?
That attic's as big as my bloody house!
Old house. Nothing new
you can rent that space out to a college student lol
That's pretty typical even on new construction in the southern USA.
I think you'll find attics are usually about the same size as the house to which they belong...
Lol
What wasn't included in this video is the Electrical wiring and penetration for the condensation line. Definitely a job for a hvac contractor
I would imagine that they just piped it into the existing condensation line.
@@andreo Not smart unless you’ve got both units on a float switch, in a pan. The easiest way, imo, is add a float switch to your primary HVAC system. And then you can use your secondary drain for the pan- just cut it, glue a “T” in & discharge it through the secondary drain. Although, you may want to alter the location on the exterior if it’s up high so you don’t have water splashing down all the time. I’d recommend extending the PVC, and then run it into a diverter like you’d use underneath a gutter, to push it out and away from the home’s foundation.
The nice thing with the whole house dehumidifier is that the a/c won't need to run as much since the house will feel more comfortable at a higher temperature set point.
3 questions - You ran piping from the DH AFTER the spray foam job -
1. did you have to penetrate to the outside through the foam ?
2. Doesn't that diminish the R value ?
3. What did you use for resealing after the pipe penetration ? regular canned foam ?
used HVAC piping
Here in Houston some houses have a drain at the soffits
Also you can plumb to the ac condensation line which is usually plumbed to a bathroom sink
Can this dehumidifier be run while the AC is running? My AC removes humidity but can only get it down to 55% at around 72 degrees. We do not like it any colder and really prefer keeping the temp at 75. Was hoping that with this running Dehumidifier and AC together, I should get the RH to 40 - 45
Why not install the filter at the return? That way you don't have to go into the attic to change it.
I was thinking the same thing.... the attic gets extremely hot!
@@srlandreneau This attic won't get hot. It's conditioned.
In this case you can custom rigg it. I think the manufacturer defaults to that location in case you're not adding duct to it(like in my case)
At 35% .. it's going to be interesting when all that wood in particular their instruments starts cracking from being too dried out. 45%-55% is ideal relative humidity.
Richard mentioned right at the end of the video that it was a matter of personal preference and that the humidistat would be adjustable based on the people and instruments' needs..
I perfer 35-40%. 55% is when mold growth starts to be encouraged.
Wood isn't going to start cracking unless you are going to like 20% or less humidity.
Depends on what time a year it is. 55 precent humidity is ok in winter but if it's 80 degrees out 55 precent can feel muggy
45-55% is what luthiers recommend for wooden instruments like guitars
Does the air handler kick on when the dehumidifier is running to help distribute the dry air throughout the house or is the fan in the dehumidifier strong enough to push the air through? Also, if the A/C is running at the same time as the dehumidifier, aren't we adding warm air to the supply side?
I'm a year late, but he states that it is not required to run the air handler in this setup. Yes, you will be adding heat to the house whenever the dehumidifier is running.
@@TFSGEO there is no way the fan in that unit effectively overcomes static pressure in these three main trunks - negligible air movement. as for his blithe statement humidify equalizes across the house, guffaw guffaw, not if you have large house multiple floors and certainly not rapidly ie within a few hours
You’re comment makes sense this installation is just wrong just imagine also when the turn on AC/Heat the air will be blown back to the dehumidifier
@@Melo_Alienware most dehumidifiers have a backdraft damper built in
It depends on the static pressure across the dehumidifier unit. If it's 0.5 inches of water, and the product states it can supply like 120 cfm at that static pressure, it will flow all through the house. However, you can set these up to also turn on the A/C fan when the dehumidifier runs to get extra flow.
Is there an internal damper in the dehumidifier to prevent the air balance from getting out of whack when the system pushes conditioned air back into the dehumidifier when the dehumidifier is off?
someone in the comment section mentioned there is a one way flap on the unit to prevent that from happening
That was great. Very informative. Cleared up the humidity in my head, about getting 1 😁😁😁
Before you buy anything try reducing you air handler’s fan speed to the lowest setting, even if it’s below your recommended tonnage! My unit is 2 tons but I run it at a 1.5 tonnage speed. Now you have to be careful not to have poor filters or you will run the risk of freezing up. If you have a TXV or EXV this is less of a problem because your coil temp does a better job holding a constant safe temperature.
Only if your equipment is large enough to keep up with the set cooling temp could you do this. Most systems that are properly sized aren’t going to cool well with fan speed on low in summer time. Yes, it will dehumidify better. But it may not be able to keep up with the set point on your thermostat.
@justincoard2591 how can I lower the fan speed?? I have 3.5 ton, and AC only runs for about 12 min which I think is not long enough to remove all humidity, which does create high humidity levels in my house. I'd like to try lowering fan speed before installing a humidifier. When you say poor filters, do you mean lowe MERV rating?? I currently use a 5 since I was told the higher the Merv rating, the more air restriction which makes the unit work less efficiently. Is this true??
@@joleaiperlis5347 I mean poor as in dirty. The high merv filters are fine but depending on if you smoke burn candles or have pets, you may have to change them out early than recommended. A 15 minute cycling time can be pretty low depending on your unit and home envelope. I can say some AC units, to even reach peak efficiency to even pull humidity out of the air can take 15 minutes.
They make Panduit straps for a reason the one thing you don’t use duct tape on is ductwork, flexible or not
Dehumidifier should be extracting the humidity from the floor. Humidity is heavy . Install sump pump run drain hose from dehumidifier to sump pump. A radon system wouldn't hurt also. Even if there's little to no radon, the air movement under basement slab will definitely help with lowering moisture. Also a vent cut into bottom of basement door for more air movement also helps. Still air is humidities best friend next to water. These recommendations also help to keep mold down too.
How much weight on that Whole House Dehumidifier? I don't think my attic can handle such heavy weight.
These units typically weigh anywhere between 50 and 100 pounds depending on which model you purchase.
These are GREAT pieces of equipment, we use a lot of them for spring and fall dehumidification. One client got dry skin in August when we maxed it out.
That said, this install is rough as others have mentioned. Duct tape on the return? Seriously? Flex duct not stretched tight with metal 90s? Failing to use the awesome option of bringing fresh air into the house? Kind of a bummer. It'll probably work fine, but this did not make TOH's stock go up in my mind.
I thought that was duct tape. Unless it's a different product
4 years late but they specifically called out the issue is that during autumn and spring the air outside is too humid, bringing air from outside is not viable. I have the exact same issue as in this video.
@@Snutze Then the unit isn't large enough... You can outrun them but it's typically on hot humid days not cool humid ones. Put a temp/humidity or IAQ monitor in and find out!
There’s literally nothing wrong with proper duct tape on the return, as long as you secure it with a large zip tie as well. Duct tape & zip tie on inner lining of flex. Then duct tape and zip tie on outer portion of flex. It passes new construction code in Virginia. And yes, while they should have pulled the flex duct tight, there’s no need for metal 90’s. It’s a dehu man. Also, bringing in unconditioned, humid outdoor air is completely unnecessary as well. This isn’t a commercial application where you need air changes per hour. It’s resi bud. Completely acceptable setup they did.
interesting glasses Richard was wearing
I was sitting here replaying that for a min trying to figure out wtf was happening lol.
@@WheezySalmon I completely miss that the first time and I've been wearing glasses since I was in my single digit years; ~18 years ago. XD
What will happen when you turn on the AC/ Heat is it not going to blow back the air in to the Dehumidifier ??
I've had humidity in my home below 20% in the winter. Not good......I need a whole home unit. In the summer it is sometimes over 60%. Right now at 52%. 76 degree temperature set point. Chicago area.
You can add both a whole-home dehumidifier for warmer months, and a whole home humidifier for your colder months. Although, I prefer the larger portable humidifiers. Not a fan of pumping moisture into my ductwork.
@@JCo1301 Why are you not a fan of bypass or fan powered powered humidifiers?
@@Guillotines_For_Globalists I’m just not a fun of any humidifier placed into the duct work. Have seen all sorts of mold and mildew issues bc of them. I prefer using just a standalone humidifier in a room or rooms in the house. Anything not in the ductwork is fine.
he set it to 35% in New Orleans? 😂🤣 That dehumidifier is gonna dump about 50 gallons of water a day. 😂
My wife and I were in New Orleans a few years ago. It's very humid and rains throughout the day. I'm outside Philadelphia and it's just about the same with humidity here in summer. But they get it almost all year round. Why live there?
@@beebob1279 People live in New Orleans for 2 reasons. Food and Mardi Gras. But since you lived in N.O. then you already know that.
@beebob1279 for the Food, drinks, parties and that good vibe of southern hospitality.😎🤙
So it’s like Philly but with better food and without the winters? Why live where again?
@@2likruesco768 New Orleans does a ton of murders and car jackings so warned and hurricanes but at least you get a week's advance notice its about to hit you so you can leave and come back to a flooded house. Thats why I built 4ft off the ground because even though I live about 60miles south west of N.O. the surrounding property has never had 6 inches of standing water in the 44yrs I have lived here.
How much would all this cost to install? Looks like a lot of work. And how much to operate?
Humidifiers are very ineffecient.
When we fire up our portable HiSense unit at home and use it for a few days in the aummer the electric bill jumps easilly 20% or more
@@lakorai2 You're looking at a portable. I've got that too. My bill goes up 40 dollars a month just to dehumidify the basement. But the upstairs dries out too.
I imagine a whole house unit is better than the little ones we have.
Probably looking at $2500 or so for everything installed. Which isn’t too bad. Definitely cheaper than upgrading your unit to an inverter system at $15k. If you’ve got the money, spend the 15k on a Bosch inverter heat pump, which will dehumidify very well by itself. But if you don’t wanna spend that kind of money, this set up for roughly $2500 is a great alternative
One thing he didn't mention was, when the ac system is not running, the dehumidifier puts out some heat throughout the ductwork, and that will affect the delta t.
Just my thoughts, correct me if I'm wrong, that was something I experienced tha first time i installed my first one
is there a way to dehumidify just the attic ? don't connect to the AH, but instead vent the dehu supply to the outside ?
Please respond “this old house”
If you insulate the attic ceiling - how does it vent? Does that affect the shingle roof?
Please reply on this question. Thank you 🙏
His video was about house dehumidification, not attic dehumidification. If you serch yotube for "conditioned attic" you are going to find the answer you are looking for. One solution for attic moisture control, it will be a ridge moisture difiusion port.
I hope that the above will help.
How about a way to install something like this in a house that doesn't have air conditioning. I've got a basement, first floor and second floor. It's brutal in the basement particularly. And the dehumidifier I'm using can get it down to 65% and that's it.
Should I install duct work with this system and do it that way? Suggestions?
You can get a larger portable dehumidifier (70 pint) with a pump built in and run a hose to a drain or sink so it runs continuously. Dehumidifiers efficiency goes down as they age.
@@daniel193100 I'm running one in the basement with a pump that leads to the outside now. I just came back from the house yesterday. It's finally drying the place out and cycling on and off to keep with the humidity. But the top two floors are humid. I may have to put one on the first floor too during winter to dry it out up there. The pump can just go into the sink to drain.
But a whole house dehumidifier would be much easier
Just get a larger dehumidifier for your basement. And get one with a built in pump. No need for a whole home setup like this if basement is your primary concern. Just be aware, the bigger ones are pretty noisy. And If you have no drains like a sink or something in your basement, pipe the condensate pump to the exterior of the home, and at least a few feet away from the foundation of the home.
I'm a homeowner but a picky one. I always flinch when I see flex duct installed instead of hard ducting with insulation. Not as efficient due to the increased friction.
I didn't see a pan switch on that aux. pan. I sure hope the put one on it!
It does have a pan where they set the unit that was a pain.
Missed the backdraft damper at connection between dehumidifier and HVAC supply
How can I get one off this this for my bungalow ? Are you based in uk?
You connect the portable dehumidifier up to a garden hose that drains into a floor drain and you never have to mess with the buckets
and then it go bust after 2 year if your lucky .... portable AC are disposable pieces of junks nowaday
Portable dehumidifiers have become very effective. I have a Frigidaire that I run 24/7 in the summer drained into the sump. I would not want it in the living space given they are noisy and have a hose connected. Would not want it in my living space.
Do you have pets?
Yes.
Enjoy getting in your attic every month.
Also theres tons of dehumidifiers with hose hookup attachments to drain into the floor or trail to the sump pump, they are about an extra 25/50 dollars.
Also Im like 99% sure it didnt work after the water backed up and hit the float switch, that pvc pipe is not going to drain at an incline like that.
Yeah I cant fathom the logic of people putting these appliances in ATTICS, and to get up there you have to drop those sliding steps down from the ceiling, a real pain in the ass. At my work place they put 3 AC/furnaces in the attic, and to get up to check filters it's a ceiling panel you need to climb up to and crawl up thru. What's worse is it's not conditioned up there, so when it's zero degrees outside it's zero in the attic too and the condensate drains often FREEZE. In the summer it's like 120 degrees up there and the A/C are struggling big time.
As if that's not bad enough, the 4" pleated filters they use cost around $40 EACH, and because it's a wood shop the filters barely last a month.
Even worse- the contractors put two more units up on the ROOF of the new addition! so to get up there to check filters takes a 20 foot extension ladder, and each unit takes FOUR filters. Being up on the roof that takes a 20 foot ladder to get to is the worst place they could have put the things.
People had better use extreme caution with attics, millions of homes and businesses have Zonolite (R) vermiculite insulation in them, that insulation was contaminated by the most deadly form of asbestos known, you go tromping around in an attic with that stuff, and worse- installing ductwork and machines in there and you spread that asbestos throughout the house even more, and evern time you go up there to check filters you stir up even more.
Search here for; zonolite asbestos insulation libby Mt or see th-cam.com/video/gnOdJMC67gM/w-d-xo.html
Victorian Sculptures I know I managed a couple of stores that had similar AC systems that were in impossible places to change the filters. The ones that were in the ceilings were in the absolute worst places, in the fitting room I don’t understand what these engineers were thinking when they installed.
@@HobbyOrganist A lot of newer homes are doing that. I don't get it either. My mother in law had to get a new unit for her condo. The company had to figure out how to get the old one out and the new one in.
@@HobbyOrganist "Yeah I cant fathom the logic of people putting these appliances in ATTICS" - they have no basement, and likely no crawl space: They're in new orleans.
@@DavidMcKendrick-lives-here Time to put something in that's better accessible than up in a HOT attic
@This Old House I would like to watch the whole episode but it has been removed.
My windows get condensation during winters ( in Toronto) we have humidifier connected to AC what is the problem and solution for the same
"humidifier" - that's your problem :)
On a multi a/c unit (3) set up for a 4000 sq. ft. house, would you need a dehumidifier for each unit?
No. The drop in humidity would equalize across the interior. If in a sprawling house layout, the dehumidifier could be sent into a splitter, so it distributes into the pre-existing ducts in different systems simultaneously.
@@Carnie74 that was my question! Thanks
Your biggest concern would be finding a large enough dehu for 4,000 sq ft. Also, a big factor would be just how bad your humidity is in the home, with your current hvac setup. If you’re only at 58-60%, one dehu should be fine. If you’re seeing 65% percent or more, you need your hvac equipment looked at and likely adjusted, and/or adding 2 dehu’s to handle such a large load.
6:07 If the dehumidifier is on, and the air conditioner is off, will some of the dry air go back through the AC and come out through the air conditioner's return? If it does, my concern is that air blowing against the normal flow of the AC's filter and push dust back into the house.
I had this issue when I installed my dehumidifier. I wound up putting a bacdraff damper on my return. Problem solved. I have a larger unit than this one and I could feel the air coming out my main return until I installed it.
The system looks old, if it looks as old as I think it is is up grade it to an inverter they do the same thing but with the central air system I don’t need that dehumidifier add on the ac will only run at a Serrano percentage between 1-100% and it will do the same thing and lower your electric bill
You’re talking about a difference of $1500 for a dehu install, to a $15k install for an inverter system. If the system isn’t that old, and is running fine, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adding a dehu like they did.
Really great info! Just what I was looking for! But, my attic is "crawling" height, not standing height...:-(
how can the small fan in that unit overcome the whole house static pressure unless it triggers the blower on HVAC unit ??
They don't run the ac in the spring and fall in Nawlins?!
Hi Richard, Is there a back draft damper in the humidifier to stop air from back feeding into the humidifier when the fan coil is on?
yeah. there was a one way flap seen under his thumb at 5:10.
I was wondering the same thing. How will this system not put back-pressure on the AC filter, knocking all the dust back out into the house?
@@andrewhurley7118 no response. I was thinking the same thing. What is stopping the air flow from going backward through the AC blower and back out the return air duct, filter, etc?
@@DCUPtoejuice This is why I recommend installing it at the FURTHEST point of the main trunk like, as far away from the air handler as possible. You’ll still be feeding your supply side ductwork. And most of the air velocity will have gone out to the supply ductwork before it reaches the air handler. Because in this installation, you’re not only pushing the air backwards through your air handler, and out of the HVAC systems air filter. But if you’re also using it in the summer, and the AC system isn’t currently running, you’re blowing that dehumidified air right across a wet HVAC coil, out through the HVAC filter, which in turn then RAISES the humidity in your home. This is the same reason you don’t ever leave your fan in the on position in cooking mode, only should be on auto. Bc if you’re running the fan on constant, when the system isn’t actually cooling, you’re blowing air across a wet coil, thus INCREASING humidity in your home. Fan should ALWAYS be on Auto, not on position, when your thermostat is set to cooling mode.
@@JCo1301 and THAT is why you have to be abel to trigger the HVAC blower fan when this device his working !!!
So you have to run a whole other drain line? To can't tie into the ah one?
Im pretty sure you can just tie onto the existing drain.
I'm buying a house with a crawl space in western North Carolina. The crawl space has a small moisture issue and not sure how to fix this issue.
Our house has crawl space as well. Had the energy company (national grid) to send someone to assess the humidity situation and for a 30yr old house, they suggested patching the hairline cracks of the basement walls, spray foam it, the seal the ventilation windows. Then a portable dehumidifier with drain hose is places suspending like in this video does. We no longer have moisture problems. Before that the mold would invade the joists and structural beams supporting the first floor. I do have to remember to vacuum the filter and clean the cobweb at least once every season. Clogged filter means overheated fan motor in the dehumidifier which means fire. The dehumidifier before the mass Gree recall in 2013 and 2014 got overheated and deformed the fan blade cylinder thingy and fused the retractable handle with the unit. Thankfully it did not cause house fire before we replaced it.
How much does it cost to install this?
I'd say about shree fiffy.
So how do they stop the air from the AC from back-flowing into the dehumidifier? And the air from the dehumidifier from going to the supply ducts of the AC???
There is a back-flow damper that prevents air going backwards.
The outgoing air from the the dehu SHOULD be going into the supply ducts on the HVAC system. Lol. That’s how it’s designed.
Does the pipe for the condensate need to be graded?
I'll give it a B
Yes
How much a job like this cost any ideas ?
$2500ish
What about is my unit is in the crawlspace?
Is humidifier and dehumidifier the same?
Looking for that nature freshness, isn't that a little humid?
No.
By name, humidifier makes air more humid and dehumidifier is the opposite. Evaporative cooling is also a way to make indoor air more humid, serve similar purpose as that humidifier
That's a nice bass
It's all about that bass, no treble! 🎶
Doesn't this system drive up the heat when the furnance turns on and it starts to humidify?
I would imagine that this is only using the fan to circulate air through the house.
What kind of furnace humidifies by itself? Lol. A furnace acts as a dehumidifier in colder months. Not by design, it’s just how it works. Which is why you’ll need a HUMIDIFIER in colder months, to keep RH around 50%
Why do the pipes in my wall vibrate when I turn the shower water on??
Big job.
Is this work going to work on steam from the bathroom after taking hot shower??? Like no steam at all I would see any on the mirror????
Nel Edora If it's to prevent mold, then install a bathroom fan to the outside. If it's only to keep the mirror clear, install something behind the mirror to heat the mirror. Something like resistance wire on a small low voltage transformer.
Turn the bathroom fan on, problem solved.
Maybe if you left the bathroom door open while taking a shower. Bathroom fans already exist for that though.
A variable speed air handler with a thermidistat works better...
In hot humid climates 35% is way to dry. It should probably be btw 50 and 60 but i'm no expert. They never ran the machine to hear how loud and how it performs. Never talked about expense of running it. There should have been straps on the flex conduit connection, not just tape. Did not speak about a back flow damper to prevent reverse flow into the unit (Maybe too technical?). The units location in front and above the air handler makes it hard to service the AC unit. Probably should have placed it directly above the AC unit. But the video was helpful and the aprilaire units seem really good and well liked.
Humidity in summer time is recommended to be 45-50% RH. So yes, he’s wrong at 35%. They’re not very expensive to run at all. And they’re not even audible other than barely hearing the air come out of the supply registers. Everything in the video was done properly, other than the recommended set point of 35%. Which is dumb. 45-50 in summer. And get a HUMIDIFIER for winter to keep it 50-55% RH.
@@JCo1301 no 35 is good feels nice.
I suppose a modern a/c system with a variable speed fan and chiller could also function as a dehumidifier?
Good question. That would be a great option for a HVAC system.
Yes. The higher end variable speed units do a great job of dehumidifying. But it’s also gonna run you 15-20k to install one of those systems. This is a much cheaper alternative
Duct tape? And in an attic??
Why can't one just put the intake on the fresh air return lines and the out on the supply line?
Looking for a video about dehumidifiers and found one about how AC's work lol.
Explains how both works. ACs also tend to act as dehumidifiers too. Better vid than I was expecting
That's one big attic.
Does the change the static pressure?
sorry if u follow the mfg instructions u will notice toward the rear of the installation instruction manual it tells u to provide a "P" trap... I do not see the "P" trap on the evaporator blower and or the dehumidifier... Therefore u are pumping all the grains of moisture ,"humidity", back into the house and the unit will only drain when the blower is in the OFF position. MOLD inside blower compartment.. been in the mechanical trade as an HVAC contractor since 1963 and never used flexible duct too much resistance not professionally installed
I have a question for you. My condensate drains into a pump. unit is located in garage. all well and good during cooling months but how do I prevent air from being pulled up into the condensate drain in the winter when the pump is not full of condensate? a p trap would dry out pretty quickly too so that won't help. A trap primer? or some kind of thin rubber flapper on the bottom of the condensate drain?
What if you have 0% Humidity? Is it then a fire risk?
There’s not a residential dehumidifier out there that could pull a home down to 0%. But yea, the lower your RH is, the bigger risk of fire igniting house rapidly. Honestly, he’s wrong for recommending 35% RH. The CDC recommends between 45-55%. I prefer 45 in the hotter months. 55 in colder months.
@@JCo1301 no 35 is good for summer
How much are we talking about $?
Was it just me or was that drain pipe not level or sloped away....angle of the camera looked like it was slope towards the unit.......leak?
Wait a minute... Wouldn't it be better to have the output from the dehumidifier connected to the return side of the air handler instead of the supply side? There will be "higher relative pressure" on the supply side coming from the fan in the air handler, but there will be "lower relative pressure" return side. The "lower relative pressure" on the return side will assist the air flow from the dehumidifier, which also has a fan.
John Wilson
Exactly
That would be putting hot air in your return side, basically bypassing the air conditioner.
No. The air flow from the air handler will take the path of least resistance, which is out of the registers, and will not affect the output of the dehumidifier. Also, ducting the dehumidifier output into the return air side, will cause the drier air to become saturated, and defeat the purpose.
@D B great point! So, how do you feel about installing one of these systems with a fresh air intake duct connected to the whole house dehu? I want to create a positive-pressure environment in my house to reverse the typical negative pressure so I'm not pulling crap from the wall cavities (which I'm certain are moldy to some extent given the humid locale) as well as fresh air that is filtered.
@D B first, thank you for replying. much appreciated. We don't have humidity issues. We would get this to dehu incoming air mostly. otherwise life would be rough with fresh air intake in GA in spring, summer and early fall.
re: moisture barrier - it does nothing for what I'm talking about. tyvek stops liquid water from passing through only. convection through drywall into wall cavities causes condensation from the humid air that migrates through the siding. so, what I really need to do eventually is remove all the siding, treat the exterior of the drywall and studs, perhaps spray foam the walls (not really sure what to do there - maybe rigid foam? either way its gonna cost a lot sigh.....) to prevent a wall cavity that is essentially a mold incubator (no UV exposure, plenty of cellulose and water from condensation). I was hoping this would help in the meantime so we aren't so sick. kind of a stop gap measure.
so curious here...my finished basement has 4 rooms,each room has heat vents installed but no cold air return like upstairs .this is where i find most of the dampness,am i to understand that the dehumidified air will displace the damp air in my basement therefor reducing the dampness down there?
Honestly, for a basement you should install a standalone dehumidifier. You can get models that have a small pump in them and will empty automatically.
@@LSDale ^^^Yup. Exactly the correct answer.
when figuring load calculation, what kind of restrictions are we looking at?
At least seven.
My question is, can I have this whole house dehumidifier and a whole house humidifier in my attic? I live in Northeast Georgia and summer can be very hot and humid, but when either the ac or heat is blasting, I wake up with a dry throat...
stay away from whole house humidifiers. first, they die quickly. second, they can encourage mold growth in your ducts etc. Just use portable room units for humidification.
@@coppulor6500 I moved into my home and there was a humidifier unit. It didn't work and was all clogged up. I just didn't use it. My wife uses a humidifier in the bedroom and that's it.
I agree, stay away from humidifiers in the household unit.
@@beebob1279 see above replay to JC (jeez, even his initials are JC! lol)
Jesus,
I live in Marietta, GA. I have been inspecting homes for 24 years, have perfect reviews on my google business page and on Angie's List and am fully code certified (which is a big deal because very private inspectors are as is not required - in fact, GAHI (Georgia ASsociation of Home Inspectors) is the only association of private inspectors of which I am aware, that requires it members to be code certified (that means certified in the IRC (International Residential Code)) the requirements of which must be adhered to by law for new construction AND rehab and additions and newly installed systems such as HVAC etc.
I am not bragging just trying to establish the fact that, even though I am smart enough to know that I don't know everything, I feel comfortable calling myself an expert. So, please consider the following info.
I tell every one of my clients (just happened yesterday, in fact), to remove whole house humidifiers IMMEDIATELY. They obviously dramatically increase the humidity in your ductwork. This very often results in condensation in your ductwork because some parts of your duct system are colder than others among other reasons (including leaky ductwork etc blah blah blah). I don't want to go into too much detail (I have a report to write but I couldnt help taking the time to reply because of the importance of this issue to one's health and Bea Bob's comment made me look at my inadequate previous reply and helping others is a priority for me).
I very often find mold in HVAC systems. Particularly heat pumps. I moved into my girlfriend's house several years ago and removed the humidifier immediately due to the symptoms she and her kids (and I) where experiencing. That lead to further investigation of the ductwork (including removing some of it to look inside and take photos etc). I show these pics to my clients often and they gasp, their mouths are agape and the look on their faces is one of disgust. We have humidifiers in our rooms. The steam kind (the other kind can create mold in the filters). We have dehumidifiers in our garage, basement, and upstairs hall - a whole house dehu would be great but we'll do that down the road when have the money for that and an ERV for fresh air exchange (we want a ventilating whole house dehumidifier).
Yes, I know it gets much much colder in North GA and constant heating dries everything and everyone out, but trust me, its worth the hassle of refilling the ones in our rooms vs worrying about mold growth in our HVAC system and house (as mold in ductwork obviously releases mold spores and, worse, mycotoxins - all of which are then wonderfully spread throughout your house.
Almost nobody understand how unbelievably toxic mold is to your brain. Mycotoxins can pass through the blood/brain barrier and ruin your life - everything from depression to Alzheimer's to almost unstoppable lung infections to death.
Do yourself a favor and read this article. paradigmchange.me/wp/fire/
two more things. mold spores are EXTREMELY small. 10,000 spores can fit on the head of a pin. you cannot eliminate them from your environment but you CAN make sure your house is not a place mold can grow. lastly, if you have questions or want to see some photos, feel free to gimme a call. I am not trying to advertise since I am always overflowing with work (which is why I no longer have an actual website). do a search for HI-Tech Home Inspections 30066 and you will find my business listing and contact info. I'd be happy to help you for free (just keep it reasonable lol).
Best of luck!
@@coppulor6500 Thanks for the information. I was told this when the heat pump was replaced years ago. I never put in a new humidifier. I just might end up having the duct work checked anyway for mold.
@6:10: Condensate flows up-slope?
those are some cool glasses 06:32!
The foam insulation causes the the humidity problem due to lack ventilation, and. HRV unit would have taken care of the problem
They're in the South. Humidity can be 80% on cool fall and spring days here
Totally insulated attics should have at least one A/C supply in them to take care of humidity. House moisture will work it's way up there.
IMO 35 percent is to dry. 45-50 much better!
I live in New York. who can send me the address of the store
How much does it cost to operate it 24h 7 days?????
it doesnt run 24/7. also, some of the cost is offset by the fact that you can keep the temp higher in cooling months because it will feel more comfy at lower humidity levels so you don't run the AC as often. A local contractor told me an increase of about 10% in utility costs. worth it for humid areas though ESPECIALLY if you run the fresh air intake duct into it.
what happened to the husband ??
Had to work to pay the bill of this new humidifier.
they killed and ate him. says in the end credits of the original episode
Playing on his Cello
That's a double bass.
She wears the pants. You could tell from the start -- the way the husband looks at them.
People need to remember that the air behaves like a fluid...create a drain in one place...the fluid will follow...and he didn't do a bad job hinting at thermodynamics to a customer who probably wouldn't have understood it otherwise...
His glasses 👓 tho
what was the cost of this install?
Probably about $3-5K including installation.
What keeps the dehumidifier coil cold? It's not got the condensing unit like the furnace.
Nathan The dehumidifier is just a small air conditioner with the outdoor/condenser coil mounted directly behind the indoor/evaporator coil in the same box. The evaporator coil cools the air below the dew point, which makes the humidity in it condense and that's carried off by the drain, then the now-dry air blows over the condenser, which reheats it before it's returned to the house.
Great video ! Will it be ok if I install my return in my second floor? Or does it have to be in my first floor ?
Humidity rises typically.
Ultimately it shouldn't matter, the humidity in the air will equalize through the house assuming your house is tight enough and more humid air isn't coming from outside than the dehumidifier can handle.
Awesome
4:04 What a great and perfectly timed question. Couldn't have timed that better if they had planned it. :/
He also installed the grill the wrong way at this time lol
what's a reasonable labor cost for this type of job?
They charged about $23,000. At least I'm gonna assume that, since they're not man enough to say.
@@Kube_Dog 😱😱😱😱😱 23k?! Hell no, that seems excessive af
Probably looking at 3k installed