Looking for dehumidifer and air purifer recomendations
Hi,
We have a downstairs that is a basement converted into a living space - it's pretty big and includes two bedrooms, a bathroom and an open area. There's a musty smell that I think is probably moisture so I'd like to put in a dehumidifier. I've read so many reviews and it seems like none of them last very long. The positive reviews from places like Consumer Reports, Wirecutter, Good Housekeeping and others seem to be reviews that are done right away so they get good reviews up front but people who actually use them for months aren't so positive about them. Any recommendations for a dehumidifier that has lasted well would be greatly appreciated! Because of the musty smell, I'm also looking for an air purifier.
Thank you!
Sep 27, 2024
Parent Replies
Aside from a dehumidifier and an air purifier, try spraying the basement with Zero Order Pro (not regular Zero Order — the Pro version works better and faster). You can buy it on Amazon. You may have to spray, check later, and spray again and repeat many times until the smell is gone. Also, if you buy the small tubs of moisture eliminator with charcoal (Dollar Tree store), they will help remove moisture, which should help prevent the musty smell from coming back. Good luck!
We did a lot of research on this for similar reasons. We ended up buying this Frigidaire 50pt with the 4 year coverage plan from Amazon. We’ve run it basically nonstop since we bought it over a year ago and had zero issues so far. Our humidity is definitely reduced since using it! We use a separate air purifier — I don’t know if you can get a 2 in 1 but if you can I would imagine it would be pricey. Good luck!
https://a.co/d/eIng4f7
For air purifiers, I highly recommend an IQ Air. We’ve had a Health Pro Plus for a few years, and it works terrific, moving a lot of air without much noise. It also doesn’t need much maintenance, other than replacing a filter maybe once a year. The price is a stretch—the unit is very pricey, as are the replacement filters. We’ve kept it running daily for years, though, and it still runs smoothly.
We’ve only had our dehumidifiers for a little bit, so I can’t speak to the longevity. We have TCL units we got at Target, and they’ve been very effective, though a little noisy when the condenser is running. They also generate quite a bit of heat. Not sure if these issues can be avoided. One thing to consider is whether you’ll be able to run a drainage line from the unit, or if you’ll need to empty the unit’s tank. Our tank can hold 6 gallons, and it still needs to be emptied twice a day, since the atmospheric humidity around here is usually up around 70%.