Spot on advice Michael. You are the very best and most helpful/knowlegable contractor in this field. I have saved over 20 of your videos. They have helped me so much. Thank you Michael.
After all these years I never knew what zooglea was, I knew there was a problem but never knew how to mitigate it. Now I can research, and look at your videos on how to fix it!
Some great tips. And yes, it’s best to plug a dehumidifier directly into a wall outlet but if a short length extension cord of the proper gauge is inevitably needed, using one has no effect on dehumidifier life. The problem with dehumidifiers today aside that nearly all are cheaply made in China is the fact that they are using R-134 Freon which, unlike it older predecessor, is under very high pressure in the sealed system and is prone to leaks after just a couple of years.
Thanks, never had to run a dehumidifier and this is great info! I quickly got tired of emptying the bucket so I’m trying to figure out where in my finished basement I can drain it more permanently. I actually was thinking to drain it out the same drain as my house ac unit but you said that’s a bad idea 🙁 I’ve got a bathroom sink, kitchen sink, washer/dryer hookup can I utilize any of those as a drain?
Many codes officials discourage tapping into sewer lines to drain dehumidifiers but I have seen people drain a dehumidifier into the washer discharge because technically you're not permanently tying into it. I hope that helps.
Good Day, love your videos. We have a "U" shaped crawl space. Crawl space is encapsulated, vents closed off and a new door is installed and sealed around the edges. Can't find your other video regarding adding fans at a couple of places. Can you tell me what type of fans to use and probably some kind of humidity switch to turn it on and off? Thanks p.s. unit is currently in the center of the crawl space but not exactly in the center more to the back of the crawl space but also centered. The crawl space also has French drains around the inside, draining to 2 sump pumps that pump outside the house.
Hi! Just found you on TH-cam. Enjoying and learning from your videos. Regarding the icky "zooglea-d" dehumidifier, does the zooglea smell like sour milk by any chance? Thank you!
Thank you for this immensely informative video. At a minimum, I learned a new word - 'zooglea'. Second, I now have a new way to terrify friends and family by chasing them around with a condensate pump filled with snot-like bacteria.
I now have 3 units from Home Depot that have failed in the last 5 years.. Present Toshiba unit just went bad. What units do you recommend? Say around $500
Ron - we sell AprilAire dehumidifiers in our DIY Store: diy.crawlspaceninja.com/dehumidifiers/ Thanks for watching and we hope you have a happy & blessed weekend.
I sent that exact same question to Aprilaire. Told them its going to sit on a stand in my basement. They said it would be covered. Also beware that extended warranty companies dont warranty "commercial" products, even though theyll take your money.
Which brand of cleaning tablets would you recommend? I'm using the bucket to drain the water from the dehumidifier, would I just drop one tab in the water bucket after every time I dump the water out?
Lisa - The use of extension cords with appliances, especially those that involve water, such as a dehumidifier, is not recommended. It is also not recommended to connect a dehumidifier to a surge protector or multi-outlet adapter. Connect a dehumidifier directly to a three-branch wall outlet that has been properly mounted.
We have a coal furnace that is not being used. We have replaced it with a forced air furnace. We have a very unpleasant odor in the house. Can that be from stale water sitting in pipes for many years??
Hey Michael, trying to find out why my Santa Fe Dehumidifier is freezing up. I have a twice-a-year maintenance contract so it gets checked and the unit is cleaned. This last time, I noticed that the filter was put in backward. Could this cause the unit to freeze up? I have a Santa Fe Advanced90. Thanks
I am not sure if filter in wrong directions restricts air flow or not. If it is a new disposable it shouldn't. If it is a washable, you may want to replace it with a new one or get a filter with a lower MERV rating so it is not restricting the air as much. Hope that helps.
Michael, I have a portable PURE AND DRY dehumidifier by Aerus...the unit works ok, but the water is no longer draining into the reservoir. It now leaks out of the bottom of the unit. Would you happen to know what I can do to fix this problem? I currently have the unit sitting in a large pan, but I have to empty the pan before it over fills......would be so much easier if the water was draining into the reservoir again.....UGH !!
We do not have any experience with that brand of dehumidifier, but it sounds like it's not been maintained consistently and the drain line has become clogged. I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to see how they recommend performing routine maintenance, or if it is a known issue that they have a solution for.
If I can't afford "Encapsulation" what's the next best thing I can have ya'll do, for my crawl space? New 12ml floor barrier, dehumidifier & a pump or ???
@@CrawlSpaceNinja I''m out of your service area (Georgia-31211). Had eval from a company & can't afford the whole encapsulation process & was looking for $$ of next best thing to control humidity (Have no standing/puddling water)-Thanks!!
@@karencoleman6800 get a vapor barrier down. And up the walls. And create a way to get some conditioned air flowing through or use a dehumidifier and an exhaust fan to vent soil gases. Don’t forget they say now to block off all vents except one that you use to vent out of the space
Ensure that your coils are free of debris and dirt buildup by inspecting them regularly. Keep your coils clean so that your dehumidifier works properly. They are one of the most important components.
I need to have the humidifier/dehumidifier serviced..the light is red.Is this something i can do myself,i don't trust the tech's who came out . they take advantage of me not knowing. please help 😢😢😢😢
Mine goes out back into a bucket where my dog has fresh cool water 24/7. Also, no mosquito larvae due to constant replenishment. The excess waters a large oak tree when it overflows the bucket.
We recommend plumbing the dehumidifier on it's own line to the exterior of the crawl space, 10-15 feet away from the foundation. Connecting it to internal lines is not something we do or recommend.
Spot on advice Michael. You are the very best and most helpful/knowlegable contractor in this field. I have saved over 20 of your videos. They have helped me so much. Thank you Michael.
Glad our videos help!
After all these years I never knew what zooglea was, I knew there was a problem but never knew how to mitigate it. Now I can research, and look at your videos on how to fix it!
Some great tips. And yes, it’s best to plug a dehumidifier directly into a wall outlet but if a short length extension cord of the proper gauge is inevitably needed, using one has no effect on dehumidifier life. The problem with dehumidifiers today aside that nearly all are cheaply made in China is the fact that they are using R-134 Freon which, unlike it older predecessor, is under very high pressure in the sealed system and is prone to leaks after just a couple of years.
Crawl space ninja is the go to for all things crawl space.
Thanks, never had to run a dehumidifier and this is great info! I quickly got tired of emptying the bucket so I’m trying to figure out where in my finished basement I can drain it more permanently. I actually was thinking to drain it out the same drain as my house ac unit but you said that’s a bad idea 🙁 I’ve got a bathroom sink, kitchen sink, washer/dryer hookup can I utilize any of those as a drain?
Many codes officials discourage tapping into sewer lines to drain dehumidifiers but I have seen people drain a dehumidifier into the washer discharge because technically you're not permanently tying into it. I hope that helps.
Good Day, love your videos. We have a "U" shaped crawl space. Crawl space is encapsulated, vents closed off and a new door is installed and sealed around the edges. Can't find your other video regarding adding fans at a couple of places. Can you tell me what type of fans to use and probably some kind of humidity switch to turn it on and off? Thanks p.s. unit is currently in the center of the crawl space but not exactly in the center more to the back of the crawl space but also centered. The crawl space also has French drains around the inside, draining to 2 sump pumps that pump outside the house.
Yes we can help! Email us at DIY@crawlspaceninja.com
Great information and told detailed.
Thank you!
Hi! Just found you on TH-cam. Enjoying and learning from your videos.
Regarding the icky "zooglea-d" dehumidifier, does the zooglea smell like sour milk by any chance? Thank you!
That can be typical for some dehumidifiers
Thank you for this immensely informative video. At a minimum, I learned a new word - 'zooglea'. Second, I now have a new way to terrify friends and family by chasing them around with a condensate pump filled with snot-like bacteria.
Haha, thank you so much! Zooglea is pretty gross!
Keep the old ones keep them clean and make sure the fan motor is lubricated they will last forever.
Thanks for sharing.
I now have 3 units from Home Depot that have failed in the last 5 years.. Present Toshiba unit just went bad.
What units do you recommend? Say around $500
Ron - we sell AprilAire dehumidifiers in our DIY Store: diy.crawlspaceninja.com/dehumidifiers/ Thanks for watching and we hope you have a happy & blessed weekend.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja I saw the warranty is void if not installed by professional. The verbage in the warranty says that.
I sent that exact same question to Aprilaire. Told them its going to sit on a stand in my basement. They said it would be covered. Also beware that extended warranty companies dont warranty "commercial" products, even though theyll take your money.
Which brand of cleaning tablets would you recommend?
I'm using the bucket to drain the water from the dehumidifier, would I just drop one tab in the water bucket after every time I dump the water out?
here is the tablets that we use diy.crawlspaceninja.com/product/pan-treat-tab/
He mentioned cleaning the lines with the tablets but same as you I'm not sure how either
Is it important to clean the coils I ve noticed mine has some dust stucked there
Yes and there's a different guy who cleans his dehumidifier annually on you tube. Look for
Cleaning your dehumidifier
What's the problem with a heavy duty extension cord?
Lisa - The use of extension cords with appliances, especially those that involve water, such as a dehumidifier, is not recommended. It is also not recommended to connect a dehumidifier to a surge protector or multi-outlet adapter. Connect a dehumidifier directly to a three-branch wall outlet that has been properly mounted.
thanks 👍
We have a coal furnace that is not being used. We have replaced it with a forced air furnace. We have a very unpleasant odor
in the house. Can that be from stale water sitting in pipes for many years??
It could be. Water stagnating can give off some terrible odors.
So many people are slow. They keep windows open in the house with dehumidifiers running. It doesn't matter if its a different part of the house.
Hey Michael, trying to find out why my Santa Fe Dehumidifier is freezing up. I have a twice-a-year maintenance contract so it gets checked and the unit is cleaned. This last time, I noticed that the filter was put in backward. Could this cause the unit to freeze up? I have a Santa Fe Advanced90. Thanks
I am not sure if filter in wrong directions restricts air flow or not. If it is a new disposable it shouldn't. If it is a washable, you may want to replace it with a new one or get a filter with a lower MERV rating so it is not restricting the air as much. Hope that helps.
Santa Fe should be able to troubleshoot with you to provide accurate information based on what's going on.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja It was a new filter
Michael, I have a portable PURE AND DRY dehumidifier by Aerus...the unit works ok, but the water is no longer draining into the reservoir. It now leaks out of the bottom of the unit. Would you happen to know what I can do to fix this problem? I currently have the unit sitting in a large pan, but I have to empty the pan before it over fills......would be so much easier if the water was draining into the reservoir again.....UGH !!
We do not have any experience with that brand of dehumidifier, but it sounds like it's not been maintained consistently and the drain line has become clogged. I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to see how they recommend performing routine maintenance, or if it is a known issue that they have a solution for.
@@CrawlSpaceNinja Thank you, I will do that !!!
If I can't afford "Encapsulation" what's the next best thing I can have ya'll do, for my crawl space?
New 12ml floor barrier, dehumidifier & a pump or ???
What you would need will depend on the state of your crawl space, if you are within our area we would love to come check out your crawl space
@@CrawlSpaceNinja I''m out of your service area (Georgia-31211). Had eval from a company & can't afford the whole encapsulation process & was looking for $$ of next best thing to control humidity (Have no standing/puddling water)-Thanks!!
@@karencoleman6800 get a vapor barrier down. And up the walls. And create a way to get some conditioned air flowing through or use a dehumidifier and an exhaust fan to vent soil gases. Don’t forget they say now to block off all vents except one that you use to vent out of the space
This is great info - Thanks!!
Glad we can help!
Do the coils inside ever need cleaned?
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Cleaning your dehumidifier
Ensure that your coils are free of debris and dirt buildup by inspecting them regularly. Keep your coils clean so that your dehumidifier works properly. They are one of the most important components.
Is there any down fall to a larger dehum? Is bigger better?
Bigger is not better, you just need to keep the size of your crawl space in mind.
I need to have the humidifier/dehumidifier serviced..the light is red.Is this something i can do myself,i don't trust the tech's who came out . they take advantage of me not knowing. please help 😢😢😢😢
Oh no! Contact us at customerservice@crawlspaceninja.com
Where do you drain it then? Outside or to a sink?
Mine goes out back into a bucket where my dog has fresh cool water 24/7. Also, no mosquito larvae due to constant replenishment. The excess waters a large oak tree when it overflows the bucket.
Outside via a condensate pump and tubing.
We recommend either a sump pump if you have a water management system or to the outside via a condensate pump
What internal plumbing can I drain my dehumidifier into?
We recommend plumbing the dehumidifier on it's own line to the exterior of the crawl space, 10-15 feet away from the foundation. Connecting it to internal lines is not something we do or recommend.
Thank yoy
You're welcome! Thank you for the comment!
Thanks so very much Michael!
I'm having an issue with mine now so I'm troubleshooting, this is very good information to know!
Thanks again!
Glad to help! Thanks for watching.